A new version of Office for Mac will launch this year, for the first time since 2011, according to the company’s manager for Office products in Germany. 

Office for Mac offers a nice alternative to users who don't like Apple's iWork software on the Mac, and want to subscribe to Microsoft's Office 365 program instead.

Microsoft's Thorsten Hübschen confirmed the software, presumably called Office for Mac 2014, will be revealed in the second quarter of this year, reports Computerwoche. Additionally, he said Microsoft has been shopping around the new software to big partners. 

The Office for Mac update is welcomed, as the Windows version outpaced it many years ago in functionality. Missing on the Mac version are big features like a revamped interface, visualisation of scheduled tasks, new PowerPoint templates, and broader Excel tools that are available on Office 2013 for Windows.  

Hübschen said the new Office for Mac software was intended to be released in spring 2014, but the Office for Mac team will miss the timeline for unknown reasons. The executive didn't hint any features we may see. 

"The team is hard at work on the next version of Office for Mac," a Microsoft spokesperson told Pocket-lint. "While I don't have details to share on timing, when it's available, Office 365 subscribers will automatically get the next Office for Mac at no additional cost."

Office 365 is Microsoft's subscription-based program for users to access mobile and desktop versions of the mobile software. It costs $99 per year, or $9.99 per month. 

Beyond the Mac, Microsoft has also hinted an Office release for the iPad in the near future. 

The company could have more information at its Build conference in April.