Remember that Office for iPad product shot that was floating around earlier today? Well, Microsoft won’t actually come out and call it bogus, but they do say any report of Office for iPad is based on “inaccurate rumors and speculation.” So is that a denial or what?
The New York Times reached out to Microsoft, who said:
The Daily Story [about Microsoft Office for iPad] is based on inaccurate rumors and speculation. We have no further comment.”
That seems like a pretty strongly worded non-denial that they are working on Microsoft Office for iPad. Rather, it seems likely that Microsoft is working on Office for iOS devices, but they aren’t ready to announce it… and it’s hardly imminent.
Ars Technica agrees that the Daily’s report is likely bogus:
Ars was unable to obtain independent confirmation of the app’s existence from our own sources, and as such, we’re left feeling skeptical of The Daily’s claims. For one, it’s likely that the Mac BU would be involved in the development of an iPad app, and the photo appears to show no Mac BU branding. Additionally, three-apps-in-one is atypical for the App Store and may not pass Apple’s review. And finally, the claim that Microsoft could take an app from design-to-finished product within weeks seems especially aggressive, and it’s highly unlikely that the app would be coded before the design is finalized.
In his original report, The Daily’s Matt Hickey has gone as far as to say that he played with a working prototype. Was he just lying, or was he scammed? Plus, the leaked shot seems to indicate that the app is being prepared for Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week, which would make sense as a venue for Microsoft to debut it.
So what’s really going on, here? We don’t know, but we’re skeptical it really matters anyway.
