Microsoft will launch the next version of its Office spreadsheet,e-mail and word processing programs during the second half of 2006, thesame time frame it is planning for the next Windows version, theworld's largest software maker said on Wednesday.
Gates promised in an e-mail to executives that the upcoming Officeupgrades -- code-named "Office 12" -- would make it easier for workersto "focus, prioritize and apply their expertise, visualize andunderstand key data, and reduce the amount of time they spend dealingwith the complexity of an information-rich environment.
Jeff Raikes, the senior vice president in charge of the Office divisionat Microsoft, said that the trial, or beta, version of Office 12 wouldbe ready by the end of this year, followed by the full launch next year.
Microsoft is betting that its next releases of Windows, code-namedLonghorn and Office will drive a new wave of personal computer upgrades