Apple users hoping to enjoy the many perks of Microsoft Office on their tablets apparently won't have to wait for much longer. ZDNet reports that a mobile version of the popular productivity suite could be coming to the iPad very soon -- possibly within the first half of 2014.

This news, if reliable, undoubtedly comes as a relief to many iPad owners who had grown concerned at the vague assurances given by Microsoft's Executive Vice President of Marketing, Tami Reller. When asked about Microsoft's plan to expand Office to other mobile tablets, Reller answered that the company remained "thoughtful" about the possibility.

Reller's cryptic response did not bode well with the tech community, with many speculating that Office for iPad - reportedly codenamed Miranmar - was now dead in the water. Only now news has leaked that not only is Miranmar still alive and well, it is likely on track to be released ahead of Microsoft's own "touch-first" mobile version of Office, known as Gemini.

Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet writes, "Microsoft officials have acknowledged, in a somewhat roundabout way, that it exists and is coming... According to one of my contacts, Ballmer OK'd the suggestion by the Office team that they'd bring Office for iPad to market as soon as it was ready, even though that would likely mean before the Windows 8 version."

While it is clear that the software is now set to become a reality, it is unknown how it will work once it does arrive. Foley speculates that it may require an Office 365 subscription, similar to what already exists for the iPhone and Android office apps. It could also potentially tie in to the cloud storage system OneDrive (formerly named SkyDrive).

This is good news for both Apple and Microsoft. While Microsoft Office still remains the industry standard for productivity suites, the company has been struggling to compete with Apple's dominance in the tablet market. Bringing their product to the iPad could be a major win for both parties.