Windows 10 phone preview will get Office universal apps by month's end
We've already seen Microsoft's Universal Office apps hit tablets, laptops and desktops as part of the Windows 10 Technical Preview, now the company has announced they'll be headed to phones by the end of the month. The Universal Office apps, which so far include Word, Excel and PowerPoint, are meant to show off a new touch friendly version of Microsoft's long-running productivity suite. But they're also an example of how developers can build one app that easily runs across a variety of Windows 10 devices. On phones, the Office Universal apps highlight the content of your documents, with typical commands and controls at the bottom of the screen. Microsoft says that should help with editing documents one-handed. On tablets, the Office apps look more like the full-fledged Office 2016 desktop apps, but with a interface tweaks to make them easier to navigate with your fingers.
Microsoft has been working on cross-compatible apps even before Windows 8, but it looks like that dream will finally be realized with Windows 10. And that makes plenty of sense, since Windows 10 is meant to run across phones, tablets, traditional PCs and even the Xbox One. Microsoft's had a hard time convincing developers to dedicate resources to Windows 8 apps, but devs may think differently if they're able to create a single app that easily runs across multiple platforms. Think of Windows 10 not as a mere operating system update for Microsoft -- instead, it's the centerpiece of a completely unified Windows platform.
