iWork off to a respectable start

Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
According to this article, Apple's iWork is now the #2 "office suite" next to (of course) Microsoft Office: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9593_22-6030011.html



Specifically, Apple garnered 2.7 percent unit share.



Counting only the Mac platform sales, "iWork accounted for 17.4 percent, compared to about 82 percent for Microsoft"



Also:



Quote:

There had been reports, apparently incorrect, on some Apple enthusiast sites that sales of the initial iWork software had lagged.



"One rumor that can be put to rest is that iWork wasn't selling well," Swenson said.



All this without a spreadsheet!



With this early success, it is hard to imagine Apple not doing a spreadsheet (Cells? Numbers?) eventually. I am only disappointed they didn't do it in iWork '06 (I could have finally dumped AppleWorks).



I think Apple is taking things carefully and slowly on this. I suspect that they are getting the behind the scenes stuff working and then then continue to update and upgrade iWork growing it to where they really want it to be.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 32
    This is awesome!



    I don't have a Mac yet but I've played with iWork at the Apple Store and it seems really promising. I'd really like this to fuel Steve to make iWork better (though that's difficult).



    I guess I'm not alone :P though some people still seem to think that iWork sucks.
  • Reply 2 of 32
    wgauvinwgauvin Posts: 100member
    The really need a spreadsheet. I wonder if Numbers wasn't added because it wasn't ready and it's quality would have taken away with from Keynote and Pages.



    To be a serious office productivity suite a spreadsheet is going to be needed. BA's and managers love spreadsheets.



    Wonder if there will be an update later this year.
  • Reply 3 of 32
    gene cleangene clean Posts: 3,481member
    One question: are they also taking into consideration the fact that iWork is being bundled as of late by Apple? It's a 30-day trial or so, I believe.



    If not, then it truly is respectable.
  • Reply 4 of 32
    wgauvinwgauvin Posts: 100member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gene Clean

    One question: are they also taking into consideration the fact that iWork is being bundled as of late by Apple? It's a 30-day trial or so, I believe.



    If not, then it truly is respectable.




    If they are, they have to take in to account that Office is being bundled too, at least as a 30 day trial.
  • Reply 5 of 32
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gene Clean

    One question: are they also taking into consideration the fact that iWork is being bundled as of late by Apple? It's a 30-day trial or so, I believe.



    Article did not indicate one way or the other.
  • Reply 6 of 32
    Quote:

    Originally posted by wgauvin

    The really need a spreadsheet. I wonder if Numbers wasn't added because it wasn't ready and it's quality would have taken away with from Keynote and Pages.



    To be a serious office productivity suite a spreadsheet is going to be needed. BA's and managers love spreadsheets.



    Wonder if there will be an update later this year.




    I guess if I were betting $...I'd say iWork '07 (sadly).
  • Reply 7 of 32
    Quote:

    Originally posted by wgauvin

    The really need a spreadsheet. I wonder if Numbers wasn't added because it wasn't ready and it's quality would have taken away with from Keynote and Pages.



    To be a serious office productivity suite a spreadsheet is going to be needed. BA's and managers love spreadsheets.



    Wonder if there will be an update later this year.




    Don't count on it - I have a feeling that the 5 year deal for Office on the Mac between Microsoft and Apple probably includes putting iWork on the backburner for a bit.
  • Reply 8 of 32
    Quote:

    Originally posted by the cool gut

    Don't count on it - I have a feeling that the 5 year deal for Office on the Mac between Microsoft and Apple probably includes putting iWork on the backburner for a bit.



    Maybe, but I doubt it.
  • Reply 9 of 32
    kcmackcmac Posts: 1,051member
    I think these numbers are a little skewed.



    I purchased iWork last year and this year. I did not purchase Office during this time period because I already purchased it the year before.



    I doubt that was counted.



    While the percentages are probably correct, it almost seems the conclusion they draw in the article is that Pages now accounts for being the word processor on 20% of Macs vs. 80% for Office. I would bet that the great majority of those that have iWork also have Office.



    Of course, I really like iWork so go Apple.
  • Reply 10 of 32
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Chris Cuilla

    Maybe, but I doubt it.



    What else could be the reason? Keynote came first, the following year it was iWork with Keynot and Pages, and now this year ??? I mean, they have cells in Pages - so it's obviously in the works.
  • Reply 11 of 32
    Well, I too would love to be able to use iWork and get rid of Office (my only MS software). But, it has to be compatible with Office(i.e. .doc .xls .ppt) or I don't think it will ever really take off.



    BTW I've never used iWork, what are the current formats for pages and keynote?
  • Reply 12 of 32
    wgauvinwgauvin Posts: 100member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by the cool gut

    What else could be the reason? Keynote came first, the following year it was iWork with Keynot and Pages, and now this year ??? I mean, they have cells in Pages - so it's obviously in the works.



    While it may be possible the whole MS deal is the reason, there is a more pausiable explaination: the whole Intel migration has taken more of a focus.



    Apple needed to put as much resource in to getting Tiger to run with little to no problems, they needed their iLife and iWork applications to just work on Intel too. To put time and money in to building a spreadsheet app that would have to work on both platforms, and not degrade the work that was done with the rest of iWork to where it is, then it would be easier to pull a half backed application from iWork and release it when it's ready.
  • Reply 13 of 32
    kcmackcmac Posts: 1,051member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by brclark82

    Well, I too would love to be able to use iWork and get rid of Office (my only MS software). But, it has to be compatible with Office(i.e. .doc .xls .ppt) or I don't think it will ever really take off.



    BTW I've never used iWork, what are the current formats for pages and keynote?




    You should check out some of the features on Apples website.



    Pages exports to Word, imports Word documents. Keynote is similar to Powerpoint and exports to and imports ppt.



    I have had excellent results with Word compatibility for all but the really crazy composed Word documents. I still use Word sometimes but I can say that at least 90% of my needs are filled by Pages.



    I am not sure how easy it is to obtain a free trial but if you can, I would encourage it. Get the manual as it is a little different than your normal word processor.
  • Reply 14 of 32
    When I got my Mac back in August I used the Pages trial all the time and fell in love with it. I also had the Word demo and preferred Pages. When it ran out I though I could wait till the '06 version was out, and I was also hoping for Numbers. When the new one came without Numbers I was dissapointed, but I still got it because of Pages.



    I don't even touch Keynote because I have no need for a presentation program. iWork is still worth it, atleast to me.
  • Reply 15 of 32
    Quote:

    Originally posted by wgauvin

    While it may be possible the whole MS deal is the reason, there is a more pausiable explaination: the whole Intel migration has taken more of a focus.



    Apple needed to put as much resource in to getting Tiger to run with little to no problems, they needed their iLife and iWork applications to just work on Intel too. To put time and money in to building a spreadsheet app that would have to work on both platforms, and not degrade the work that was done with the rest of iWork to where it is, then it would be easier to pull a half backed application from iWork and release it when it's ready.




    What he said.
  • Reply 16 of 32
    Yes, I'm also hoping the Intel transition is the main reason for lack of progress on iWork.



    I'm surprised by the news. I was under the impression that iWork was not selling well. Even the Apple rep at MWSF suggested to me that progress on the application required a bigger user base. Then again, I never really beleive the guys on the show-floor know anything.
  • Reply 17 of 32
    This is great news! I just ordered my own copy of iWork '06 after having ran a demo version of '05 for some time. Strangely though, Apple isn't offering swedish localized versions of iWork (neither '05 nor '06) like it does with iLife. I wonder why that is? Not that I need it, but it seems strange that Apple haven't bothered with it yet seeing as this is no longer a version 1.0.
  • Reply 18 of 32
    Quote:

    Originally posted by wgauvin

    While it may be possible the whole MS deal is the reason, there is a more pausiable explaination: the whole Intel migration has taken more of a focus.



    Apple needed to put as much resource in to getting Tiger to run with little to no problems, they needed their iLife and iWork applications to just work on Intel too. To put time and money in to building a spreadsheet app that would have to work on both platforms, and not degrade the work that was done with the rest of iWork to where it is, then it would be easier to pull a half backed application from iWork and release it when it's ready.






    Well, I disagree with that, because iLife are Cocoa apps, and have had Intel versions from the beginning.



    I give them one more year, and if it doesn't come then it's not going to happen.
  • Reply 19 of 32
    Quote:

    Originally posted by the cool gut

    Well, I disagree with that, because iLife are Cocoa apps, and have had Intel versions from the beginning.



    But isn't an issue of making an Intel version of the spreadsheet (that is the flip of a switch if Apple built it with Xcode). It is, you know, actually writing a decent spreadsheet, which is, undoubtedly, no cake walk.
  • Reply 20 of 32
    e1618978e1618978 Posts: 6,075member
    I doubt that Steve would agree to hobble iWork in exchange for a 5 year office deal - since that deal benefits both parties (more people will buy Office::mac if they know that there will be 5 years support for it).



    I bet the deal was "no iWork on Windows".
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