I am guessing they would stay away from bringing Outlook over considering Apple wants to users to use their native apps?

RIM controls what percentage of the market with the BlackBerry, and they have never released anything for that platform. Yet they publicly admit they are considering doing something for an iPhone that controls (currently, yes) a small percentage in comparison.

Maybe the momentum is so great with the iPhone that they feel they can not ignore it? Or, are they actually a bit concerned about the integration with the iWork (or whatever it is called) software that Apple now develops?

Whatever the reason, it is nice to see Microsoft getting back into the 'software business' again and not making choices on platforms to support based on their own self-interest.

let's hope they do something like bring Xbox Live Arcade games to the iPhone via the SDK, with Gamerscore and Gamertag functionality intact.

now THAT would be hot.

Who didn't know this was gonna happen. "its money there so why not make something" thats what all companies think about competitors as long as there making money they could care less about who or what its for.

It has been fun watching the arguments against an enterprise iPhone drop one by one.

All I really ask for is that the damn thing have standard, year-2005 phone features, such as an optional voicemail/sms/missed call reminder tone, MMS, vibrate-then-ring option, ringtones that sounds like rings and are not barking dogs or clips of rap music, etc. It's nice that the iPhone is turning into a mobile computer platform, but Apple needs to do something about the pathetic phone functionality. It is an iPHONE after all!

So let me get this straight.

You are on a call with the CEO of your largest customer/partner/prospect company.

Example 1: You are trusting Microsoft to provide a quality communications experience and not drop the call.

Example 2: You are running late & make it into the office 1 minute before an important call. All you have to do is get your laptop booted up in time to start the call.

Example 3: You decide to go Microsoft & end up merging with a company. The new company has a system that has chosen open standards but isn't part of Microsoft's developer channel. Microsoft assures you that the vendor will willingly join their program.

Am I missing something here? Am I the only person who sees a problem with this?

...um...microsoft apps...on my iPhone...neverrrrrr!

SURELY these apps would have cut/paste functionality ...

@utube2007: Following the money. MicroSoft sees an opportunity, and they'll try to leverage it to their advantage.

@Monty: RIM's present enterprise share is huge. But the iPhone, combined with pushed email, and some flavor of a Word suite might start tipping the balance, along with the new developments with Windows Mobile 6 on a variety of platforms. RIM might be looking over it's shoulder more often from now on.

@Auld_Lang_Ziety: Until Neo Office comes out with something, it might be your only option.

@Monty: I'd imagine it has a lot to do with MS having experience with and existing code for Apple versions of Office apps. Easy money? Plus, RIM codes in dirty, dirty Java.
@johncon3:
What in the holy hell are you talking about?

My iphone rings like
a regular telephone
does yours sound different?

@bandit: I don't have my iPhone on my person at the moment, but I know for a fact that at least *one* of the built in tones is a classic phone, i.e. the "ring, ring" of a bell.

Yeah, not a dog. A bell. That rings. Like a phone.

It's what I have setup for my folks when they call.

I don't know about vibe-then-ring, but I know it does vibe-and-ring - that's how I have it set.

MMS would be nice.

The one thing *I* see holding it back from being a true corporate phone? It has a camera, and I know quite a few places (government particularly) don't allow camera phones on site.

All I want is an iPhone sans camera.
And maybe a pony.

The MS Mac team is about as comprehensible as GWB.

I have to decompilofy my unprogramming, and recordify those changes.

Voice recognition? Characater recognition? Hmmmm. If nobody has ever thought of a universal translator yet, I'm up for the job.

@bandit: You mean you don't like my "Ring ring ring ring Bananaphone!" ringtone?

@BWGunner: A Snarky Hiku?
Was quite refreshing really.
I hate these last lines.

I think this is just fine. The more the merrier.

who didnt see this... microsoft has a MAC UNIT for a reason! They have a MAC OFFICE unit for a reason, i can almost gaurantee the mac office unit will handle the mac iphone office as well :)

Maybe they bring Zune to the iPhone!

I wonder how this will be implemented.

One thing the SDK didn't really bring, and probably won't bring, is a file manager type applciation. So how will the office apps open files? Will you have to transfer the files via itunes (ugh)? Doubtful.

I am guessing it will simply open attachments in emails. If it allows you to author new documents, where will you save them? I think the SDK is great, but without a file manager or a way to pull docs off the phone, it is seriously limited in this context.

I can't imagine anyone doing Excel or Word on the iPhone. I had a palm and it was very limited to do any work on the spreadsheet.

Does this mean that Microsoft will be able to release a BSOD application for the Iphone?

sweet treats.

And they'd cost. Google, now is the time for your Docs to shine!

@phantam: "who didnt see this... microsoft has a MAC UNIT for a reason! They have a MAC OFFICE unit for a reason, i can almost gaurantee the mac office unit will handle the mac iphone office as well :)"

Great, then we'll see Mac Office 08 in 2015 on the iphone. I know a lot of people like to give kudos to the Mac BU from MS - but that division sucks - maybe not the people in it, but their final products (and especially their timelines) suck. No doubt they've been hamstringed by their overlords.

If I had an iPhone - the app would have to be AMAZING for me to load it on my phone. The best thing MS does is hardware - specifically mice / keyboards. They can keep their shit software, IMO.

Yes of course. Fake Bill Gates knows all. www.fakebeastmaster.blogspot.com

@bitfactory: Their software is always shit? Hmm. I wonder why people actually use it then. I guess if shit means good, then people must really think Office 2007, Windows Media Center, WMP 11, latest Live apps., Windows, and all their other goodies must be shit.

@MrZero : Stop spamming.

@TonyRockyHorror: that would be fucking amazing. the day i can manage my xbox live shit from my iPod touch will be a great day.

although, on the office subject, OpenOffice.org for iPod touch FTW. or an EyeOS client.

@ripfire4: If you're up for it, put a submission in at the iFund and build it!

@RetepNamenots: You can't even edit docs from the iphone... Google docs would be awesome, but the problem there lies in the iPhones awesome (and by awesome I mean crappy) data connection. Until that's bumped up, google doesn't have a fighting chance.

CTRL-C/X, CTRL-V?

Mobile Office on PPC sucks!
Hope this version on iPhone will be better
I just need a native powerpoint viewer

so will this run as the one process that apple will allow?
will you use activesync to sync - well it will be using activesync OTA??

anyhoo... more money, more money!!

What better way to understand a product then to developer applications for that product. I'm sure MS will learn quite a bit from this. Perhaps they will finally understand what makes Apple products so much better than their own! (Zune vs. iPod)

What is a Budcase anyway?

It will be funny if Office iPhone turns out to be so good that they port the software back to their own Windows Mobile platform. That would be so sad.