Tech

Microsoft's full set of Office apps will be available on Apple's Vision Pro — including the company's new AI assistant, Copilot

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella with his hand on his face and the red, green, yellow, and blue Microsoft logo in the background.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Stephen Brashear/Getty Images
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Microsoft is bringing a full suite of Office apps to Apple's Vision Pro.

The tech giant said programs including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint would be available on Apple's new tech on its launch day.

In a blog post, the company also said its new everyday AI companion, Copilot, would be available for users. Microsoft said it had previously worked closely with Apple to develop its platforms to fit the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

"Now, with Apple Vision Pro, these apps make use of the infinite canvas of spatial computing and can appear side by side at any scale for incredible multitasking," Microsoft said in the blog post.

The hotly-anticipated Apple product is set to launch in the US on Friday. Preorders for the mixed-reality headset have seen a stronger-than-expected demand, with the company estimated to have sold around 200,000 headsets.

Some analysts have predicted demand for the headset might taper off once die hard Apple fans have got their hands on it. TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the market for the device was still pretty niche and predicted the high price tag might deter some potential customers. 

Apple has also faced issues from some companies, including streaming giant Netflix, that have said they don't plan to develop apps to fit the new tech.

Microsoft, however, is making all its productivity apps, including its workplace platform Teams, available for Apple users.

Apple has been marketing the tech as a way to work more efficiently, with one demo showing how to use the tech to create a virtual office.

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Beatrice Nolan was a tech reporter on the business news team in the UK. She joined Insider in January 2022 as a fellow on Business Insider's careers desk. Beatrice covered tech and the future of work, with a focus on artificial intelligence. Some of her stories and early experiments with ChatGPT are widely cited. Beatrice has also discussed her work covering AI trends on panels and radio shows, including NPR.She was based in Business Insider's London office and graduated from the University of  York with a bachelor's degree in English.Featured Articles:Artists say AI image generators are copying their style to make thousands of new images — and it's completely out of their control.ChatGPT was a black swan eventFinland is the world's happiest country, but Finns say we're confusing happiness for something elseThe world is splitting between those who use ChatGPT to get better, smarter, richer — and everyone elseThis man used AI to write and illustrate a children's book in one weekend. He wasn't prepared for the backlash.ChatGPT has only been around for 2 months and is causing untold chaosTwo professors who say they caught students cheating on essays with ChatGPT explain why AI plagiarism can be hard to proveChatGPT wrote college application essays. Admissions professionals said they passed for essays written by students but wouldn't have a chance at any top colleges.College professors are considering creative ways to stop students from using AI to cheatChatGPT wrote my cover letters. Here's how recruiters responded.