14 DAY TRIAL // Google Docs is still one of the best examples on how to do a cloud app right. The Docs office suite may still not be as good as stand-alone products that have decades of history, but it leverages its unique advantages perfectly.
For a cloud app, these would be instant access, from everywhere, and collaboration.
The latest updates to the mobile apps, now under the Google Drive label, but incorporating the Google Docs editors, expand on those strengths.
For example, the iOS app added support for editing documents, a first for the platform. Android permitted some limited editing of documents and spreadsheets. The iOS app has added support for document editing with spreadsheet editing on its way.
More editing capabilities expand the "access everywhere" part of what cloud apps do best, but Google also covered the "better collaboration" part. The Android app adds support for comments, you can add your own, view existing one and reply to them.
While the Google Docs editors are quite capable at this point, power users may still find them lacking. But they're good enough for most use cases, even without considering the advantages of the cloud.
"Good enough" plus the ability to both access files from everywhere at any point and to have several people work on the same document at the same time is exactly what most people and even most companies need.
For regular users, the need to buy an expensive Office suite has been negated by online tools like Google Docs. For small companies or those that don't need obscure or powerful editing features, Docs does the job as well.
It's not hard to understand why Microsoft made the switch to the cloud as well with a suite of new office apps. The company does have a big advantage in its existing user base, but its online tools still have some catching up to do to Google's.