Microsoft has recently announced the availability of the Arabic version of Office 2016 for Android to cater for its Arabic speaking consumers. All new features of the software as well as its apps have been customised to help Arabic users especially in the Middle East have a much more streamlined and personalised experience, which will enable them to achieve more.
Microsoft Office 2016 is a multiplatform application and as a result, the Android apps have the familiar look, feel and quality of Office with an intuitive touch experience designed for Android phones and tablets. Made for work on-the-go, the Office apps enable users to read, review, create, make quick edits and share documents, presentations and spreadsheets with the touch of their fingers, from anywhere. Users can also work with confidence knowing that their documents always look good with Office since the formatting and content remains the same across devices. Users can access their documents via the cloud whenever they need them.
The apps now have a user interface translated in Arabic, bi-directional, switchable text support inside documents, vertical text support – including text box creation and text entry in shapes and tables as well as justification support.
“The importance of Microsoft Office in enabling productivity for organisations and individuals the world over is unmatched. We aim to make this experience felt across multiple devices to make working anywhere, anytime possible. Office 2016 Arabic for Android is created to replicate that authentic experience on the device that is right for you. Whether you are creating an Excel spreadsheet on your tablet, authoring a Word document in the browser or making edits to a PowerPoint on your android device, you will enjoy the same great Office experience you love, everywhere you are. We have deeply thought a lot about what people want to do when they’re on their android devices and we have reimagined Office 2016 Arabic for Android while retaining what people love about it.”
– Ihsan Anabtawi, Regional Manager – Applications and Services, Microsoft Gulf
Microsoft also announced general availability of Word, Excel and PowerPoint on Android phones that support the Arabic Language RTL in Arabic, and is now taking the final steps to complete the Office experience on Android devices.
“The apps have the robust capabilities and familiar look and feel that is unmistakably Office, while offering a fantastic touch experience built from the ground up for the Android platform. You can read your Word documents, view your Excel data and present with PowerPoint and your documents will look as good as they would do on your PC and Mac.”
While most of the apps are the same on Office 2016 Arabic for android, they are optimized differently for the phone and tablet form factors. On an Android phone, the apps are designed for one-handed use, with controls at the bottom of the screen, and with no keyboard or mouse required. Additionally, the apps are designed to take advantage of the features users know and love on their Android Phones, for example Back button (for back navigation); Hamburger button (file menu options), so they can naturally interact with the apps.
During the interim period post-launch, Microsoft shall run an in-App campaign in Office Mobile on devices with Android version 4.4 and above. The campaign will direct the users to install new Apps (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) via Google Play and other supported App Stores. Post the interim period, Microsoft shall restrict the App installation on new devices to Android version with 4.3 and below. This would ensure that Office Mobile Apps do not cannibalize the users from new Apps.
