Microsoft has been pushing a number of updates lately to Office 365 apps across a multitude of platforms. Windows 10 Mobile versions received some updates recently, and, of course, the iOS and Android versions have been fairly aggressively updated as well. Today, the Office blog provides a recap of some of the recent updates, as well as provides some information on new features being added.
New Draw tab in Office for iPad and iPad Pro
Microsoft added inking tools to Office for the iPad a while ago, supporting both the finger and the Apple Pencil. Today, they’re releasing an update that adds a new Draw tab to the Office ribbon across all of the apps to make inking discovery that much easier.
Instant Inking
Office 2016 on Windows desktops and Office on iPad Pro will now sense the impending placement of an active pen and switch to drawing mode instantly. No more selecting the inking option.
Ink to Shape
Automatic shape recognition and transformation is coming to other Office for iPad apps, carried over from OneNote.
Go ahead and download the latest versions of Office for iPad, or hit the update button in the App Store, to get all of the new Office inking functionality.
Collaboration improvements to Office across platforms
Microsoft is significantly upgrading the collaboration functionality in Office across a few platforms. Real-time co-authoring was added to Word 2016 on Windows last year, and now the same functionality is being added to PowerPoint Mobile for Windows tablets and PowerPoint 2016 on the Windows desktop.
Also, Word and PowerPoint for Android will be receiving basic co-authoring functionality, joining Word and PowerPoint for iPhone and iPad.
Morph and PowerPoint Designer
Morph, already present in PowerPoint 2016 for the desktop and the Windows Mobile versions, is also available in today’s iOS update. Android Office Insiders will receive the functionality in the next Preview build on that platform.
Office Insider Builds available on Mac
Microsoft introduced the Office Insider program last year, serving as the same sort of early-release program for Office users that Windows users have enjoyed with the Windows Insiders program. Now, the company has tossed Mac users into the mix. Just go to office.com/insider and sign up. Everyone can follow @OfficeInsider on Twitter to keep up to date with the program in general.
Whew, that’s quite a bit of Office updating for a Thursday morning. To get more information, head on over here. And if you’re interested in getting access to all of the new functionality as soon as possible, don’t forget to sign up for the Office Insider program.
