Google has launched Slides, which makes editing documents on iOS devices much easier and is a replacement for Microsoft's PowerPoint.
Google, the world's largest internet search company, is building a sub-ecosystem on Apple's mobile platform aimed at Microsoft's Office 365 productivity suite. The web giant unveiled Slides app and rolled out updates to Docs and Sheets apps on the iOS platform, making it easier for iPhone and iPad users to create and edit documents any time.
The launch of Slides app on iOS platform completes Google's efforts to offer a convenient alternative to Microsoft Office 365 suite. PowerPoint alternative Google Slides enables viewing, creating and editing of documents from a Google account, both online and offline, on iOS devices. This is an addition to the already existing Google Docs, alternative for Microsoft Word, and Excel-alternative Google Sheets. With these three standalone apps that form Google Docs suite, users can open, create and edit native Microsoft Office files, Google's software engineer Li-Wei Lee said in the company's official Enterprise Blog, Monday.
"Use Docs, Sheets and Slides to open up a contract that's been saved in Word without converting the file, and copy over the crucial figures to an Excel spreadsheet from the client to do some number-crunching on your iPad," Lee wrote. "Then quickly pop those calculations over to the PowerPoint deck before you walk into a sales meeting, all from whichever device is most convenient."
In addition, Slides allows users to invite friends and colleagues to collaborate on a presentation. The presentation can also be shown in a slideshow format directly from the device. In order to collaborate in real time, users must convert the Office files in Docs, Sheets or Slides.
Google pointed that nearly 80 percent of Office licenses are used occasionally. If so, then Google Docs suite offers an affordable solution compared to Microsoft's paid subscription for Office 365. Comparatively, the Redmond software giant is well-ahead of Google in this race with 5.6 million subscribers. According to Venture Beat, Google Docs ranks seventh in the top productivity apps in the US App Store while Microsoft Word is the number one productivity app for iPads.
Google Docs, Sheets and Slides are available for download from iTunes Store for free.
