Microsoft iPad mania: New OneNote app today; new Lync app soon

The early warning indicators were right.

On December 12, Microsoft delivered for download an iPad-centric version of its OneNote note-taking app. The Softies also said to expect "very shortly" its Lync unified communications clients for the iPad.

As I blogged earlier today, Microsoft first delivered OneNote for the iPhone in January 2011. But the newest OneNote release, Version 1.3 out today, is for the iPhone, the iPod Touch and the iPad 1 and 2. Here is Microsoft's blog post acknowledging the iPad OneNote release.

On the Lync side of the house, Microsoft made available to Windows Phone users late last night the long-awaited Lync 2010 mobile client. Microsoft told its partners last week that the Windows Phone Lync client was going to be in the Marketplace as of December 12.

Microsoft execs also said on December 12 to expect soon the Lync mobile clients for the iPad, the iPhone, Android phones and Symbian phones.

From a new post on the Microsoft Office blogs site from Pat Fox, Senior Director Marketing for Microsoft Office:

"Lync 2010 for Windows Phone is also launching today, together with an update to Lync Server 2010 that enables new Lync mobile clients. As previously discussed, we’ve developed Lync 2010 for iPhone, iPad, Android phones and Nokia Symbian—these apps have been submitted to their respective mobile app stores and will be available very shortly. With Lync 2010 apps, people can check colleagues’ availability at a glance, start an IM conversation on the go or join audio conferences with a single tap."

Some had been expecting Microsoft to deliver a Lync release for RIM mobile phones/devices. I asked today if that's in the works. Here's the reply via a spokesperson:

"As we have in the past, we will continue to support the APIs and developer tools that RIM uses to develop their own mobile application for Lync. RIM currently provides Communicator and Lync mobile clients that work against both OCS 2007 R2 and Lync Server 2010 on-premises. Please see here for more information on RIM-developed Blackberry mobile clients. We have nothing further to share at this time."

Lync is Microsoft’s successor to Office Communications Server; it's Microsoft’s unified communications platform that the company launched a year ago. Lync provides enterprise instant-messaging, VOIP and conferencing. There also is a Microsoft-hosted version of Lync that’s available as a standalone service and part of Office 365 that is known as Lync Online.

If you want to compare the features/functionality in the different Lync mobile clients that are on the way, Microsoft is confirming that this chart (posted by one of its partners) is accurate.

Meanwhile, if you were hoping for more official word today on some kind of Microsoft Office suite on the iPad, don't hold your breath. Microsoft execs still are not commenting on rumors that Office for the iPad will be out -- in some form -- in 2012.

There is a possible clue regarding Microsoft's thinking on Office iPad pricing, however, as of today. The "unlimited use" version of OneNote for iPad costs $14.99. (Users can use it for free for up to 500 messages.)