Just as the nature of how SharePoint
information is accessed has evolved, so has its delivery method. The
previous model, which offered a rather static view that lacked graphics
suited for small, low-resolution displays, has been radically updated
for use as an appropriate communications platform. Office Web Apps 2013
has been developed around the premise that today’s mobile workforce
needs the same robust collaborative experience enjoyed by desktop users.
Office Web Apps allows a mobile user on a Windows
Phone, iOS, or Android device to view and interact with documents. This
functionality is automatically made available by the default install of
OWA. It adds things such as touch support and some smarts such as extra
zooms and handling of content that would exceed the screen’s real
estate. For a deeper look at the features available, take a look at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/web-apps-help/use-office-web-apps-on-your-android-iphone-or-windows-phone-HA010389583.aspx. Also worth noting as an administrator, you can remove this binding from your farm if you do not want to enable mobile support.
PowerPoint Changes
PowerPoint Broadcast has been removed from SharePoint and moved over to
Lync 2013. This is good news for mobile device users who can take
advantage of its enhanced functionality. Previously, although the
Broadcast Service could be used by mobile users, it was designed from a
desktop browser perspective. This left mobile users at a distinct
disadvantage in terms of both engagement and quality. Because Broadcast
Services are integrated with Lync 2013, mobile users can issue status
updates that include wait times, broadcast connection information, and
follow broadcasts tuned for mobile devices.
Enhanced User Experience
Mobile users of Office Web Apps 2013
can now benefit from Microsoft’s focus on creating an expanded, unified
user experience. As previously noted, browsing to the Office Web Apps
was primarily designed for desktop viewers. Office Web Apps 2013
automatically configures itself to the platform on which it is being
used. For example, a typical tablet browser may not want to see a Word
document that uses a lot of images, as it takes longer to load and can
cause formatting issues depending on the user’s specific mobile
browser. Therefore, rather than display the entire image, now it is
displayed as a thumbnail, which the user can select if desired. This
may seem like a minor difference, but it greatly improves the daily
life of the tablet user.
Technologies Used
Microsoft aimed to increase the interoperability of Office Web Apps
2013, ensuring that its users have the same experience regardless of
operating system or browser. To achieve this, Office Web Apps 2013 were
developed to deliver services using HTML5. At the onset of the
Internet, HTML was developed as a means to communicate and format
information for users. Of course, it wasn’t created to deliver the rich
multimedia experience we currently expect from our browsers, so it has
evolved over the years in an attempt to meet the demands of rapidly
changing technology, and it is still under development. During the
so-called browser war of the late
1990s, companies began to develop their own technologies, such as
ActiveX, Flash, and Silverlight. Unfortunately, this led to a variety
of end-user experiences depending on what operating system and browser
was being used, not to mention any third-party plug-ins installed.
Web 2.0 technologies, which refer to
second-generation web technologies intended for online collaboration,
have been designed to deliver a seamless data-rich experience. One of
those latest and greatest technologies is HTML5, which Office Web Apps
2013 has embraced to provide a consistent, cross-platform user
experience.
Platform and Browser Compatibility
Microsoft has realized now more than
ever people are accessing information from any number of devices.
Office Web Apps makes this possible so that we don’t have to be tied to
a desk when opening or editing using an Office Web Apps service. User
experience and functionality may slightly vary from platform to
platform, but you will see it has been greatly expanded to accommodate
all of your various needs. Platform compatibility can be divided into
two areas: Viewing and Editing or Viewing Only.
Viewing and Editing
- PC
- Mac
- Windows Tablet, such as the Surface*
- Apple iOS, such as the iPad*
Viewing Only
- Windows Phone*
- iOS iPhones*
- Android phones*
- Any other phones with browser capability
* Specific devices utilizing touch capabilities with Office Web Apps 2013
Office Web Apps 2013 now supports a greater
variety of web browsers. The current official list of supported
browsers is the latest release of the following:
- Internet Explorer
- Firefox
- Chrome
- Safari
For example, the Office Web Apps leveraging HTML5 uses the WebKit layout engine, which powers a great number of modern browsers.
