14 DAY TRIAL // Office 15 is currently being built in Redmond, with Microsoft sharing no details about the successor of Office 2010 with the world at this point in time. And while the software giant will most likely continue to keep mum on the next major iteration of the Office productivity suite for quite some time, there are a few leaks which manage to disclose some aspects of Office 15 to users.
Recently, details started emerging on Build 15.0.2703.1000, a Milestone 2 release of Office 15.
A set of screenshots from Office 15 M2 Build 15.0.2703.1000 was leaked in the wild, and testers pointed out a few changes and new features that have already been introduced in Office 2010’s successor.
A video has now also emerged, designed to illustrate the installation process of Office 15 M2 Build 15.0.2703.1000 (via Windows8Beta).
Make sure to check out the video embedded at the bottom of this article and get an idea of what’s like to deploy Office 15 at this early stage in the development process.
It’s critical to stress that just as Windows 8 is extremely similar to Windows 7, still, Office 15 also shares multiple aspects with its predecessor, Office 2010.
This will continue to be the case until Office 15 will graduate to Beta development stage, at which point, Microsoft has all but done introducing major changes into the product, and the productivity suite will not evolve all that much compared to the RTM milestone.
Windows 8 Beta is expected later this year, with speculation pointing to the fall of 2011. Unlike Windows vNext, there are far less details about the forthcoming development milestones of Office 15.
Some speculate that Office 15 will be wrapped up and delivered to customers in 2012. Personally, I don’t see Microsoft finalizing the successor of Office 2010 so fast.
If I were to bet, I’d say that development for Office 15 will stretch into 2013, and that we’re at least a couple of years away from Office vNext hitting store shelves.