iWork '05 Productivity Suite?

[Agathon]

Why would Microsoft wish to drop mac support for Office?

They have been selling software for the Macintosh for over 20 years and it has been good business for them. Most mac users I know actually paid for their version of Office; most Windows users I know did not. Microsoft makes money selling Mac software, probably more money than they would make trying to push the small mac market share out of existence. Apple is never going to command a 90% share of the market. Even if they managed a 10% share, that would be no real threat to Microsoft.

I can't see a mass migration of Mac users from their platform of choice just because they couldn't use Office. Hell, that would unleash all sorts of companies who would love to sell office software for the Macintosh, but are put off by the MS virtual monopoly.

Why would Microsoft wish to crush Apple anyway? They should be worrying about free and open source software, rather than Apple.

 

[Thataboy]

Looks like IGG has changed iWork to iBiz... proof positive?

Now THAT is the nail in the coffin that held my doubt!

 

[Doctor Q]

Looks like IGG has changed iWork to iBiz... proof positive?

Has anybody contacted them and asked why they changed the name?

Here is a mention of the subject in the IGG Software forums.

 

[steveh]

Microsoft owns a large stake of Apple.

No, they do not. MS did, for a time, own $150M in shares of *non-voting* Apple stock, but they sold all of it a few years later.

The only reason Apple survived in the mid 90s was because of Microsoft.

Hardly. The $150M in shares wasn't *that* important to a company with $4B in the bank at the same time.

MS continued offering of MS Office certainly didn't hurt, but Apple would not have died without it.

 

[Darwin]

Why would Microsoft wish to drop mac support for Office?

I agree, they seem to enjoy the business and with Virtual PC as part of an Office Package they are selling Windows to us as-well

why would they want to drop that?

 

[nagromme]

And Tiger seems to be on a pretty slow development cycle, at least compared to other X revisions. WWDC seems to be a likely target. So the $500 headless won't come with Tiger--another disappointment for many.

Actually, I tend to think that the headless horseman will be ANNOUNCED soon, but will not SHIP for several months--so that it can have Tiger pre-loaded.

(As for Tiger timing... people complain when OS X is upgraded too soon too! )

 

[Zaty]

Why would Microsoft wish to drop mac support for Office?

They have been selling software for the Macintosh for over 20 years and it has been good business for them. Most mac users I know actually paid for their version of Office; most Windows users I know did not. Microsoft makes money selling Mac software, probably more money than they would make trying to push the small mac market share out of existence. Apple is never going to command a 90% share of the market. Even if they managed a 10% share, that would be no real threat to Microsoft.

I can't see a mass migration of Mac users from their platform of choice just because they couldn't use Office. Hell, that would unleash all sorts of companies who would love to sell office software for the Macintosh, but are put off by the MS virtual monopoly.

Why would Microsoft wish to crush Apple anyway? They should be worrying about free and open source software, rather than Apple.

Exactly, think of iWork as an AW replacement, not as a serious competition for MS Office. Apple knows that MS continuing support of Office for Mac is crucial for the future of the platform. Word, Excel and Power Point are de facto standards in the Windows world. Although cross-platform compatibility between Office for Mac and the various Windows flavours of the suite is still not perfect but it's usually better than between MS Office and any other third party office suite.

 

[Sir_Giggles]

Im not too fond of the name iWork. I think iOffice Suite sounds better.

 

[SWC]

In reality Microsoft needs Apple more than Apple needs Microsoft. The most important application on a Mac is the browser and it's not longer a 3rd party one!

About the only reason they NEED Apple is to say theres an alternative platform readily available. With linspire and walmart that is changing. You can go buy a linux pc for $300. If they get much bigger it won't matter whether apple or linux is around its enough to say they have an alternative and keep them *somewhat* out of monoply lawsuits again.

 

[Agathon]

As long as it isn't "ipencil".

 

[dernhelm]

I still don't like the name...

Although I suppose it really doesn't matter, but the name iWorks sucks. I'm still secretly holding out hope that they'll name the word processing app "Novel". It has a nice (non-sexual) double-entendre, and they could bill it as the app for those creative types aspiring to write the next great american novel.

They could later create a tie in to a publishing house (or houses) so you could submit your work using a single click. I suppose there would have to be a filtering process, but it'd be cool for all of those people who read Harry Potter and think, "I could write that".

Oh well, just a thought - at least I like the name Novel better than Document or Page. At least it sounds a little more creative...

 

[aid]

JK Rowlings applying for her Green Card?

Although I suppose it really doesn't matter, but the name iWorks sucks. I'm still secretly holding out hope that they'll name the word processing app "Novel". It has a nice (non-sexual) double-entendre, and they could bill it as the app for those creative types aspiring to write the next great american novel.

They could later create a tie in to a publishing house (or houses) so you could submit your work using a single click. I suppose there would have to be a filtering process, but it'd be cool for all of those people who read Harry Potter and think, "I could write that".

Ar, Harry Potter - a great American Novel indeed! Ahem, not.

It is strange but despite the financial penalty of buying a Mac outside of the USA, we still do on occasion...

aid

 

[Blackheart]

You are correct. Why should Apple provide that kind of data to companies competing with the iPod? With three distinct iPod offerings, competitors have to worry about all of them. If Apple were to tell the world that the iPod Photo is not selling well (as I suspect), then competitors would not have to worry about a competing offering.

You took the words right out of my mouth!

No need for Apple to provide free market research.

 

[4409723]

I emailed the makers of iBiz (formerely iWork) and acted like I was clueless and genuinely wanted to see what they would reply, in about two hours I received:

We feel that the new name better reflects the direction in which we see
our product going, towards business management and not just
time-billing. It was a difficult choice to make, but we feel that the
transition will be smooth and we look forward to improving iBiz.

We hope to see you at Macworld; we will be at booth #749.

Kind Regards,
Ian

 

[Doctor Q]

Why didn't I think of this obvious name before?

iSweet!

 

[relimw]

Ar, Harry Potter - a great American Novel indeed! Ahem, not.

It is strange but despite the financial penalty of buying a Mac outside of the USA, we still do on occasion...

aid

And what the $#%^ does that have to do with anything?

I presume europe has publishing houses (I may be wrong for assuming ya'll can figure out how to work a printing press). Besides, everybody produces crap novels, the 'romantic' category comes to mind.

 

[mattmack]

About the only reason they NEED Apple is to say theres an alternative platform readily available. With linspire and walmart that is changing. You can go buy a linux pc for $300. If they get much bigger it won't matter whether apple or linux is around its enough to say they have an alternative and keep them *somewhat* out of monoply lawsuits again.

The monopoly lawsuit really had less to do with the availability of competitors to the os but the tying of products that have competitors to the OS. ie internet explorer can not be removed from the operating system completely therefore is an unfair business practice against competing browsers

 

[wdlove]

Why would Microsoft wish to drop mac support for Office?

They have been selling software for the Macintosh for over 20 years and it has been good business for them. Most mac users I know actually paid for their version of Office; most Windows users I know did not. Microsoft makes money selling Mac software, probably more money than they would make trying to push the small mac market share out of existence. Apple is never going to command a 90% share of the market. Even if they managed a 10% share, that would be no real threat to Microsoft.

I can't see a mass migration of Mac users from their platform of choice just because they couldn't use Office. Hell, that would unleash all sorts of companies who would love to sell office software for the Macintosh, but are put off by the MS virtual monopoly.

Why would Microsoft wish to crush Apple anyway? They should be worrying about free and open source software, rather than Apple.

At one point in time Bill Gates was quoted as saying, "I make more off of each Mac sold than Apple." Can't imagine Microsoft not continuing support via Office, they have a separate department setup just for this venture.

 

[fenton]

iWork changed to iBiz

There is already a product in the Apple market called iWork.

iWork

So where does this leave them? I assume for whatever reason they didn't have dibs on the name. Or has Apple bought it off them?

Anyone know or have any ideas?

Well to add more flame to the fire for this rumor, iWork has now changed it's name to iBiz. Looks pretty certain to me now.

edit: whoops didn't notice it had already been posted.

 

[dernhelm]

Ar, Harry Potter - a great American Novel indeed! Ahem, not.

It is strange but despite the financial penalty of buying a Mac outside of the USA, we still do on occasion...

aid

<grin>

I did not mean to imply that Harry Potter was a great American novel, since indeed it is neither IMHO, but legions of devoted followers are free to disagree with me on the "great" part.

The "next great American Novel" quip is just that - a reference to a tired cliche. Please excuse my geo-political incorrectness.

The Harry Potter quip was meant to imply that there are many people who read a top-selling book and feel (rightly or wrongly) that they could write something just as good, and they would except that it is so difficult to get your work in front of an editor/publisher. Most of this was written tongue-in-cheek, but I bet there is some market for a piece of software aimed at the professional (or wanabee professional) writer that helps them collaborate with publishing/editing services.

I could be wrong about that, though...

 

[Doctor Q]

Update to news story

MacRumors member spud pointed out that IGG Software, which will exhibit its software products at Macworld Expo, has renamed its time-billing and invoicing application from iWork to iBiz.

Member Wes asked the company for an explanation and shared the reply: "We feel that the new name better reflects the direction in which we see our product going, towards business management and not just time-billing."

But speculation remains that the name change reflects Apple's intention to use the iWork name.

 

[Object-X]

MacRumors member spud pointed out that IGG Software, which will exhibit its software products at Macworld Expo, has renamed its time-billing and invoicing application from iWork to iBiz.

Member Wes asked the company for an explanation and shared the reply: "We feel that the new name better reflects the direction in which we see our product going, towards business management and not just time-billing."

But speculation remains that the name change reflects Apple's intention to use the iWork name.

Speculation remains? Once again, ThinkSecret nailes it. I wonder how much Apple spent to get the name?

 

[timmyOtool]

It doesn't seem to me that this is aimed at pushing Office off the Mac and it doesn't seem to me that Mircosoft would take it that way unless Apple agressively markets it that way (which I highly doubt they do) But, inversley maybe Mircosoft could take it as "If you don't star coding you POS software to run correctly on are OS we have an alternative and the knowledge of how to compete to the pro software biz, so straighten up and fly right" while at the same time providing a cheap and nice solution for home users.
I for one would like to see a Quicken killer though.

 

[artifex]

I've gotta say... I mentioned this and the headless mac to my mom last night, and she got all excited. My dad will be happy as long as he can do documents in word-compatible format and spreadsheets in excel-compatible format. Especially once I tell him about plugging his camera in and having stuff magically work together. So they might buy one, because they're sick and tired of their sony pc.

So it looks like maybe 2 sales in this house, so far... especially since mine will be with student discount hopefully

 

[ASP272]

Awesome! It's about time there was an update to Appleworks, which by now has become pretty useless. Hopefully Apple will include some compatibility with the M$ Office suite, since they are so tight with the M$ Apple production group now. Keynote will blow away PP though!