No Office Blue

Microsoft is going to unify its product update policy. Blue is the code name chosen for the next wave of change for its mobile, desktop, server, and service operating systems. However, the manufacturer is considering another name for the next Office 2013 update: Gemini is the chosen code name .

Like the Blue family, Gemini could be ready in the fall . Beyond the differentiation of the code name, the interesting thing is to know what new features the next update of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote will incorporate. What is possible, or at least desirable, would be for Gemini to bring the touch experience to Office 2013 components.

The first attempt to evolve towards the Modern UI interface of the Office family products has come from OneNote and Lync. The rest of the elements of Office 2013 are Win32 applications that run on the Windows 8 and Windows RT desktop, although the Office team has been working on the respective Modern UI versions for some time. However, Gemini needs to be more than just a Modern UI evolution of desktop apps.

Besides a different code name, the difference between the next generation of operating system updates and the office suite is that the latter runs on different platforms. It is not just about the desktop version and those that are about to reach other operating systems, Microsoft's big bet is in the cloud: Office 365 .

"Shortening the cycle of major upgrades from three years to one year carries its risks.In the business world, the area where Office is strongest, there is a certain reluctance to make changes of magnitude. However, for the Office 365 model it is different, because the updates do not involve an effort for the private or business user: you simply access the service and the news is already there."

It is precisely in Office 365 where Microsoft is going to load the inks, or at least should, with Gemini. In the same way that frequent changes in Office desktop applications can be inconvenient, the user who pays an annual subscription for Office 365 expects the platform to be renewed and incorporate the latest developments quickly.

As usual, this information is unofficial and Microsoft has not commented on it. We will have to wait for the well-known leaks to find out before autumn what Microsoft wants to do with its office suite.

Via | ZDNet In Xataka Windows | Office 365 Home Premium, the Office subscription for individuals