Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Microsoft: Office for iPad hits 12 million downloads after only a week

By
microsoft office for ipad hits 12 million downloads after only a week
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Microsoft’s Office for iPad apps have only been out a week and they’ve already hit 12 million downloads.

The computer company announced the giant download number via its ‘Office’ Twitter feed, thanking users for grabbing copies of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote from Apple’s iOS store.

Recommended Videos

It would’ve been interesting to know the download figures for each app, but Microsoft declined to give such information in its tweet. However, looking at their positioning in the US app store, we see Word for iPad leading the pack, with Excel in second, and PowerPoint third. Microsoft’s “digital notebook,” OneNote, is a little behind, in seventh spot.

In contrast, the UK app store shows PowerPoint second and Excel in third spot, with Word again out in front.

Of course, while Microsoft will surely be happy with the initial download figures, what really matters is how many it can convert to paid subscriptions. Users can view documents for free using the apps, but need to hand over $100 annually to unlock the apps’ editing functionality. The subscription also lets you create new documents.

Office for iPad has the potential to be a huge money-spinner not only for Microsoft but for Apple too, as it’ll take a 30 percent cut of every subscription bought from within the app. Of course, if a user takes a subscription direct from Microsoft’s website, or via Amazon, Apple gets nothing.

In an effort to tempt a few extra iPad owners into downloading its new Office apps, Microsoft has also been dishing out free subscriptions for visitors to its retail stores, though presumably the limited-number offer is long finished.

For the Redmond-based computer giant, Office for iPad is a great opportunity to pull more users into its ecosystem, as a Microsoft account is required to use the software, with files saved on the company’s cloud-based OneDrive server.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Flash deal: Get $100 off the latest iPad Mini for Memorial Day
An iPad Mini standing in tent mode.

Best Buy has one of the best iPad deals around but it only lasts for as long as today does. Right now, you can buy the latest Apple iPad mini for $400 meaning you’re saving $100 off the regular price of $500. A great and highly portable tablet, it’s sure to be a hit with Apple fans and more. Here’s what you need to know about it before you buy but remember that you only have until the end of the day to grab it for this price.

Why you should buy the Apple iPad mini
The best iPad around for anyone seeking something small, the Apple iPad mini is a “little powerhouse” as our review explains. It has an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone and wide color support so it’s small but looks gorgeous. It’s powered by an A15 Bionic chip so it can handle quite a lot including many games or simply multitasking.

Read more
The one thing stopping me from buying a new iPad
Three 2021 iPads are stacked on a table.

Want an iPad? Apple wants you to be paying attention to the new iPad Pro -- and for good reason. It's the thinnest product Apple has ever created, which is impressive considering it packs in a laptop-level M4 processor, a gorgeous display, and a number of new software tricks. But the announcement concealed something far more important: the dustbinning of the 9th-gen iPad. The last of the "retro" iPad designs, the 9th-gen is now finally retired from the stage, and for me, it means this is my last chance to grab a quick and reasonable upgrade for my 7th-gen iPad.

I figured I could grab the 9th-gen for a decent discount now that it's on the way out -- and to Apple's credit, I absolutely could. But a realization began to sink in as I shopped, and I came away without making that final purchase.

Read more
The best iPad Pro cases in 2024
rear shell of M4 iPad Pro.

When it comes to tablets, the market is pretty much dominated by Apple’s iPad lineup. And one of the absolute best ones you can get is the iPad Pro, which is the top-of-the-line iPad that boasts plenty of power and performance for your most complex tasks.

The latest iPad Pro (2024) packs in the powerful new M4 chip, a gorgeous OLED display with the option of an anti-reflective coating on certain models, and support for new accessories like the Apple Pencil Pro. It’s also one of Apple’s thinnest products ever, so you’ll definitely want to protect it.

Read more