Not only has the dust didn’t get a chance to settle on Office 2010, but there’s no dust whatsoever seeing how the next iteration of the Office System is still in Beta, but Microsoft is already looking ahead, to the “next next” version of Office. The successor of Office 2007 was codenamed Office 14, although technically it was the 12th release, Microsoft looking to skip the unlucky version number, a release which will obviously be followed by Office 15. At the start of this month, Microsoft offered official confirmation indicating that planning for Office 15 is starting even before Office 2010/Office 14 is finalized.

“As Office 2010 nears shipping, we are starting to plan Office 15. One area that we are considering improving is our SQL Server support. Based on what I've heard from the community, that would be most welcome. Note that we are very early in planning, and considering many possible areas of investment, I unfortunately can't commit to any actual improvements at this time,” revealed Greg Lindhorst the person looking into how to improve Access and SQL Server for Access 15, according to Microsoft’s Clint Covington. “This is where you come in… I need your help to understand the need for improvements and make the case for improved SQL support.” (via Mary Jo Foley)

Microsoft plans to release Office 2010 by June 2010, with Office 2010 set another 2 to 3 years in the future. Users already familiar with the development of Microsoft’s main cash cows, Windows and Office, already know that as far as the next iteration of its operating system is concerned, the company had also started planning even before the latest release was, well, a release. Microsoft has offered numerous indications revealing that Windows 8 planning and preparation has already started in Redmond. And it appears that the same aggressive development strategy is also applied to Office 15.

It’s worth mentioning that Steven Sinofsky, the current president of Windows and Windows Live Division, and the man that oversaw the development process of Windows 7, was reassigned from Office to build the successor of Windows Vista after Jim Allchin, (former) co-president, Platforms & Services Division, retired in 2007. With Sinofsky at the helm, major Office releases were made available at a much faster pace compared to Windows. After he was made responsible for the building of Windows 7, the new president, at the time just senior vice president of the Windows and Windows Live engineering group, imposed a faster pace, which resulted in the release of Windows 7 under three years after Vista’s launch.

Office 2010 Beta 14.0.4536.1000 is available for download here.