We’ve been debating whether Microsoft is planning to come out with a version of Office for the iPad, and The Daily is back today with some good news for anyone hoping to see it happen.

The Daily’s Matt Hickey, who originally reported last year that Office on the iPad was coming, reiterates in the new report that it’s real — saying he’s tried a working prototype, and noting that it could be released in the coming weeks.

The Daily also has a picture of Office running on the iPad, in a somewhat mysterious setting.

Office for iPad would include Word, Excel and PowerPoint in the Metro style, with the ability to create and edit files on the hard drive or online, according to the report. The Daily’s picture shows Word, Excel and PowerPoint icons within the same launch screen in a unified app.

No word on pricing. Apple sells its existing Pages, Keynote and Numbers productivity software for iPad as separate apps, for $9.99 each.

Mary Jo Foley notes on ZDNet that the reported approach sounds similar to Microsoft’s plans to release Office for ARM-based tablets.

Also of note: Microsoft is not working on a version of Office for Android, according to the report, and Microsoft will update its current OneNote app for iOS  to go along with the new Office for iPad.

Last week, veteran analyst Rick Sherlund expressed doubts that Microsoft would come out with a version of Office for iPad: “If there were a tug of war of conflicting interest with the Office team on one end of the rope and Steve Sinofsky and Steve Ballmer on the other (chanting Windows, Windows, Windows), we would expect there would be no Office on iPad anytime soon.”

Like what you're reading? Subscribe to GeekWire's free newsletters to catch every headline

Job Listings on GeekWork

Find more jobs on GeekWork. Employers, post a job here.