REDMOND, November 5 2014: Microsoft has teamed up with online file-sharing company Dropbox to allow Office software users to manage and share files through Dropbox’s website and mobile app.
Microsoft already has a cloud storage service OneDrive and the partnership will allow it to tap into more than Dropbox’s 200 million users. Dropbox users will benefit from the alliance as Microsoft’s productivity suite tools will be available to them to edit Excel, Word and PowerPoint files online. Office for iPad will also benefit as the update will allow Dropbox users to link their account directly to the Excel, Word and PowerPoint iPad apps.
Dropbox will also add options to its own mobile apps to push its users over to Microsoft Office to edit documents. Microsoft’s Office for iPad and Android apps currently require an Office 365 subscription to edit documents. Microsoft will also add the ability to share Dropbox files from within its Office apps using Dropbox’s own sharing functionality.
Microsoft stated that the functionality would be rolled out in the next update to its Office mobile apps over the next few weeks. The internet giant added that the online accessibility would be available in the first half of 2015. Furthermore, Dropbox has also committed to building a Windows Phone version of its app which will be available in the coming months.
“Access to Dropbox content popped as one of the very first [Office for iPad] requests that customers had,” explains Kirk Koenigsbauer, head of Microsoft’s Office Engineering team. “They want access to where their content is. We’re doing it to make sure customers have a great experience.”
Ilya Fushman, head of product for Dropbox and Dropbox for Business stated, “It’s really about creating a deep connection between Dropbox and Office. We think this is a huge win for our users. We think this will result in the best possible experience for people trying to get work done, and trying to get work done on the go.”
Source: Digit India
