REDMOND, Wash. -(Dow Jones)- Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) said it is adopting XML technology for the default file formats in the next version of Microsoft Office editions to give users improved data interoperability and dramatically smaller file sizes.

In a press release Thursday, the software giant said it is adopting the industry-standard Extensible Markup Language technology, or XML technology, for the default file formats in Office 12.

The new file formats, called Microsoft Office Open XML Formats, will become the defaults for the Office 12 versions of Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint, which are expected to be released in the second half of 2006.

The company said that the Microsoft Office Open XML Formats announced Thursday will provide smaller file sizes and improved recovery of damaged or corrupted files. They also help improve security through greater control of file content, the company said.

The interoperability capabilities of the Microsoft Office Open XML Formats enable Microsoft Office applications to directly access data stored in systems outside those applications.

-By Anjali Cordeiro, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-5400; AskNewswires@ dowjones.com

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