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I really want an updated feature-rich Office replacement in iWork '12. I have office 2008 and I do not want to pay through the roof for a multiple-license copy of 2011 (business).
Different target group. I don't think it was ever meant as an Office replacement, but rather for the home user/very small business.

I have MS Office 11, but rarely touch it. I can get more out of iWorks (and faster) - not a secretary though.
 
We saw iWork '09 demoed with the Lion improvements at WWDC, so expect an update to '09, not '11.

Damn! I hope not...

Don't get me wrong a free update would be fine for Pages, and maybe Keynote (presentation making isn't my career), but Numbers needs a real overall, it still has bugs and it's too slow with big sheets (they seem to be redrawing every cell at any modification, even scrolling is horrible).
 
iWork for Business

Different target group. I don't think it was ever meant as an Office replacement, but rather for the home user/very small business.

I have MS Office 11, but rarely touch it. I can get more out of iWorks (and faster) - not a secretary though.

Apple makes great stuff. I'd recommend iWork for any business.
 
Going by APple previous doings, there will be:

No iLife 11 as a whole package.
Separate individual apps (garageband, iphoto etc) in the app store and al individually priced.
Only one way to get the apps. Via the App Store.

I was @ an Apple store last week talking to one of the employees about which is a better option for me MBP or MBA. I told the guy I write a lot of papers, blah ,blah ,blah and he immeditely said "and Im sure you know Pages is available for download in the App Store" I was completely prepared for him to try and sell me the whole package on the cd-----interesting
 
Apple makes great stuff. I'd recommend iWork for any business.
On the financial side, Numbers is lacking a bit. There are some functions missing that are available in Excel. But don't ask me which ones. My accountant told me that Numbers is of limited use for him.
 
I think that Apple have postponed iWork 12 completely until they can match Office 2011 in feature comparison.
 
It'll be a few weeks too late for me. After a year and a half of waiting for a new version, I recently updated my iWork 08 with Microsoft Office for Mac. And have to say I'm quite impressed so far.

With all the recent business about FCPX, Apple dropping iWeb and hosting and the ongoing lack of an updated iWork, I've decided to stop relying on Apple software altogether. I don't think they really care any more unless it's to do with the iPhone.
 
Why is there a continuous asking for an update? For what it does iWork is pretty solid. What is missing? Just because Microsoft adds more useless eye candy to their Office and makes it even more complex to use, Apple has to do the same with iWorks?

Or is ist about the bragging rights to own the latest and greatest?
 
Either way, I'd expect App Store only. It's abundantly clear Apple has no plans on releasing boxed software ever again.
 
Why is there a continuous asking for an update? For what it does iWork is pretty solid. What is missing? Just because Microsoft adds more useless eye candy to their Office and makes it even more complex to use, Apple has to do the same with iWorks?

Or is ist about the bragging rights to own the latest and greatest?

There are some formatting options that would be nice. Also more options on spell checking. On my W7 PCs I'm using the definitely non-bloated Office 2003. Even it has some things that iWork could use. iWork is so comfortable to use, a little more functionality would be nice.

Based on recent history most likely we'll get the not too useful Fullscreen Mode, some kind of Places and Faces integration and a bunch of graphics changes to make us think we're using an iPad instead of a real computer. (That's why I also have PCs).
 
Unless Apple is 5-6 previews ahead internally i really don't see how they can release it a week from now.

The Gold Master was released on Friday. In the past, the OS has gone GM about two weeks before the software hit stores. Since they don't have to burn discs, package and ship to stores, etc, they can easily have this ready by the 6th. All they need to do is upload it to the Mac App Store.
 
I think it's inevitable that all Apple software will be App Store only.

I hope they do release iWork11 with Lion, Pages in particular feels quite clunky and old fashioned to me.

Mind you, if they don't and instead we get free upgrades to iLife09 to support Lion's new features, well that's awesome :)
 
screenshot taken from Mac App Store page on Apple's Website right after it launched
the picture isn't photoshopped

under quick links

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