The iPad finally has its own unified Microsoft Office application

If you like to use your iPad to work on the go, there is Good news. Microsoft has updated its Office mobile app and is finally optimized for the iPad.

The new update means you can now use Word, Excel and PowerPoint from a single application. Technically, you could use the programs before. In the 2014, Microsoft has added three individual applications to the App Store for Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Then, about a year ago, Microsoft launched a unified mobile app for iOS and Android. You can use that app on your iPad, but it would run as a windowed version of the iPhone app. Now, in the year of our lord 2021, you can finally download a single Office application optimized for iPad, which combines Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

The new iPad app also has a few extra tools for mobile work, including a way to quickly create and sign PDFs (with an Apple pencil, if you like). Another feature is the ability to turn images into editable Word or Excel files. The app is free, but requires a Microsoft 365 subscription if you want to use the sharing and collaboration features. Meanwhile, iPad Pro users still need to have a paid subscription to do even anything. However, if a unified Office application isn’t really blocking you, for now, you can still download and use individual Word, Excel, and PowerPoint applications.

This is also good news for Apple. In recent years, Apple has pushed the iPad as a working device that could potentially replace a laptop. This is especially true with iPad Pro, which now has support for the trackpad and mouse, and if you break into the new $ 300 Magic keyboard. But even with new fancy accessories, the main problem for most people is gap between iPad OS and macOS applications (and hell, even iOS apps). You often end up working on windows iPhone apps – such as the Office app before today’s update – or looking for more complete versions with laptops. Given how many people rely on Microsoft Office, an iPad-optimized version of the software makes it a more compelling work device. Although, let’s be real, the iPad will always be better for consuming media content.