14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is working to deliver new updates for Office on iOS and Mac as part of the September rollout, and according to information that has reached the web in anticipation of the public launch, this release includes new features and several important improvements on both platforms.
Office for iOS will finally get support for Edmodo and Tencent, so iPhone and iPad users will be allowed to store and access their documents, including here Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files on these two services.
Smart Lookup will arrive on iOS devices as well to allow users to get information on a specific word or phrase instantly. This feature will only be available in Microsoft Word and will require iPhone and iPad owners to press and hold on a word or phrase to search more information on a specific image, get a word definition, or more, all without leaving the document.
And last but not least, PowerPoint users with an iPhone will get new options for the presenter view, as Microsoft is working on improvements for the laser pointer. “Point your phone at the screen, then press and hold in the notes area to turn your device into a laser pointer,” Microsoft explains, adding that this feature will be exclusive to iPhone users and Office 365 subscribers (via @h0x0d).
Office for Mac improvements
The Mac version of the productivity suite will be updated as well, and one of the first improvements will be PowerPoint Designer, an Office 365 feature that provides design ideas for slides based on your photo collection. There’ll also be new options to color guides, as well as to trim audio and video files.
Office 365 subscribers will also get access to a new Focus mode to “remove distractions and concentrate on your work,” according to the official changelog.
At this point, there’s no release date for this new important Office update, but it should go live in early September for users on Apple’s platforms.