New Office Web Apps add mobile touch interface, real-time collaboration
July 24, 2012 | Author: Adam Levine
Microsoft started preview testing of the new version of its browser-based document editing applications Office Web Apps. Everybody can already join the preview on the SkyDrive or Office 365. The first thing that has changed - is the interface. It's now exactly like the upcoming Office 2013. And the main feature of this interface - is its adaption to the tablets with touch-screen. In general, the main objective pursued by Microsoft in this update - is to improve the performance of Office Web Apps on mobile devices (in mobile browsers). And the new mobile web interface for smartphones, is perhaps even better than its main competitor - Google Docs:
The second major update in Office Web Apps - is real-time collaboration support in all applications. Previously it worked only in Excel Web App. In addition, the new handy commenting feature has appeared. It allows to insert comments (discussions) anywhere in a document or presentation.
Microsoft also announced that Office Web Apps will be available in SharePoint 2013 as a new Office Web Apps Server, that means that it would be possible to integrate them into third-party applications.
See also: Top 10 Office suites