14 DAY TRIAL // Just as it is the case for Windows 8, Microsoft has yet to share any plans related to the next major iteration of its office productivity suite.
However, there are indications that the Redmond company is thinking about growing the product with the addition of new components.
According to Mary-Jo Foley, the software giant is considering adding more applications to Office 15, the successor of Office 2010, which was codenamed Office 14 during the development process.
“Office 15 is the next natural step in our investments” revealed Microsoft Business Division President Kurt DelBene during the “Future of Productivity” event for press and analysts on January 28.
Office 15 is the evolution from Office 2010, and as such will bring to the table enhancements for the plethora of areas that the productivity suite covers, from content integration to social networking experiences, to Cloud connectivity, unified communications, enhanced interoperability, etc.
DelBene even mentioned that the software giant is paying close attention to the evolution of user needs and will tailor the Office System in accordance.
However, in this regard, the company will not be providing solutions looking for problems, but rather new Office applications only when customers can indeed use them.
But there could be new apps added to the productivity suite, with the possibility that new components could be introduced as early as Office 15.
“We don’t think we’ve covered all the bases,” DelBene noted.”We’re always looking for what new productivity experiences” customers want.”
Apparently, new components focused on business intelligence and messaging could become part of Office.
But customers must understand that Microsoft offered no official confirmation of its Office 15 plans as of now.
As such, Office 15 could very well ship with the same component list as its predecessor, and any speculation related to new apps, is just speculation for now.
Rumors previously revealed that Office 15 might be a 2013 deliverable, although some Microsoft insiders point to 2012 as a more suitable deadline for the arrival of Office 2010’s successor.