"For a long time, with each new version, Microsoft has focused on giving Office a gazillion new features, which helps with completeness but not usability," said Guy Creese, a Gartner analyst.

"Microsoft doesn't need to remove features, nor dumb down the product -- just don't assault users with all these features as it has historically done," he said.

Also critical and long overdue is a version of Office for Android and iOS smartphones and tablets.

In particular, an Office version for the iPad can't wait, because the tablet has become a workplace tool for many people who bought it initially for personal use and ended up bringing it to the office as well. "Microsoft needs to do this," said industry analyst Michael Osterman, from Osterman Research.

Osterman said he wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft continued to balk at porting Office to iOS, especially now that it plans to release its own tablet, called Surface, which will run its new Windows 8 operating system with its new Metro interface designed for touch devices like tablets. However, this would be a costly mistake, he said.