Microsoft queues its Office applications for Windows 10

Microsoft began working on its user-friendly Office applications for Windows 8.1 more than five years ago. Designed for tablets or laptops with touch screens, the applications are light and fast versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Microsoft has updated them regularly for Windows 10, but now that the company has stopped working on Windows 10 Mobile, it also interrupts work on these Office applications.

The applications are not yet completely exhausted, but Microsoft is no longer developing new features for them. "We are currently prioritizing the development of iOS and Android versions of our applications. and on Windows, we give priority to the Win32 and Web versions of our applications, "says a Microsoft spokesman in a statement The edge.

The redesign of priorities is not so surprising given the state of Windows universal applications dedicated on Windows 10 and the Microsoft Store. These touch-based versions of Office were once an excellent example of what developers could do if they created universal Windows applications, but now Microsoft allows developers to simply bundle existing desktop applications and list them in the store. Developers have little incentive to create these new universal Windows applications, and Microsoft's priorities for Office make it clear that traditional desktop applications will remain the most powerful applications on desktop Windows computers.

While Microsoft is currently using these touch apps on devices such as HoloLens and Surface Hub 2, it is clear that the company sees an opportunity to push the development of its Office Web versions as a replacement. Microsoft could make these Web versions much more powerful as browser standards emerge and, with progressive Web applications, they will look much more like traditional applications.

Anyway, if you are a fan of these applications on Windows 10, it will be a disappointing news as long as the Web versions will not be as complete. Microsoft has recently started to hide these applications from the store, and most new Office 365 features now appear in desktop applications.