Apple Makes 'iWork for iCloud' Beta Available to Registered Developers

[MacRumors]

Apple has made the iWork for iCloud in-browser versions of Pages, Keynote and Numbers available to registered developers as a beta release. The browser based version of iWork was announced at Monday's WWDC Keynote address.

The browser-based versions of iWork are meant to be a competitor to Google Docs and other cloud-based office productivity platforms -- they work on both a Mac or PC in Safari, Google Chrome and Microsoft Internet Explorer.

iWork for iCloud is expected to be released to the public later this year. For now, registered developers can log in with their developer credentials at beta.icloud.com.

Article Link: Apple Makes 'iWork for iCloud' Beta Available to Registered Developers

 

[street.cory]

I wonder why they didn't make any changes to the icons on the beta iCloud site. Unless of course they're waiting to do all of that at once after the beta.

 

[576316]

I don't know if I wasn't paying attention or not, but I presume they're not making these apps free to everyone? Especially with how much their counterparts actually cost. How are they managing this?

 

[Walter White]

Still looking at the old beta page.

 

[Razeus]

For the love of god, please fix that website and update it from the 1990's look. So un-Apple looking. Start stealing Google designers Apple!

 

[Cougarcat]

I wonder why they didn't make any changes to the icons on the beta iCloud site. Unless of course they're waiting to do all of that at once after the beta.

All of the icons need to be updated, and they need to remove the linen. I imagine that'll happen before release. The iCloud apps themselves will also need facelifts.

I hope they add collaborative features before release. They have a lot to do if they want to catch up to google docs.

 

[izyreal]

I really hope they support multiple editors of a document at one time and that it works better than google docs. And that copying and pasting from/to Word retains ALL the formatting!
Good stuff!

 

[MisterKeeks]

Why would developers need this early?

 

[ssdeg7]

Why would developers need this early?

I guess they just need testers and this is an easy way to get them

 

[Nalmond92]

This was certainly a surprise in he keynote..

I do wonder how thy will manage this as it makes the desktop apps rather redundant for mac. More interesting that now pc will now experience iWork which could break office's monopoly if this s done right and marketed!

Watch this space!

 

[Terrin]

I don't know if I wasn't paying attention or not, but I presume they're not making these apps free to everyone? Especially with how much their counterparts actually cost. How are they managing this?

I wonder the cost as well. Is it free? Included with the app purchase?

 

[r3m1]

This was certainly a surprise in he keynote..

I do wonder how thy will manage this as it makes the desktop apps rather redundant for mac. More interesting that now pc will now experience iWork which could break office's monopoly if this s done right and marketed!

Watch this space!

I have used both (iWork and Office 2010) and iWork is way, way behind on what Office 2010 offers in terms of functionality. They will need to play catch up big time if they want to be an alternative at all ...

Playing catch up ... that seems to become the dominant theme with Apple ... too bad.

 

[Terrin]

I really hope they support multiple editors of a document at one time and that it works better than google docs. And that copying and pasting from/to Word retains ALL the formatting!
Good stuff!

Different versions of Word don't even retain formatting. This will likely be better than Google though as Apple owns the rights to use lots of fonts, and has been doing publishing since before it owned Claris.

 

[geoffreak]

Just a heads-up, it seems like you need to own the respective iOS apps to use the beta. Sadly, I do not on my developer account and am presented with a "more info about iWork" page.

 

[powers74]

Messages, please!

 

[Terrin]

I have used both (iWork and Office 2010) and iWork is way, way behind on what Office 2010 offers in terms of functionality. They will need to play catch up big time if they want to be an alternative at all ...

Playing catch up ... that seems to become the dominant theme with Apple ... too bad.

I hate to tell you, but Apple is not trying to go after Office users. It wants Microsoft making Office. It wants people with less demanding needs. Keynote by the way kicks Powerpoints butt. Pages gets the job done.

 

[weezor]

Just a heads-up, it seems like you need to own the respective iOS apps to use the beta. Sadly, I do not on my developer account and am presented with a "more info about iWork" page.

That's not true. Maybe you need a paid developer account but I certainly don't own any of those apps and I have access to them.

 

[street.cory]

All of the icons need to be updated, and they need to remove the linen. I imagine that'll happen before release. The iCloud apps themselves will also need facelifts.

I hope they add collaborative features before release. They have a lot to do if they want to catch up to google docs.

Yeah I didn't even think about all of the extra legwork needed to give the facelifts to the web apps themselves. Yikes.

You'd think they would have done this before the beta, because I would guess changing the UI a bit would require some testing.

 

[MacHiavelli]

I have used both (iWork and Office 2010) and iWork is way, way behind on what Office 2010 offers in terms of functionality. They will need to play catch up big time if they want to be an alternative at all ...

Playing catch up ... that seems to become the dominant theme with Apple ... too bad.

What can Office do that iWork can't? Our company gave up Office several years ago and we don't miss it. We work for a lot of tech companies, sharing files with them. No issues at all.

 

[Daalseth]

Just a heads-up, it seems like you need to own the respective iOS apps to use the beta. Sadly, I do not on my developer account and am presented with a "more info about iWork" page.

IF that is a requirement in the final released version (and I understand that's a big if) it would be a huge handicap. They're competing with GoogleApps which is free. If there's any admission fee to use the web apps then most people just won't. OTOH if the web apps are available to everyone then they could be the 'gateway drug' for iWork. A demo version that could let more people to try it out to see what it's like before they buy the full version. Free web versions could result in a big uptake in full version sales.

 

[IJ Reilly]

This was certainly a surprise in he keynote..

I do wonder how thy will manage this as it makes the desktop apps rather redundant for mac. More interesting that now pc will now experience iWork which could break office's monopoly if this s done right and marketed!

Watch this space!

Doubtful, for two reasons. First, achieving feature parity with the desktop versions would be difficult if not impossible. Second, it would be a step backwards and a big mistake to push the existing iWork user base into apps that work only online. I'd expect the cloud versions of the iWork apps to be subsets of the desktop app functionality, just as the iOS versions are today.

----------

What can Office do that iWork can't? Our company gave up Office several years ago and we don't miss it. We work for a lot of tech companies, sharing files with them. No issues at all.

A few things, mostly of interest to Excel jocks.

 

[x86isslow]

Messages, please!

ETA: iOS 8, 2014

 

[Nalmond92]

I have used both (iWork and Office 2010) and iWork is way, way behind on what Office 2010 offers in terms of functionality. They will need to play catch up big time if they want to be an alternative at all ...

Playing catch up ... that seems to become the dominant theme with Apple ... too bad.

I used iWork to write all my assignment for my last year at university, including my dissertation and had no problems at all.

If these are free, then for joe public there should be no need for them to buy office for their windows pc!

 

[AHDuke99]

I like how apple didn't bother to update anything in a 4 year old piece of software. I guess it doesn't make them any money

 

[Technarchy]

I used iWork to write all my assignment for my last year at university, including my dissertation and had no problems at all.

If these are free, then for joe public there should be no need for them to buy office for their windows pc!

I know many people slept through the iWorks for iCloud portion of the keynote, but I was very excited to see Apple introduce cloud based productivity.

Being able to work from any device and have your work follow you is a blessing for one, and the majority of the time all I need is a light productivity suite, not full blown MS Office. The savings could go to a myriad of other things...like new iPhones or iPads...