Microsoft is reportedly working on a version of its Office productivity suite optimized for Android tablets.
The company is currently preparing a beta version, which will soon be tested with a select number of users, The Vergereported, and a full launch is planned for later this year. It appears the Android-tablet apps will debut before the touch version of Office for Windows, which Microsoft previously said would launch in 2015.
Details of the initial test, including how many users will participate, are not yet clear. But it's possible Microsoft will draw from a pool of participants registered in its pre-release program. The program allows users who are interested in getting an early look at new software to sign up for a chance to be included in early beta tests prior to the official rollout.
The Redmond, Washington-based company released Office for iPad, which includes individual Word, Excel and Powerpoint apps, earlier this year. The three freemium apps quickly rose to the top of Apple's App Store charts.
Microsoft will likely take the same approach with Office apps for Android tablets; this means the apps will be free to download, but most of their features — including document editing — will require a $99 annual subscription. Office's Android-phone apps, which debuted last summer, also require subscriptions to unlock their full suite of features.
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