The iPad finally has its own Unified Microsoft Office app

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

With the new update you can now use Word, Excel and PowerPoint from one app. Technically, you could use the programs earlier. In 2014Microsoft has added three separate apps to the App Store for Word, Excel and PowerPoint. About a year ago, Microsoft introduced a unified mobile app for iOS and Android. You could use that app on the 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 iPad optimized Office app that combines Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

The new iPad app also has some additional tools for mobile working, including a way to quickly create and sign PDFs (with an Apple Pencil, if you prefer). Another notable feature is the ability to convert images into editable Word or Excel files. The app is free to use, but you need a Microsoft 365 subscription to use the sharing and collaboration features. Meanwhile, iPad Pro users still need a paid subscription to do anything at all. However, if a unified Office app isn’t really your problem, you can still download and use the separate Word, Excel and PowerPoint apps.

This is also good news for Apple. In recent years, Apple has pushed the iPad as a work device that could possibly replace a laptopThis is especially true for the iPad Pro, which now has trackpad and mouse support, and if you consider the new $ 300 Magic keyboardBut even with beautiful new accessories, the biggest problem for most people is the gap between iPad OS and macOS apps (and damn, even iOS apps). Often times, you’ll work on windowed iPhone apps, like the Office app before today’s update, or reach for the more complete versions of your laptop. When you consider how many people rely on Microsoft Office, having an iPad-optimized version of the software makes it a more attractive work device. But let’s face it, the iPad will always be better at consuming media.