Microsoft Office 2013 coming to Android and iOS in March 2013

While Windows Phone and some Symbian users already have access to Microsoft Office, the two most popular mobile operating systems do not. That will change according to comments made by a Czech Microsoft product manager. Peter Bobek told Czech news site IHNED that Microsoft will extend its popular Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps to other platforms next year. A press release then confirmed that statement with the following message:

"In addition to Windows, Office will be also available on other operating systems, Windows Phone, Windows RT, Mac OS, Android, iOS and Symbian."

Microsoft has said in the past that it would deliver its services to wherever its customers need them, but the company has prioritized its Office suite of apps to Windows Phone. With Android and iOS so handily dominating the mobile industry, Microsoft may feel a need to be less preferential and deliver Office 2013 to other platforms. The company runs the risk of losing users to other options, including third-party Office clients like QuickOffice or alternative solutions like Google Docs, by continuing to not support these platforms. The need to be device agnostic is part of the reason that Microsoft has introduced Hotmail and Skydrive clients for Android and iOS.

Android and iOS users will see Office 2013 beginning in March of next year, according to Peter Bobek. The Verge reports that a US spokesperson for Microsoft would confirm only that Office Mobile will work on other platforms.