Leaked video: New Microsoft Office Suite reveals cloud features

The next version of the mega-successful Microsoft Office Suite will contain cloud-like features that will allow you to access and edit documents remotely, according to a leaked video of the unreleased software suite. Apparently, the company is also re-branding the software suite, referring to it as simply “Office 15.”

The 30-second video, which was obtained by WithinWindows, is essentially a marketing demo that emphasizes the portability of the new Office and how it remains accessible from a variety of locations. To take advantage of these features, you’ll use a standard sign-in process that will keep track of all your documents as well as store them on Microsoft’s cloud-based SkyDrive service.

Microsoft has lost plenty of ground in the office-document market for not moving fast enough — many competitors already offer cloud-based document suites, such as Google Docs and Apple’s iWork/iCloud. However, the company is still the dominant force when it comes to document software, and a cloud-based set of features is likely to ensure that lead well into the future.

Office 15 is currently only available to a small group of private testers. But as The Verge points out, Microsoft is promising a public beta release by this summer, with a final version hitting shelves as late as 2013.

We’ve embedded the leaked video below. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

http://youtu.be/vT503jUG4Y4