Is Microsoft finishing up work on a version of Office for the iPad? On Tuesday, The Daily’s Matt Hickey reported that it was, and got a lot of folks–me included–excited.
Now Microsoft is disuputing Hickey’s account of things. That doesn’t mean that it says it isn’t working on Office for the iPad–it’s declining comment on that question–but it says that the photo of an iPad running Office which accompanied Hickey’s story doesn’t show a real software product.
But The Daily’s tech editor, Peter Ha–formerly of TIME–says that someone at Microsoft demoed iPad Office to The Daily, and that the screen is legit:
For the record: the image that accompanies our Office for iPad story is not fake.—
Peter Ha (@ThePeterHa) February 21, 2012
And Microsoft’s official corporate communications account is pushing back:
Great respect for The Daily but regrettably someone is giving them bad info, and that’ll be clear in the “coming weeks.”—
Microsoft News (@MSFTnews) February 21, 2012
And so is Ha:
If @Microsoft is pissed about what we published today on @Office for iPad, they likely won't be happy with our follow up.—
Peter Ha (@ThePeterHa) February 21, 2012
Mary-Jo Foley of ZDNet has a good recap of the back-and-forth to date. Both Hickey’s piece and Microsoft’s comments on it are squishy, leaving plentiful wiggle room. Sounds like the truth may sit somewhere between the most optimistic interpretation of Hickey’s piece (Office for iPad will be here shortly) and the most pessimistic take on Microsoft’s denials (Office for iPad might not exist at all).
I continue to think it would be a good idea for both iPad owners and Microsoft, but I’m done speculating about it until there’s more evidence that it’s on its way. Or isn’t.
(MORE: Office for the iPad: Microsoft, Seize This Opportunity!)
