If more proof is needed that the iPad is quickly gaining a presence in the enterprise, here it is. Sources have told The Daily that Microsoft (News 
- Alert) is building an iPad-friendly version of its Office Suite, equipped with Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Perhaps even bigger news is the expected price point for the mobile version of Office. People close to the situation told The Daily that Microsoft will look to compete with Apple's (News - Alert) iWork suite of apps – which includes Keynote, Numbers, and Pages – by pricing Office for the iPad at around $10.
On the surface, the news makes sense for Microsoft as it is taking its second biggest money-maker (behind Windows) to a thriving platform that is only expected get bigger in the coming years. However, there are some clear drawbacks, the most obvious of which is the price point.
Forking over $150-plus to get Word and Excel on your PC is already painful enough; doing so knowing that you can get a similar product on your tablet for just $10 may make it unpalatable. Microsoft basically prints money with its Office suite, so any splintering of the platform is a bold decision.
The second question that comes to mind if what this news means for the upcoming family of Windows 8 tablets. Will they too launch with a pared down Office suite? If so, which platform will get the software first?
An argument can be made that saving Office for only Windows tablets could be a strong differentiator for Microsoft, especially considering its hope for the slates and the way it is touting its upcoming OS.
Windows 8 is being built with a new UI that is optimized for PCs, tablets and other mobile devices. In addition, the software can be controlled via touchscreen, mouse or keyboard, meaning the user experience will be similar across all platforms.
Office is set up well to take advantage of this setup, so it's a bit surprising that Microsoft wants to hand the suite over to iPad users at a measly $10 a pop.
The Daily has also reported that Microsoft is readying a new version of Office for OS X Lion sometime next year. Windows may get an update as well.
Beecher Tuttle is a TMCnet contributor. He has extensive experience writing and editing for print publications and online news websites. He has specialized in a variety of industries, including health care technology, politics and education. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Jennifer Russell
