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iWork...free?

A

aicul

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 20, 2007
809
7
no cars, only boats
I'm just trying to understand. I watch like many the keynote yesterday and though I understood that iWork is FREE.

Now I'm not a user of iWork so I said to myself, this is an opportunity to try.

However, be it on OSX or iOS latest versions, the MAS always indicates a price for iWork apps.

So I'm trying to get to understand if iWork is free or not ? Is only the "upgrade" free, or is a "full" install free ?

thanks for any clarification
 
I tried iWork with '08 and was not happy then. Would this warrant the free upgrade ?

I paid for '08 and hardly used it, so I do not want a repeat paying test.
 
They have less features than 08/09, so if you didn't like these apps then, you probably won't like them now.
 
aicul said:
I tried iWork with '08 and was not happy then. Would this warrant the free upgrade ?

I paid for '08 and hardly used it, so I do not want a repeat paying test.
Click to expand...

Yes. As long as they are installed, you should see updates to the new version. You may have to log out of the MAS and log back in again.

But as has been said, the new one is a big downgrade.
 
Cougarcat said:
Yes. As long as they are installed, you should see updates to the new version. You may have to log out of the MAS and log back in again.

But as has been said, the new one is a big downgrade.
Click to expand...

So I installed iWork'08 and logged out/in to the APP Store.

Unfortunately this did not work. Maybe 2 major releases is too much (or 6 years is too old).

Pity, particularly when I realize I had purchased the iWork'08 FAMILY pack.
 
aicul said:
So I installed iWork'08 and logged out/in to the APP Store.

Unfortunately this did not work. Maybe 2 major releases is too much (or 6 years is too old).

Pity, particularly when I realize I had purchased the iWork'08 FAMILY pack.
Click to expand...

Please enlighten me, what company upgrades a 6 year old software to the full version for free?

If you can go without latest iWork for 6 years, I'm sure you'll be fine without it. You will get it for free when you get a new Mac. Or just pay the $20 per app, which should be a small price comparing to expenses such as rent / mortgage, car, insurance, utilities bill, etc that most people pay every month.
 
Consultant said:
Please enlighten me, what company upgrades a 6 year old software to the full version for free?

If you can go without latest iWork for 6 years, I'm sure you'll be fine without it. You will get it for free when you get a new Mac. Or just pay the $20 per app, which should be a small price comparing to expenses such as rent / mortgage, car, insurance, utilities bill, etc that most people pay every month.
Click to expand...

I think you are missing the point and taking a bend on this which is not what I intend.

My understanding was iWork was for free, actually there is a subtility; the upgrade is for free.

Since I had an OLD iWork, why not install it to test the upgrade (as written in my posts). But that is not what I observe.

This thread is not about whether a company should do this for free or not. It is about getting the APPLE promised free upgrade on an existing license. If you wish to discuss another matter (whether it makes sense for a company to offer free upgrades) please start another thread.

And indeed I have gone without for 6 years, but as indicated, I want to test ideally without cash-out - wouldn't you ?

Thanks for your input anyway
 
aicul said:
I think you are missing the point and taking a bend on this which is not what I intend.

My understanding was iWork was for free, actually there is a subtility; the upgrade is for free.

Since I had an OLD iWork, why not install it to test the upgrade (as written in my posts). But that is not what I observe.

This thread is not about whether a company should do this for free or not. It is about getting the APPLE promised free upgrade on an existing license. If you wish to discuss another matter (whether it makes sense for a company to offer free upgrades) please start another thread.

And indeed I have gone without for 6 years, but as indicated, I want to test ideally without cash-out - wouldn't you ?

Thanks for your input anyway
Click to expand...

You can test it at the Apple Store, or read reviews by those who have it.

Apple promised a free copy with purchase of new device. You can do that too.
 
aicul said:
So I installed iWork'08 and logged out/in to the APP Store.

Unfortunately this did not work. Maybe 2 major releases is too much (or 6 years is too old).

Pity, particularly when I realize I had purchased the iWork'08 FAMILY pack.
Click to expand...

Try this... it worked for me (since I had iLife/iWork '09 installed on my macs prior to the Mac Apple Store):

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1657954/

Report back after going through the steps and let us know if this worked or not. Seems like most people, including myself, were successful when going this route. I would say at a minimum you would definitely need to have the apps installed on your computer so that Apple knows "hey, this guy/gal purchased a previous version of iWork".
 
You can get a free upgrade if you have iWork '09 trial version installed (just google it).
 
It's the trial version so it can't be illegal to install the trial version.
 
BaldiMac said:
It is free with a new Mac or if you own an older version.
Click to expand...

Does anyone have any clue what this means from here on out? So will every new version be free if you own an older one? So essentially everyone will own it after a few years and never need a paid upgrade... (just from getting news macs and free upgrades)

Or maybe the free upgrade is a one off thing?
 
I have iWork 08 also and have not been prompted to upgrade. I always assumed I would have to pay to upgrade and intended to upgrade this time. There is confusion as Apple only states "existing users" in all their documentation, they do not restrict it to a version. Not sure how this will work out, whether an over litigious individual will decide action is needed or it will simply slide by as a non issue.

I'd try the 09 trial download to upgrade route if it's still available.
 
firstapple said:
Try this... it worked for me (since I had iLife/iWork '09 installed on my macs prior to the Mac Apple Store):

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1657954/

Report back after going through the steps and let us know if this worked or not. Seems like most people, including myself, were successful when going this route. I would say at a minimum you would definitely need to have the apps installed on your computer so that Apple knows "hey, this guy/gal purchased a previous version of iWork".
Click to expand...

Tried this without success. Process fails at step 7.

I've scheduled a support call to see what they have to propose
 
Let's make this simple:

If you have iWork 08 or earlier: you need to pay.
If you have iWork 09: you get the new version free.
If you have iWork 09 TRIAL CD: install the trial, update to iWork 9.3 (google it, Apple has a download online free) and you get the new version free even without paying for iWork 09.
If you bought iWork 09 from the app store: you get the new version free.
If you buy ANY Mac or iOS device: you get iWork free.

Finally... if you now have the latest version of iWork on your system... you get all future updates to iWork free, forever.

The ONLY reason why Apple isn't offering free updates "for everyone" ie. people without iWork (and an existing device/computer) or users of older than 09 versions of iWork is due to accounting and legal reasons. Apple WANTS everyone to get iWork free and within a few years everyone will have it free, one way or another.
 
Hi,

If I read this :

(http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2013/10/23Apple-Introduces-Next-Generation-iWork-and-iLife-Apps-for-OS-X-and-iOS.html

and particularly this section the very last line:

Pricing & Availability
iWork and iLife for Mac come free with every new Mac purchase. Existing users running Mavericks can update their apps for free from the Mac App Store℠. iWork and iLife for iOS are available for free from the App Store℠ for any new device running iOS 7, and are also available as free updates for existing users.
Click to expand...

The notion of existing users does not imply a specific release.

Hence anyone owning a previous person of iWork that is usable (i.e. installed and runs) should get a free upgrade.

That's what I read.
 
Story closure

After a hallucinating discussion with the Apple help desk where they person refuse to even look at the press release I decided to take the alternative route.

Downloaded the trial iWork'09 and did the free update.

Less time, more certainty, and definitely the proof that apple support is increasingly not there to help, nor listen
 
There isn't a problem with Apple's support, you just want something for free which you weren't entitled to.

The slight annoyance is that software I bought (and you) iWork08 just a few months before 09 came out isn't getting a free upgrade - still there are ways around this and Apple seems not to care. Eventually I will be eligible for the iWork upgrade as I will be getting a new Mac in the next year.
 
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