Microsoft commits to five more years of Office for the Mac -- Intel releases; Current release in Rosetta

Appearing on-stage alongside Steve Jobs during the keynote this morning, Microsoft MacBU (business unit) general manager Roz Ho announced that the Mac BU has signed a formal five-year agreement that the company plans to develop Microsoft Office for Mac software for both PowerPC- and Intel-based Macs.

A press release says

"The agreement paves the way for the two companies to combine talents to build next generation Mac software and meet the needs of Mac customers now and in the future. Key product announcements center around Entourage, Messenger and Office Open XML converters. Availability of the Entourage and Messenger updates is expected for March, and file format converters will be released following the next version of WinOffice."

Also in a statement Roz Ho said:

"We're taking our already strong relationship to the next level by formalizing our commitment to develop Office for Mac for both PowerPC- and Intel-based Macs. We?ll keep working with Apple, just as we have for more than 20 years, to meet the needs of all Mac customers. The commitment agreement officially reinforces our existing plans."

Steve Jobs demonstrated Microsoft Office 2004 running under Rosetta on an iMac Core Duo with impressive performance.

For more information, see the Microsoft MacBU page.

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