Briefly: iWork '09 reference appears at Apple.com

[AppleInsider]

With just over an hour to go before Apple kicks off Macworld Expo 2009 with an inaugural keynote presentation from its marketing chief, references to a new version of the company's iWork productivity have appeared at Apple.com.

The Mac maker's software download page lists "iWork '09" as the fourth most popular download. However the associated link, which can be seen on the left-hand side of the page, still takes visitors to the iWork '08 trial download page.

There have been some late rumors that Apple was preparing to announce a radical change in the way it distributes iWork, namely that the suite would be going completely web-based, abandoning the need for native Mac OS X-based iWork applications.

Though largely speculative at this time based on the limited evidence, the one-off reference on the Cupertino-based company's download page suggests that a native version of iWork will remain. It's possible that an Web-based version could supplement that offering.

Apple's Macworld keynote presented by Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller will begin at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time. AppleInsider will provide live coverage of all the happenings at Macworld throughout the week.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[saarek]

I love iWork, it's overhauled the way I work, can't wait to see what the new version offers!

[VinitaBoy]

Wait. Let's think this through. Isn't this revelation firmly ensconced in the "Most Downloaded" strand? How in the heck can it be #4 in that list (even above the 10.5.6 update) when nobody knows it exists? Have any of YOU downloaded it yet? Has anyone you know?

Something fishy here.

[saarek]

Originally Posted by VinitaBoy

Wait. Let's think this through. Isn't this revelation firmly ensconced in the "Most Downloaded" strand? How in the heck can it be #4 in that list (even above the 10.5.6 update) when nobody knows it exists? Have any of YOU downloaded it yet? Has anyone you know?

Something fishy here.

Perhaps certain developers and beta testers have been downloading it.

[bdkennedy1]

I hope some of the iMovie features that were removed for the '08 version will be restored.

[Virgil-TB2]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

... There have been some late rumors that Apple was preparing to announce a radical change in the way it distributes iWork, namely that the suite would be going completely web-based, abandoning the need for native Mac OS X-based iWork applications .... the one-off reference on the Cupertino-based company's download page suggests that a native version of iWork will remain. It's possible that an Web-based version could supplement that offering. ...

I like how even though no-one ever has had any indication that iWork was going "full web-only" that now we can safely disprove this rumour.

You guys manufacture a story, and now you can prove it's wrong. Wow. Brilliant work.

The only rumour that ever existed was merely that there would be a web-based version of iWork (or some of it, or maybe iLife). The part about them dropping the desktop version not only never made any sense, it was never even suggested except in some folks minds.

[Kasper]

Originally Posted by saarek

Perhaps certain developers and beta testers have been downloading it.

Guys,

It's likely the existing ranking for iWork '08. Apple simply changed the text in anticipation of today's new version.

K

[Lorre]

Originally Posted by VinitaBoy

Wait. Let's think this through. Isn't this revelation firmly ensconced in the "Most Downloaded" strand? How in the heck can it be #4 in that list (even above the 10.5.6 update) when nobody knows it exists? Have any of YOU downloaded it yet? Has anyone you know?

Something fishy here.

The downloads for iWork 08 count as well probably.

They just replaced 08 with 09 in their database, but didn't clear the number of downloads methinks.

[Hattig]

40 minutes to go, right? -8 hours from British time (4.20pm now)?

A new iWork would be nice, always interesting to see this product develop into a worthwhile office suite from basic but nice applications (I bought '05 and had '06 at work, but missed the last one).

[JeffDM]

Maybe it's time for me to upgrade my '06 copy, hopefully it will have certain formatting features to make it easier to format to guidelines.

[eAi]

Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2

I like how even though no-one ever has had any indication that iWork was going "full web-only" that now we can safely disprove this rumour.

You guys manufacture a story, and now you can prove it's wrong. Wow. Brilliant work.

The only rumour that ever existed was merely that there would be a web-based version of iWork (or some of it, or maybe iLife). The part about them dropping the desktop version not only never made any sense, it was never even suggested except in some folks minds.

I agree. Why the hell would Apple scrap iWork that they've been working on for 4+ years as an Office competitor (for the inevitable time when Microsoft do a runner), and replace it with a load of slow, buggy web apps that require an internet connection all the time.

I can see a use for both, but if you (AppleInsider) even thought that a web only iWork was remotely feasible you need to actually think before you post...

[BuffyzDead]

Doh!

No fixes here for you. Move along.

[Kasper]

Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2

I like how even though no-one ever has had any indication that iWork was going "full web-only" that now we can safely disprove this rumour.

You guys manufacture a story, and now you can prove it's wrong. Wow. Brilliant work.

The only rumour that ever existed was merely that there would be a web-based version of iWork (or some of it, or maybe iLife). The part about them dropping the desktop version not only never made any sense, it was never even suggested except in some folks minds.

Dude, it wasn't our report. It was 9 to 5's. Jeeze. We simply covered it like several other publications. Chill OUT. It's unfortunate that I'm realizing some people cannot decipher between our calls and those of another publication... I guess I need to make some changes in the way things are presented going forward.

Kasper

[teckstud]

I'd like to use this at work but unfortunately work in a Windows world.
Do you ever think we'll get Numbers09 for Windows?
Afterall we've been getting Excel for Mac for decades.

[BuffyzDead]

Originally Posted by bdkennedy1

I hope some of the iMovie features that were removed for the '08 version will be restored.

Doh!

No fixes here for you. Move along, please.

[robb01]

Originally Posted by BuffyzDead

Doh!

No fixes here for you. Move along, please.

hehe

_____________

[Wiggin]

I wonder if the rumors about web-based iWork might be about Apple developing an online (JavaScript-based) reader for iWork files. That would allow you to email an iWork file to anyone and if they didn't have iWork they could still open and view your file. Maybe even make annotations to it or something simple like that. That would make iWork a little more attractive of an alternative to MS Office because you wouldn't have to worry if the recipient could open your file. And by making it online you wouldn't have to download a new reader application everytime iWork was updated.

[gastroboy]

Well it's 3.38am Wednesday EPT here so if you want to know what actually was anounced 17.5 hrs ago, I could tell you.

But I've been sworn to secrecy.

So you'll just have to wait half an hour to hear for yourselves.

[Wiggin]

Originally Posted by gastroboy

Well it's 3.38am Wednesday EPT here so if you want to know what actually was anounced 17.5 hrs ago, I could tell you.

But I've been sworn to secrecy.

So you'll just have to wait half an hour to hear for yourselves.

Ok, but could you at least pass on a few good stock tips.

[Abster2core]

It is 11:45 EST and the Store is down

[sc54321]

Seems to me this iPhoto '09 is a copy of Picasa

[eron]

I just bought iWorks'08 less than a month ago! I want a free upgrade!

[MacTel]

Originally Posted by saarek

I love iWork, it's overhauled the way I work, can't wait to see what the new version offers!

I love iWork too. It could use some more polish (with tables especially) but it has a lot of promise.

I hope that give existing user a break on the price though. Maybe $49?

[vinea]

Hmmm...does changing slides on the remote app also change slides on the mac? Nice to have my notes handy on the phone but not so much if they aren't sync'd.

[highdough]

If they're going to make some changes, how about reducing the size of it. It's more than twice the size of MS Office, and I have a very limited amount of space on my laptop. I actually had to temporarily remove it because I had run out of room and that was the easiest thing to get rid of considering the amount of space it takes up.

[wizard69]

Originally Posted by Kasper

Dude, it wasn't our report. It was 9 to 5's. Jeeze. We simply covered it like several other publications. Chill OUT. It's unfortunate that I'm realizing some people cannot decipher between our calls and those of another publication... I guess I need to make some changes in the way things are presented going forward.

Kasper

You can try but your only reasonable control over this type of response is to delete the accounts of such posters. I've been around the various forums for years now and every MW we get the same stupid sorts of postings. It is like people don't grasp the concept of what a rumor is no mater how informed the source is.

In any event what can you do about people that frequent rumor sites but don't grasp where they are, don't grasp that some of the reporting comes from other sites and don't grasp that Apple itself is known to plant disinformation? It would be one thing if you passed yourself off as a credible news site and never identified the reporting that has not been validated. Appleinsider doesn't however and in my mind does a good job of seperating the real from the speculation, rumors and fragmented information. Why change that to try to support a bunch of idiots that don't have the capacity to deal with deciphering the value of the communications themselves? Or to put it another way why plug up the pipes for the rest of us when it is likely to be completely futile. The reality is that there are lots of ways to improve Appleinsider as such focusing on those that will never get it is wasted energy and time.


Dave