Microsoft launches Arabic version of Office 2016 for iOS.

Microsoft has announced the availability of the Arabic version of  office 2016 for iOS to cater for its Arabic speaking customers. 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 more personalised experience, which will enable them to do more and achieve more.

Users of iphones and ipads in UAE, Algeria, Bahrain, Chad, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritania, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Yemen will benefit from the unique features that come with Office 2016 for iOS.

Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote for iPad and iPhone now include support for Arabic. 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. 

Ihsan Anabtawi, Regional Manager - Applications and Services, Microsoft Gulf said “With over a billion people on the planet using Microsoft Office to get more done at work and at home, we understand the importance of Office in enabling productivity across devices. Arabic Office 2016 for iOS 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 iphone or ipad, 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 iPhones and Ipads and we have reimagined Arabic Office for iOS while retaining what people love about it.”

“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 iPhones and iPads. 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.”

Arabic users of Office on iPhones and iPads will find Office 2016 for iOS easy to navigate with the familiar ribbon interface and powerful task panes. They will also appreciate the modernized Office experience, and with the full Retina display support, Office documents look sharper and more vibrant than ever.

Arabic Office for iOS is cloud-connected, so users can quickly get to the documents they recently used on other devices and pick up where they left off. New, built-in document sharing tools make it easy to invite teammates to work on a document together. Office for iOS offers unparalleled compatibility with Office on PCs, tablets, phones and online, allaying any worries about losing content or formatting.

Outlook for iOS is not yet supported but is expected in the coming months.  Also mirroring of the app UI chrome is not yet supported and hence the layout of the ribbon and contextual menus will still be Left to Right. However, future updates will include more changes.