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With Windows 8 due to be released on October 26 and the next-generation of Microsoft (News - Alert) Office called Office 2013 and codenamed Office 15, rumored to hit shelves in Q2 2013, since July Microsoft users have been using a public beta version of Office as well as leveraging Web-based add-ons for Word, Excel, SharePoint, Outlook and Project.

Microsoft Office 365 users who have been taking advantage of the Web version of Office 2010, or have been using cloud-based services for Exchange, Lync, or SharePoint may be happy to know that Microsoft's new Office Web Apps will soon roll out to Office 365 users in late October – arriving as part of the SharePoint Online Service Update (SU) 4. 

The new release of these Office Web apps is an upgrade for Office 365; it will have new features, principles, as well as added capabilities such as embracing HTML5, improved on-screen rendering and co-authoring abilities. Plus, it will offer more functionality between Office on the desktop, the Web browser and mobile devices.

Some of the improvements Microsoft has already made within the latest Office Web apps include document authoring, in addition to better performance and better touch support. Other new developments like in editing, collaboration (on Office documents) and co-authoring support across the Web apps will also be possible. Also, look for it to offer greater device and browser support as it now runs on tablets and smartphones and most of today’s modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari), without requiring any plug-ins.

One bad thing to note though is that the platform will no longer be able to support Internet Explorer 7 and Safari 4.x.