I'm thinking no, but this is something no one has really talked about. As mentioned in iMore's article "If you buy the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, you'll get to use Microsoft Office for free | iMore", only tablets less than 10.1" can use the basic free version of Office on iOS. If the new iPad is indeed larger than that, then, under the current rules, the free ride is over. This is nothing new, as the 12.9" can only use the viewer too.
Do you think MS might bend the rules for it?
I'm betting this will come as a surprise to many new iPad owners, much as it did for the original Pro owners.
I have a feeling that the new screen size will replace the 9.7" eventually. That would leave only the iPad Mini, which is always rumored to be dropped. That would leave no iPads under the free ride range… forcing users to pay for MS Office or (more likely) switch to Pages.
That, more than user surprise, makes me think they might tweak the 10.1" rule, but not until further down the line.
Do you think this is a deliberate move by Apple to keep users in the Walled Garden, or do you think they just are purely design forced, ignoring other influences? Apple is known to do both.
Do you think MS might bend the rules for it?
I'm betting this will come as a surprise to many new iPad owners, much as it did for the original Pro owners.
I have a feeling that the new screen size will replace the 9.7" eventually. That would leave only the iPad Mini, which is always rumored to be dropped. That would leave no iPads under the free ride range… forcing users to pay for MS Office or (more likely) switch to Pages.
That, more than user surprise, makes me think they might tweak the 10.1" rule, but not until further down the line.
Do you think this is a deliberate move by Apple to keep users in the Walled Garden, or do you think they just are purely design forced, ignoring other influences? Apple is known to do both.