14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has promised to improve its services no matter the platform, and while the company has been criticized for not making Windows the focus, it’s pretty clear the goal is to keep all versions in sync and allow customers to make the most of each product no matter the device.
This is why iPhones and iPads being used to work with Office documents will soon receive another welcome update as part of the November 2017 rollout cycle.
Microsoft said that it’s improving digital ink on the iPhone and iPad with a digital pencil, which should make it possible to “sketch out your ideas to make them come to live and rediscover the simple pleasure of creating content with a pen.”
This feature will be added to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and will arrive as part of the November update that will roll out to all users very soon.
Fast scrolling in Microsoft Excel
Pen support in Microsoft Office is particularly useful for iPad Pro customers who enjoy working with the Apple Pencil, a feature that has until recently was denied even by Apple itself. Microsoft launched the Surface series with stylus support back in 2012, but at that point, Apple CEO Tim Cook played down the chances of such a form factor to succeed, calling the Surface RT a mix of a toaster and a refrigerator.
Stylus support, however, isn’t the only focus for Microsoft in this month’s Office for iOS update. The company is also introducing faster scrolling for Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, with the company explaining that users will be able to “move quickly through long spreadsheets on your touch device using the new scroll handles.”
At this point, Office insiders running the productivity suite on their iOS devices can already give a try to the new features, while everyone else should receive them later this month after Microsoft completes the testing process and fixes the reported bugs.
