Microsoft's mobile-first strategy could see touch-only Office hit Android before Windows

Microsoft’s new CEO Satya Nadella has been talking a lot about having to build a culture of innovation within the company. One of the ways, according to Nadella, is by putting people first, rather than any one platform, software or device.

With that as a priority, Microsoft did the seemingly unthinkable by prioritising release of the touch-only version of Microsoft Office suite first for the iPad , rather than its own Windows tablets. And a ZDNet report says that was not a flash in the pan. According to Mary Jo Foley, who has regularly broken Microsoft stories before official announcements, the company is planning a late 2014 release for Microsoft Office for Android . This will be more or less like the iPad version, with Android-specific changes.

Surprisingly, the Windows version for the same Office suite, with a UI geared for touch-only devices, will release in early 2015, along with the rumoured Threshold update, says the report.

Microsoft has been increasingly looking at rival platforms to exploit its cash cows, with Office being a lynchpin in this strategy, since it’s a crucial tool for work. It’s driving development of in-house software to what people are using, and while Microsoft is not throwing in the towel in the mobile race, it’s at least acknowledging that it cannot ignore such major platforms as Android and iOS. This does look like a new Microsoft under Nadella , that doesn’t put Windows first and foremost, but goes where the market is going.

At the same time, the company is not just holding back to react to the market. It’s also actively trying to boost Windows tablet adoption through measures such as open licensing and tying up new ecosystem and hardware partners around the world.