There are lots of comments on whether it’s too late for Microsoft to release a version of Office for iPad. Some pundits even go as far as asking if customers care anymore.

I think some do, especially the ones working in the enterprise. Not understanding this, means not understanding how Fortune 500 companies work. Sure, small startups are just fine with Google Docs or iWork but most of the Fortune 500 companies run on Microsoft Office.

Not to mention that PowerPoint is the only credible software to create a 150 slide presentation deck, or with Excel work on complex financial models.

The only mistake Microsoft should avoid is to release a version of Office that is simply a wrapping for . What users really need is a fully functional version of Office that can seamlessly sync with Office on the desktop.

Most likely, the iPad version of Office will be fully functional but tightly integrated to Office 365. That makes sense, given Microsoft’s efforts to explore new revenue models based on cloud.