When Apple introduced the original iPad in 2010, the company also unveiled its iWork and iLife suite of apps for the tablet. The apps were later made available for the iPhone. Apple initially offered the apps has a paid download and then made them free for every new iOS user.

As Apple’s iOS platform gained more and more popularity, it was turning out to be a lost opportunity for Microsoft to not offer its apps on the second most popular mobile platform. It’s clear that Microsoft initially must have struggled and hoped that Widows Mobile gains the same momentum as iOS or Android however, it hasn’t worked out like that as yet.

Under the leadership of Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s CEO, the company launched Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint for iOS. The apps when launched required Office 365 subscription to edit and save files but remained free to view Office files. The company later removed the restriction of Office 365 subscription and made editing files a standard feature.

With the latest update to the suite of apps you can now save files to Apple’s iCloud Drive. Microsoft has added support for open, edit, and save work to iCloud in the “Places” section of each iOS app. iCloud Drive upload and save feature has been added in addition to existing cloud services such as DropBox and Microsoft OneDrive.

You can download the apps for free from the App Store: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint.

Having access to important documents on your iOS devices has proved to be one of the key factors that has lead to the growing adoption of iPhone and iPad in business. Apple understands the importance of having powerful business tools and as a result they’ve been aggressively marketing iWork suite of apps for iOS.

If you often use MS Office for creating documents, presentations or spreadsheets then iWork for iOS might not be the best solution. Even though you can import and export MS Office docs using iWork you will often run into compatibility or formatting issues.

Polaris Office previously $19.99 and now $0.99 (for limited time) offers more than 230 editing functions and features  Microsoft Office document compatibility that will put your worries about editing documents on iOS devices at rest. The developers of Polaris Office are working on a new version 5.0 update that will enhance compatibility features and add more cloud services.

The app allows you to create documents in .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx and .txt format. The user interface is simple and easy to follow. Selecting an element and then tapping the inspector button will expand options in the keyboard area where all options are arranged in vertical tabs.

One of the unique features of the app is the ability to take photos within the app and then apply border, light and other effects. To help you with the creation process Polaris Office even features 15 templates, 18 2D/3D charts and 80 figures.

For those who can’t live without creating spreadsheets for budgets, shopping lists, or sales records, Polaris Office features over 300 functions. The list of features in this app is huge it almost feels like the entire MS Office was squeezed to a 4inch display (when on iPhone). If these features were not enough, you can even directly open zip files and in slideshow mode you can use pointers or even scribble on the slides.

The blogosphere has been reporting on rumours about Microsoft developing MS Office apps for iPhone and iPad, but you can buy Polaris Office for just $0.99 and your wait just got over.

Polaris Office has cloud based storage services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, cloud built in so you will never lose access to your files whether you created them online or edited on your iOS device.

Overall the app is robust in terms of the features it provides. The app has been downloaded over 400 million times and for a limited period the app is available at 95% off sale. If you’ve always been looking for an app that offers MS Office compatibility and editing features then get this app before the price goes up.

As iOS 7 release date nears, new details about the upcoming software update are being revealed in the blogosphere. We recently reported on iOS 7 design to be very flat and feature an overhaul of default icon sets. According to a report published by 9to5 Mac, Apple is looking to introduce tighter in-car integration in iOS 7 maps and Siri.

According to people familiar with the plans, Apple is working with car makers on updated versions of car center consoles that could attach to iOS devices like the iPhone. Specifically, an iPhone could be plugged into a car and an optimized, redesigned version of Apple Maps will appear on the car’s built-in display instead of a proprietary GPS system found in many cars.

Sources have described this as a feature akin to a video-out or mirrored display representation of the iPhone’s Maps app onto the bigger screens included with most modern vehicles.

Apple introduced “Eyes Free” in iOS 6 last year and many top car manufacturers committed to integrating the feature in new car models. Chevrolet was one of the first manufacturers to integrate “Eyes Free” in Spark and Sonic models.

The report further mentions that the technology to control Maps and Siri via increased in-car integration will be included in iOS 7 however, public launch could possibly see some delay due to the need for “extensive car-based testing, improvements to apple Maps and Siri infrastructures, and deals with car makers.”

Even though these plans may sound ambitious given the fact that Apple’s mapping and Siri technologies have been under constant criticism. It appears that the Cupertino, Calif., based company is committed to making their cloud services better and expand its use outside the iOS environment.

Rumors earlier in the week suggested that Apple Inc. (AAPL) was looking to roll out their iTunes in the Cloud services to its Japanese users, and on Wednesday, Apple did exactly that. This allows Japanese users to freely download previous content from the iTunes Store.

A report from 9to5Mac also revealed that AAPL included a number of other features to the Japanese iTunes Store, including iTunes Plus, 3G downloads, Ringtones, and Complete My Album. Apple has posted a What’s New page [Google translation] on its Japanese iTunes site, highlighting some of the new features:

– 3G downloads: Music downloads from iOS devices had previously been restricted to Wi-Fi only, but users can now access content over 3G networks.

– iTunes Plus: The Japanese iTunes Store now supports the DRM-free 256 kbps iTunes Plus format, up from the previous 128 kbps versions carrying usage restrictions. Labels will need to upgrade their content to the new standard, so it may take some time for all music to become available in iTunes Plus format.

– Ringtones: Music ringtones are now available for purchase in the Japanese iTunes Store.

– Mastered for iTunes: Rolling out on a worldwide basis, Apple is now featuring songs and albums that have been specifically mastered for the iTunes Store to provide the best sound quality for the format.

– Complete My Album: Users who previously purchased individual tracks from an album can now purchase the entire album for a discounted price based on a credit for their individual-track purchases.

With the latest update, Apple has not brought over almost all of the new features, except the iTunes Match service, currently available in only 37 countries. The iTunes Match service allows users to match or upload their entire music libraries to access from any iCloud-enabled device.

Apple has not commented as to whether they will bring over that service to the Japanese iTunes Store, but reports suggest that Apple is looking to bring over the service during the first half of 2012. A large part of Apple’s revenue stream now comes from Japan and China, only two of the countries in Apple’s Asian market.

{via MacRumors}

During WWDC 2011 when Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs unveiled iCloud he said that the service would offer 5GB of free storage which would not take into account any media bought from iTunes store, apps or even photos that will be stored for 30 days on the cloud. 

Apple believes that for most users 5GB would be enough as only documents, backups, contacts, calendars and mail would use the storage. However, the company has additionally detailed its pricing for the paid storage upgrades. 10GB of additional storage would cost you $20/year, 20 GB for $40/year and 50GB for $100/year.

As MobileMe will be completely replaced by iCloud, Find My iPhone will be a part of the new cloud based services and it would also include iWork apps. You will be able to upload and download Keynote, Numbers and Pages documents when accessing iCloud. Editing documents is still not possible.

iCloud will make document management really easy as you can start creating a document on your iPhone, edit on the iPad and finish it on your Mac without ever requiring to use USB or email to transfer documents. Apple’s iCloud will seamlessly keep all your documents in sync.

With iCloud release expected this fall Apple is taking a huge leap in making iOS devices more powerful and independent in the post-PC era. With iOS 5 and iCloud users will be able to wirelessly backup and sync their devices with the data stored on the cloud.

Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2011) will kick off today with a keynote presentation by Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Touch Reviews will be bringing you the All-in-One live feed of the keynote so you can sit back and know what’s the latest without refreshing this page.

During today’s WWDC live keynote event Apple will provide us with an update on Mac OS X Lion availability, preview iOS 5 and announce iCloud. If you were expecting iPhone 5 / 4S announcement then you might just be disappointed as the company is expected to focus on software updates.

The next gen software update for iOS devices is widely believed to revamp the notification system, introduce Twitter integration and widgets. iCloud, Apple’s upcoming cloud based service is expected to allow users to upload and stream music they’ve purchased from iTunes and could be expanded to host movies and TV shows in the coming months.

You’ll be able to download and stream the keynote soon after the event. What are your expectations from this years event? Let us know in the comments section.

Check back soon for the live coverage.

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You don’t need to refresh this page! Live updates will appear below:

Apple has cut a licensing deal with Universal Music Group according to the latest report published by CNET. This will enable Apple’s iCloud music store to offer songs from the largest of the four top record companies. It is widely believed that Apple has now signed deals with all the top four record companies as well as major music publishers, giving Apple’s iCloud streaming service a major head start.

The Cupertino outfit on Tuesday announced that it would unveil the highly anticipated cloud based service called iCloud on June 6 at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco. However, Apple did not mention whether iCloud will have any music streaming features or any aspects of the rumored TV shows and movies.

Sources at CNET have reported that revenue from iCloud song sales will be split, where the labels will get 58 percent, and publishers will receive 12 percent. Apple will take 30 percent as they do with all other services they currently offer. The sources also reported that streaming will not be available on Monday but will be offered soon and that the Apple digital locker will store only music purchased from iTunes in the beginning.

Apple is said to have plans to store songs purchased from outside iTunes sometime in the future, perhaps after Apple solidifies it’s servers and expands the North Carolina data center.

Apple has started decorating the Moscone West conference center in San Francisco as it does before every event, and even went a step further by setting up a banner of the “iCloud” service in clear daylight. The picture above, which appears to have been taken by someone looking into the conference center, shows the words ‘iCloud’ in Apple’s classic font, and what appears to be the iCloud logo.

Apple has announced that it will be discussing iOS 5, Mac OS X Lion and iCloud at next week’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs will be making an appearance in order to deliver the keynote presentation on Monday, June 6th at 10AM PST.

Apple has been wrapping up deals with music labels and publishers to allow users to stream purchased music to their computers and other devices through the service, which will likely be integrated into iOS 5 and Mac OS X Lion. Apple is all about integration, taking one service and assimilating it into all of their products (eg. iBooks). AppleInsider released a clearer shot of the banner (seen below), highlighting iOS 5, iCloud and Mac OS X Lion.

It’s increasingly becoming clear that iPhone 5 / 4S won’t be a part of this years conference. However, if Apple restricts iOS 5 to just iPhone 4 and drops support for iPhone 3GS then we can be sure that fifth gen iPhone could be available in September during the annual music event.

Apple on Wednesday took ownership of the domain “iCloud.com”. The domain name was earlier believed to be obtained by Apple Inc., however, now Apple has already confirmed that they will be announcing their upcoming cloud based services during WWDC keynote presentation.

iCloud.com was rumoured to have been sold to the Cupertino outfit for $4.5 million.

This change in ownership now gives Apple complete control over the domain name and will be able to redirect it to Apple.com and other internal pages. Currently, iCloud.com redirects to Xcerion’s own service that has been renamed to CloudMe.com. Apple is now listed as admin contact for iCloud.org as well, possibly claiming any domains related to their streaming service, so as not to cause any diluting of it’s brand and service prior to trademark which is already underway.

Apple has already confirmed that its cloud based services called “iCloud” will be introduced at WWDC 2011, alongside a preview for Mac OS X Lion and iOS 5. Apple is expected to reveal iCloud as a subscription based service integrated into it’s mobile and desktop software, which could be the reason behind the announcement being made during an event where Apple will discussing only software related updates. Until Apple’s WWDC announcements on Monday, stay tuned, we’ll keep you in the loop.

We have been discussing Apple’s upcoming cloud services called “iCloud” for a while and now just before the WWDC keynote event its showing all signs of coming to life. Patently Apple recently reported that Apple Inc. has applied for “iCloud” trademark in Europe under “12 distinct international classes” which cover a wide range of services the company could offer. In its application Apple mentions services like delivering digital music by telecommunications, electronic storage, online social networking services, multimedia content for a fee or pre-paid subscription, computer software, electronic books and magazines, entertainment, photographic services, business management and advertising services, games, headgear and digital devices/computers.

Google and Amazon already have a head start over Apple in cloud based services however, only Apple is believed to have secured license deals with major music labels which include Sony, Warner Music and EMI. This will give Apple an edge over its competitors. iCloud could simply scan the computer and automatically sync songs, movies and TV shows to the cloud giving access to the content you own anytime and anywhere.

Worldwide Developers Conference will kick off with a keynote event by Steve Jobs and other Apple executives. Unlike, previous WWDC this year the primary focus will be software where the “next generation software” will be unveiled. Mac OS X Lion is believed to have reached final stages of testing and could be made available after the event on June 06. The latest developer build of Snow Leopard updates Mac App Store so that your Mac is ready for the upgrade.

With a constant flow of news and reports Apple certainly has been successful in building up the excitement as the event is now just 4 days away. On Tuesday, iWork suite of productivity apps were updated to a universal binary which means that now you can install Pages, Keynote and Numbers on your iPhone or iPod touch.

Are you excited about iCloud and iOS 5? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

On Tuesday Apple issued a press release where the company confirmed that during WWDC 2011 Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs will unveil Mac OS X Lion, iOS 5 and iCloud. The announcement came in as a surprise as Apple usually does not reveal major product / software announcements in a press release before the keynote event.

Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will kick off on Monday, June 06 at 10:00 a.m and Steve Jobs will be present for the keynote presentation to announce Apple’s “next generation software”.

It’s interesting to note that the press release very clearly mentions “iOS 5″ and “iCloud” as two out of the three major announcements. Previously, whenever Apple would hold an event to discuss the future of iOS the company never really specifically mentioned the version. Even though the rumor mill had been widely discussing Apple’s cloud services we were not expecting Apple to mention that it would be part of the keynote event in a press release.

It’s not clear why Apple PR chose to reveal these details however, one of the more obvious reasons could that the company probably wanted people to know what to expect from the event in order to avoid expectations regarding hardware. Obviously, Apple could still go ahead and announce the iPhone 5 / 4S.

We could just be seeing a preview of Apple’s “upcoming cloud services” and the service could be available as beta for the initial period and then roll out world wide in a few months.

We are expecting Mac OS X Lion to be available for download on June 06 while iOS 5 just like iCloud could be made available only to developers initially.

The next gen software for iOS devices is believed to revamp the notification system, introduce widgets and offer subscription based music streaming service.

Are you excited about Apple’s iCloud? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.