Apple Announces 'iWork for iCloud' for In-Browser Use

[MacRumors]

At today's WWDC keynote event, Apple announced iWork for iCloud, a new version of iWork that is coming later this year and delivering the ability to use iWork apps in the user's browser. iWork in iCloud brings Apple's iWork software suite to the web, and on stage, the company demonstrated Keynote, Numbers, and Pages operating in a browser window.

The apps are also designed to work seamlessly with Microsoft documents. For example, a Microsoft Word document dragged into Pages for iCloud will be converted and easily read.

In addition to working on iOS and Mac, iWork for iCloud also works on Windows computers and in other browsers, like Chrome. In fact, it supports Chrome, Safari, and Internet Explorer, bringing iWork to a broad array of devices.

iWork for iCloud is available today for developers and will be offered to other users later in the year.

Article Link: Apple Announces 'iWork for iCloud' for In-Browser Use

 

[badlydrawnboy]

Was I hearing things, or did he also say that they'd be releasing new desktop versions of the iWork apps later this year?

 

[JohnDoe98]

Was I hearing things, or did he also say that they'd be releasing new desktop versions of the iWork apps later this year?

You heard right, new versions coming later.

 

[unplugme71]

You heard right, new versions coming later.

sweet!

 

[~Shard~]

Very much looking forward to a new version of iWork later this year. Long overdue!

 

[kjs862]

This was my favorite part of the event, though iOS7 is pretty cool too. I think the expanded functionality to iCloud was more needed than a GUI update to iOS.

 

[JGIGS]

Let me have any document in iCloud. Most of us use office. Looks like google drive or drop box is the real way to go if you don't want this dumb limitiation.

 

[Wolfpup]

Huh...well, if we're lucky it'll be better than Google Docs, although I'd be surprised if they can beat Microsoft.

They DESPERATELY need to fix the iWork programs for iOS. The save/load interface for iWork on iOS is beyond insane. I can't believe Steve Jobs or whomever signed off on that. I mean it's more complicated and bizarre than an early 80s DOS based computer.

 

[tubular]

AT LAST. Totally tubular.

 

[yojo056]

Im surprised about this one. There was an iWorks in the Cloud beta that ended almost 2 years ago...

 

[vmachiel]

Sweet! This is free?

 

[Nalmond92]

so there is no point in getting the desktop apps???

 

[bigwig]

I hope the new desktop versions add much needed functionality. Like Numbers being rather incomplete when it comes to Excel function support. LibreOffice is much more complete. ODF support would be nice too.

 

[Boris A]

You heard right, new versions coming later.

I imagined the same, which was a huge relief. But what was said exactly? It was dropped in such a by-the-way fashion it's hard to tell.

 

[saberahul]

Sweet! This is free?

Would love to know this too. Anyone know?

 

[JohnDoe98]

I imagined the same, which was a huge relief. But what was said exactly? It was dropped in such a by-the-way fashion it's hard to tell.

Don't remember the exact words, but he said new versions for OS X and iOS coming later this fall, then just moved on to demo iWork in the Cloud.

 

[fricotin]

If I was buying iWork now would I have to pay for the upgrade when it comes later in the year ?

 

[IJ Reilly]

so there is no point in getting the desktop apps???

Really unclear, but I got the impression that the browser-based version is intended as a companion to the desktop version, not a replacement. Despite what was demonstrated, I think it would be very difficult to incorporate all the functionality of desktop iWork into the browser. They haven't managed that for the iOS version.

----------

Don't remember the exact words, but he said new versions for OS X and iOS coming later this fall, then just moved on to demo iWork in the Cloud.

I heard a little bit more than that. He talked about creating documents on your Mac and then being able to edit them in a web browser in Windows. This wording suggests that Apple still views iWork on the Mac as the center of the iWork universe.

 

[AppleMark]

So with iWork for iCloud, you will able to start working on one document and then the US government [through PRISM, or another data harvesting method] can read it on another.

No thanks.

 

[MikhailT]

My concern is this, the upcoming OS X app won't get any new features, it's just being updated to support the iCloud improvements but nothing else. That's why they didn't demo anything.

As for PRISM concerns, yea, that's true for any data services. You'll have to stay offline to avoid PRISM.

 

[Deedlez]

I've literally just switched from my Win7 VM where I was trying to install Office 2013 from Office 365.

Couldn't install it, due to the astonishingly detailed error "A problem has occurred" from the installer. And that's all you get, no clues at all where the error is - with their website, the installer, the internet connection, time of day, my shoe size, sunspots.

Hopeless idiots.

So a good time to then spot iWork improvements! Bye bye Microsoft. You are in serious trouble when your Office cash cow dies...

 

[numbersyx]

If I was buying iWork now would have to pay for the upgrade when it comes later in the year ?

I suspect you would....

 

[happyslayer]

Just logged into the beta site... now it shows up for me on me.com. (I am a developer.) So far, it works as shown in the keynote. Though it did take a bit more time to open my existing documents. (The Apple sites are slammed right now.) Very nice though! Very excited to see the beginnings of an iWork update.

 

[KALLT]

My concern is this, the upcoming OS X app won't get any new features, it's just being updated to support the iCloud improvements but nothing else. That's why they didn't demo anything.

It could very well be that there was simply nothing to show yet. If I remember correctly, there were still vacancies for iWork-related projects at Apple only recently, which may suggest that this is still an ongoing process. iWork is also typically one of those products that are released immediately after their announcement, so it makes sense to present it at another keynote. That being said, the fact that they do give priority to a webapp rather than updating the Mac app is indeed a bit worrying. Since Apple does seek compatibility with the webapp now too, it may mean that we won't see any substantial updates for the iWork Mac app, other than enhanced compatibility with iCloud.

 

[jnlauderdale]

Internet Explorer?

Can someone explain how iWork for iCloud can support IE if no version exists for the Mac platform? Are they saying it will support IE if you are on a PC?