Microsoft has once again emphasised its new-found commitment to enabling its software to work alongside competing platforms.
After integrating Dropbox within Microsoft Office, the firm has now updated the app for iPhone and iPad to allow Word documents, PowerPoint presentations and the like to be saved to other rival cloud storage platforms.
Office users will be able to save the files to Apple’s own iCloud Drive, Google Drive and Box as well as Dropbox and, yes, Microsoft’s OneDrive!
As well as these platforms, Microsoft says it is opening Office integration to any service provider that wishes to jump on board.
The firm says that while iPhone and iPad owners get first dibs, the functionality will be coming to Android and universal Windows 10 apps soon too.
Read more: Windows 10 Technical Preview review
In a post on the Office blog (via Gigaom) Kirk Koenigsbauer wrote: “Starting today, third-party cloud storage providers can natively integrate into the “Locations” picker in the iOS Office apps. This will enable users to open, edit and save documents from these providers right from within Office.
“While we’re announcing availability of the iPad and iPhone integration today, we’re hard at work on the same type of integration for the Office universal apps for Windows 10 and the Office for Android apps. So in the future, no matter what device, platform, or storage provider you’re using, your Office documents will only be a tap away.”
Beyond the interplay with iOS apps, Microsoft has also announced Office online integration within some cloud services’ own web apps. Box, Citrix and Salesforce have jumped on board already, with Microsoft inviting more firms to join the party.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
