Microsoft’s fall season looks to be shaping up quite nicely – we’re expecting significant updates to Windows 10 and Edge, the launch of Windows 10 Mobile, and a whole slew of new hardware including new Windows Phones, a Surface Pro 4, a new Microsoft Band, and more. If the rumors are right, we’ll hear about that new hardware sometime in October, possibly October 19th.
Now, according to a new rumor from German tech site WinFuture.de (Microsoft Translator link), it looks like we may not have to wait quite that long for another highly anticipated release from Microsoft, Office 2016. The site has acquired a screenshot of what appears to be retail marketing materials, setting the launch date for Office 2016 on September 22nd, 2015:
The text promises “updates for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Skype for Business, Project, Visio, Access, and Publisher”, and goes on to promise Skype for Business and Office 365 E5 launches in (fiscal) Q2.
Office 2016 is Microsoft’s fully touch enabled version of its widely used business suite of programs, and has been in public preview since the Ignite conference last May.
Windows 10 has been criticized for not being fully ready, even though it was launched in late July, but with new hardware, a full new Office Suite, improvements to Edge and Windows itself, and maybe even some surprises, Microsoft looks to have a much more fully operational ecosystem of software, services and devices, just in time for the holiday season and heading in to the new year.
Of course, as with all rumors, we need to exercise caution with this one until we hear official word.
