Microsoft Office for iPad, codenamed "Miramar," is likely to make it to the market sooner than Microsoft's touch-first version of Office called "Gemini," according to ZDNet.

Report claimed a new touchscreen iteration of Microsoft Office might hit the iPad even before the release of the touchscreen counterpart for Windows.

The Office for iPad software or 'Miramar' was first hinted at by Steve Ballmer last year and although the release was initially set after the Windows 8 iteration, Microsoft leaders appear to have change of plans.

According to ZDNet, Steve Ballmer agreed to the suggestion that Microsoft Office for iPad will be released as soon as it will be ready although this means that the launch will be ahead of the Windows 8 version.

"But I hear Ballmer and the senior leaders of the company may have had a change of heart towards the end of last year. According to one of my contacts, Ballmer OK'd the suggestion by the Office team that they'd bring Office for iPad to market as soon as it was ready, even though that would likely mean before the Windows 8 version," Mary Jo Foley reported.

According to the publication's sources, the Office for iPad might need subscription to Office 365 Home Premium, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The Office 365 recently hit 3.5 million subscribers.

Microsoft Office For iPad Release Date

Reports hinted the Microsoft Office for iPad release date will be in the fall of 2014. But Foley reported the first half of 2014 is a possible release date. If these reports are accurate, then we might see the Microsoft Office for iPad before July.

Microsoft Office for iPad is an advanced stage of development for the tablet market. This will be a welcome addition for power users. Although there are current options to Microsoft Office in the iPad, the Microsoft software is a great addition to the iPad.

The iPad remains the most coveted of slates today. With Microsoft putting Office in the iPad, we can expect the Apple tablet to be better all the more.

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