Apple Discontinuing iBooks Author on July 1, Encourages Writers to Transition to Pages

[evatar]

Apple is getting quite a reputation for abandoning software applications. And often when they are quite well-liked. Aperature, iWeb, Quartz Composer, Shake, and iBook Author to name just a few. I really like the ecosystem, but they really do tend to cr*p on their users every few years, and it's getting a bit tiresome. It's too bad they don't "donate" the applications to the software community by letting them go Open Source. Had they done that with Aperature, it would still be alive and well today.

Gawd, this, this, and so much THIS. Over the last couple of years I've weaned myself off their apps because the company isn't *reliable* anymore. I work in post production and the wake of destruction and chaos left behind when they stabbed FCP7 to death was beyond costly. For some of the businesses I worked with it ran them into the millions to jump to other software. Why any business would trust in Apple products is beyond me. Hell, when we made a feature we stayed off FCP X because there really isn't any way of knowing *if* they'll ever kill that too. At least with Premiere Pro or Avid you can open a project going all the way back to the beginning, and there are translation plugins if necessary. But Apple? "Sorry, can't open that Pages document for ya until you upgrade to the newest version. Oh, you're on the Navajo reservation with edge network? Sucks to be you!" Logic X is probably the only app they make that has a wide enough user base to entice Apple to support it, but the rest is all smoke & mirrors.

The fact is, there is no 'halo' anymore, and Apple gets graded on the standalone standards just like any other app. And if you're not a fanboy, it's pretty obvious they're failing more and more. But hey, the numbers look great in the quarterly spreadsheet!

 

[paulsydaus]

Not that I used this software but this is precisely what worries me about becoming reliant on Apple software. They really don’t care too much about supporting the user base. Most of the first party apps feel like side projects that receive next to no development or updates after initial release and could simply disappear at Apples whim. I’m in the market to be upgrading my computer this year and for the first time ever I am looking seriously at Windows. I already use Windows most of the time via boot camp to run my professional and productivity applications... I used to like the iWork apps but they can’t complete with Office unfortunately.

 

[retta283]

Well, iBooks Author had the last Update on September 24th 2018 -

I wonder when Apple discontinues some of the other Products that barely have seen any Updates -
like Apple Remote Desktop, which saw a Minor Update to 3.9.3 in Dec 2019
and before that to 3.9 in Feb 21st 2017.

And then we have macOS Server - will 10.16 completely be done with it?

I think macOS Server will stay around for a while, but the current version is horrid and missing almost all of its old functions. Total joke what they turned it into.

 

[Lowhangers]

I detest Amazon’s power and hold over the ebook market, but I’m forced to say that their book app blows away Apple’s Books app, thus why would anyone want to create books for Apple’s Books app? The Kindle store has way more customers anyway.

Apple missed the boat on ebooks and audiobooks, so it’s not surprising that iBooks Author is going away. They need a total refresh of management for Apple Books that will put it on par with Amazon’s Kindle app.

Oh and even on newer iOS devices, the Apple Books app loads like crap. They should scrap that one too and start with a brand new app for books that is as fast as the Kindle one.

 

[TracesOfArsenic]

About time it went to the graveyard, it was a garbage piece of software. It had huge potential but just never got to where it needed to be. I have no doubt Pages will be even worse for interactivity and lack the few good things iBA had going for it.

 

[PseudoRegister]

Amazon really has the book market dominated by Kindle, Audible, and Comixology.

Indeed.

Thank goodness that, after Amazon complained to the DOJ, DOJ determined Apple was a monopolist in the eBooks market. Thanks to that, we have soooo many choices in that market today.

Yes, I realize the complaint had to do with royalties. I think it might have been the first time anti-monopoly rules were applied to protect producers rather than consumers. But beyond that, it's not like the outcome was that authors now have leverage with Amazon. Want authors to lose their leverage with distributors? Make sure there's only one!
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[happyprozak]

Not that I used this software but this is precisely what worries me about becoming reliant on Apple software. They really don’t care too much about supporting the user base. Most of the first party apps feel like side projects that receive next to no development or updates after initial release and could simply disappear at Apples whim. I’m in the market to be upgrading my computer this year and for the first time ever I am looking seriously at Windows. I already use Windows most of the time via boot camp to run my professional and productivity applications... I used to like the iWork apps but they can’t complete with Office unfortunately.

This I think is an issue for every company trying to turn a profit, not just Apple. Google and Microsoft are also known for abandoning projects and software when a decent enough profit cannot be generated. I feel Google and Microsoft are worse in this area than Apple.

When I'm trying to make a decision on who to build a digital collection with, I tend to go with whoever the dominant player is because it reduces the chances that a company will abandon their products and software. Ideally, I would want the best experience from a company that is platform antagonistic but that doesn't always go hand in hand.

For music, movies, and television I think Apple is just that much better and more stable to trade them for a different company that is platform antagonistic. With music things have changed the last few years because of streaming but as far as purchasing, you just have a few small players who we can't be sure will be stable for years to come. With movies and television it is similar but there are stronger players like Amazon and Vudu but the experience on iTunes really is that much better. Vudu has now been sold twice so that leaves one wondering how stable their business is.