Users of the Windows 10 preview can now load their systems with even more beta software. Microsoft has today released previews of the long-awaited touch Office apps, ahead of their final release in the second half of the year.
Previews of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are now available to download and, for the time being, can be used for free with all the (preview) functionality available. Designed for tablets and PCs, the apps sport interfaces that are comfortable for traditional mouse and keyboard users, and, critically, touch users too.
The three apps are the first Office apps that are built to be Windows Universal Apps, enabling the same software to run substantially unaltered on phone, tablet, and PC. Microsoft says that in a few weeks, the corresponding phone apps will be available as previews. These three are not the full touch Office suite; universal versions of Outlook and OneNote are also in the works.
Windows 10 phones and sub-8-inch tablets will ship with these Office apps for free. Microsoft hasn't yet specified how users of larger devices will pay for the software, but it wouldn't be a stretch to assume that the model will be comparable to the one already used on iOS and Android: some functionality available for free, other features dependent on an Office 365 subscription.
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