Microsoft just made its full-fledged Office apps free on iOS and Android.
The company unveiled new standalone Office apps for iPhone and Android tablets and an updated suite of apps for iPad — and expanded the apps’ functionality for users who don’t subscribe to Office 365.
The update adds standalone Word, Excel, and Powerpoint apps for iPhone. Previously, there was a single Microsoft Office app that allowed users to view Word, Excel and Powerpoint files and make basic edits, but the individual apps didn’t have their own offerings for iPhone.
The new iPhone apps have the same advanced editing capabilities as their iPad counterparts, though they’ve been optimized for the smaller-screened iPhones. “If you’re in the middle of working on a presentation and you get on your train to go home you can just move to your phone and continue editing,” said Michael Atalla, Microsoft’s director of product management for Office.
Microsoft is also finally launching Office apps for Android tablet, which are still in the works and expected to become available in 2015. But those who want an early look at the apps can sign up to be part of Microsoft’s preview beginning Thursday.
