<p>Even as all the tech media oxygen is being sucked up by Apple's iPhone 5, old rival Microsoft is quietly laying groundwork for next spring's expected launch of Microsoft Office 2013. And for the IT community at midsize firms, the potential stakes are much larger than for any smartphone debut.</p><p>After all, the Office productivity suite is pervasive in the business world and the long-established industry standard. Along with the Windows operating system itself, Office is a crucial revenue stream for Microsoft and plays a key role in reinforcing Windows. But Redmond is facing a challenge: Google Apps, cloud-based, is the biggest challenge the Office productivity tools have faced in decades.</p><p>Groundwork for a Rollout</p><p>All of which explains why the Microsoft Office 2013 rollout will come with high stakes not only for Microsoft itself but its midsize business customers.</p><p><a href="http://midsizeinsider.com/en-us/article/microsoft-office-2013-heads-for-debut">Keep reading...</a></p><p>Read also:</p><p><a href="http://www.geek.com/articles/gadgets/how-microsoft-could-use-office-to-fight-the-ipad-20120920/">How Microsoft could use Office to fight the iPad</a> (Geek)</p><p><a href="http://www.computeractive.co.uk/ca/review/2206715/microsoft-windows-8-review">Microsoft Windows 8 review</a> (ComputerActive.co.uk)</p><p><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-09-21/microsoft-deploys-college-kid-cool-in-windows-8-apps-race-tech">Microsoft Deploys College-Kid Cool in Windows 8 Apps Race: Tech</a> (Businessweek)</p><p>Explore: <a href="http://news.google.com/news/more?pz=1&ned=us&ncl=dQBf0V-kBe1gmmMObqXEOAp7bejtM">98 additional articles.</a></p>