A closer look at Microsoft's Office 15 Technical Preview
Microsoft's next-generation Office suite recently reached the Technical Preview stage, allowing third parties to test Microsoft's pre-beta code. The software giant released early copies of Office 15 to a number of businesses …
Context & Ripple Effects
Microsoft is moving its next Office release into customer hands earlier than the usual public-beta rhythm: after a November 2011 report that the company was planning a beta of the next-generation Office 15 suite, it has now shipped Technical Preview builds directly to selected businesses. The pickup is broad for a closed pre-beta drop — Ars Technica, TechSpot, Softpedia, Electronista, WinBeta and Techie Buzz all carried the story on or about February 23, 2012.
First-order effects
- The named business testers get working pre-beta Office 15 code months ahead of general availability, putting enterprise compatibility and deployment feedback into Microsoft's development loop at the earliest stage yet for this release.
Second-order effects
- Confirmed companion moves around the same date shape what these testers will deploy against: Microsoft has announced folding Windows Live Mesh into SkyDrive, while unconfirmed reports claim Office for iPad could arrive ahead of Office on Windows 8 ARM tablets — leaving IT buyers hedging between desktop, cloud, and tablet delivery paths.
Third-order effects
- If the pattern holds, Office releases become rolling, cloud-anchored programs tested continuously by enterprises rather than boxed products shipped on a multi-year cadence, with SkyDrive-style services carrying the document workflow between devices.
The trend: Office is shifting from a periodic boxed suite toward an earlier-tested, cloud-synced platform, with enterprise previews and SkyDrive integration setting the new release rhythm.