CloudOn's Office App for iPad 'Sold Out', Pulled from App Store

Yesterday, we reported on a new iPad app from Silicon Valley startup CloudOn that seeks to offer a cloud-hosted version of Microsoft Office for the tablet device.

A number of readers have noted that the app is no longer available in the App Store, and a note posted on the company's website indicates that it is currently "sold out".

Thanks for your support of CloudOn! We're currently sold out. We look forward to the feedback we will receive as we continue to support the many users that have registered in this first phase. If you missed out on our first release, please sign up here.

Given the publicity the app has received and its price tag of free, it is unsurprising that the company has apparently experienced a significant amount of interest from users. And with the actual service running on CloudOn's own servers, it is likely that that demand has simply outstripped the company's server capacity.

Top Rated Comments

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soco

101 months ago

Yeah, "sold out" was an odd choice of words by CloudOn. Could have been better to have used "at capacity" or something.

Could just be a marketing thing. The idea of something being sold out is probably still easier to understand to the average person than a data server being at capacity.

Rating: 8 Votes

shartypants

101 months ago

I imagine that once people (like me) that figure out it sucks, more server capacity will free up.

Rating: 5 Votes

farleysmaster

101 months ago

Is this the first instance of an app "selling out?" I know that other apps taxed certain servers, but I don't know of any other app giving the impression that there was a limited supply of downloads.

I thought the same thing happened with that flash-supporting browser?

Rating: 2 Votes

thejd

101 months ago

Is this the first instance of an app "selling out?" I know that other apps taxed certain servers, but I don't know of any other app giving the impression that there was a limited supply of downloads.

I believe you are thinking of Skyfire. The issue there was the insufficient number of Flash licenses. Once Skyfire bought more it was relisted in the App Store.

Rating: 2 Votes

soco

101 months ago

MacRumors actually had it right -- "sold out" --

Huh? I'm not questioning MacRumors' reporting. We're commenting on the company's use of "sold out" and not this site's.

Rating: 2 Votes

kinderdm

101 months ago

Just a remote desktop?

If I'm understanding how this is set up correctly then how is this really different or better than just running a remote desktop with your computer on your ios device. I do this sort of thing all the time with Teamviewer and my home PC. I can just open the file and work on it that way and I save it in Dropbox just in case I need to view it some other way and to have more access options for the file. I'm not saying my way is perfect or that this is a particularly bad option but based on what people are saying they seem to be on par with each other. Maybe anyone waiting for this to become available again could try my way and see how they like it. Plus you don't have to worry about being charged down the road once you get used to it.

Rating: 2 Votes

jclardy

101 months ago

Huh? I'm not questioning MacRumors' reporting. We're commenting on the company's use of "sold out" and not this site's.

It means that they raised some venture capital with an idea and figured they would find a way to make money on it later. Now they are just bleeding money as they pay the enormous hosting and licensing costs for all these users for free.

Rating: 1 Votes

DavidFoster

101 months ago

I managed to snag CloudOn when it was available. Using it requires an internet connection. It is somewhat sluggish, but it enables most of the functions of the main Office applications, and that's a significant improvement over any competitors in the Mobile OS space. There's no doubt in my mind that this app will prove to be a useful tool to the internet-connected road warrior.

Hopefully they'll 'restock' the app soon. :D

Rating: 1 Votes

Irock619

101 months ago

What about "Pages" for iPad? Isn't this a word processor for iPad? Its also iCloud compatible. Documents created in Pages can also be saved as a Word compatible file so that any PC can open it. What is the purpose of this CloudOn app anyways?

Rating: 1 Votes

Southshore

101 months ago

So far, it works

It's a little lumpy (icons look a bit blurred in the meu bar) but otherwise, its pretty good. Ive opened all three kinds of files, and the screen environment is nearly identical to that of a desktop. I am on an original iPad, and so far, I like it.

Rating: 1 Votes

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