Apple announces iWork.com beta

Well, it looks like Apple is competing with Google in more ways than one, with the company today announcing a beta version of the Google Docs-like iWork.com. The web-based app will apparently be tightly integrated with the OS-bound iWork app, and let you easily share documents with contacts who can add notes and make edits, again, much like Google Docs, albeit in an environment that closely resembles the standard iWork apps. What's more, while the beta will be free to those interested in trying it out, the final product will eventually be a pay service, though there's no word on a price just yet.

[Evangelion @ Jan 6th 2009 1:09PM]

Nice.

[Alan Strangis @ Jan 6th 2009 2:55PM]

I agree 100%.

The ability to collaborate as long as everyone is running OS X is well worth paying the $79, as opposed to the free and flexible solutions out there now that force me to have the ability to work with people running Windows and Ubuntu.

[Brad @ Jan 6th 2009 4:34PM]

$79 PLUS a subscription fee!

Or I can get this for free at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/office_live (integrated with MS Office) or http://apps.google.com for purely online stuff.

[Farris @ Jan 6th 2009 1:12PM]

...not gonna lie, this KeyNote speech is lame.

iWork.com beta? Ooh, wow. How exciting.

[Brian B. @ Jan 6th 2009 1:15PM]

Probably the real reason Steve's not there, he thought it was boring too.

[MichalT @ Jan 6th 2009 1:29PM]

The text on the slide says "Add comments and notes." Are you sure iWork.com allows one to edit documents?

If not, that's not even remotely close to competing with Google Docs.

[Chris B. @ Jan 6th 2009 2:02PM]

It will eventually be a pay service? I think google just won the competition.

[mitchell_pgh @ Jan 6th 2009 2:07PM]

The real question is... will they roll it into MobileMe to try to charge a second fee? Perhaps some discount?

I don't know, Google seems way ahead of whatever it is Apple could come up with AND it is free to those that can ignore the ads (or $50 a month for those willing to pay for the ads to be removed). That being said, I haven't seen significant updates to Google's offerings since their launch... and Google seems content rolling out very minor updates.

I guess I'll play the waiting game and keep my money in my pocket.

[Brian! @ Jan 6th 2009 1:29PM]

Hrm. I wonder who has more power in the long run, Google or Apple?

[MichalT @ Jan 6th 2009 1:33PM]

Since Google is in web apps business, while Apple is in hardware and OS development, it's not necessarily one or the other. Considering Apple a competitor in web apps space because of Me.com and this little beta is like saying Google is a competitor in the hardware business because of the Google Search Appliance (http://www.google.com/enterprise/gsa/).

[Josh Ladella @ Jan 6th 2009 1:36PM]

Google's is free, so the answer should be pretty clear.

[Vanillacide @ Jan 6th 2009 1:41PM]

Google is not "free": you pay with your loss of privacy and viewing of advertising.

Personally I would rather pay cash instead, privacy and no advertising FTW!

[mitchell_pgh @ Jan 6th 2009 2:09PM]

Fine, google isn't free... you need to pay $50 a year for ad removal and better support. I don't see Apple offering anything for $50 a year that compares to Google Apps.

[Vanillacide @ Jan 6th 2009 2:55PM]

I wish Google offered subscription as an option: privacy an no adverts please.

So we know where Google are, and now what Apple have planned, what is Steve Ballmer going to announce that Microsoft are doing in this space? (Will he do so at CES tomorrow?)

[Vanillacide @ Jan 6th 2009 2:57PM]

Or maybe Office Live Workspace is it?

[CT A @ Jan 6th 2009 3:17PM]

You mean this..

http://workspace.officelive.com

[Khattab @ Jan 6th 2009 1:34PM]

The service will not be free, only in the beta phase. Paying for what Google offers for free? Fail.

Most boring preeentation in a while, there's a reason why Apple's leaving the Macworld behind them. And btw: is Apple becoming greedy as hell? 2800 for a 17" model? And 99 f***king cent for the remote App? Are u kidding?

[ZeRo @ Jan 6th 2009 1:44PM]

You forgot the biggest insult... paying to "upgrade" the music you already paid.

[KilgoreTrout @ Jan 6th 2009 1:46PM]

Ehehe Apple knows that the suckers who buy its well packaged, well hyped, overpriced and features-lacking products will probably keep sucking to the bitter end.

[KarlW @ Jan 6th 2009 1:57PM]

Agree. It should be included with MobileMe or iWork 09.

If I need to share a document, I'll just email it.

[UnnDunn @ Jan 6th 2009 1:39PM]

This is like Office Live Workspace, only not as good. And Office Live Workspace is free.

[Jason Wright @ Jan 6th 2009 1:44PM]

Not only that, Google Docs is free and offers even more features like actual live editing of a document by multiple people.

[UnnDunn @ Jan 6th 2009 1:51PM]

I know, but OLW is the closest analog to iWork.com, so I compared it against that.

[Andy TGD @ Jan 6th 2009 4:44PM]

"The web-based app will apparently be tightly integrated with the OS-bound iWork app."

And pray tell, how many businesses actually run Macintoshes anyway? Yeah, I like the idea of iWork for small businesses and students, but how many businesses do you know of which run Macs to take advantage of this ridiculously expensive sharing tool?

[Quikboy @ Jan 6th 2009 11:12PM]

@Jason Wright: That's where SharedView comes in: http://www.connect.microsoft.com/site/sitehome.aspx?SiteID=94

[geo @ Jan 6th 2009 1:48PM]

Would add value to mobileme. I would not pay for it separately.

[Cash @ Jan 6th 2009 1:54PM]

iWork? iYawn.

No wonder Steve stayed home. What a boring, disappointing keynote.

[mitchell_pgh @ Jan 6th 2009 2:02PM]

With all due respect to Apple, the only thing that even made me raise an eyebrow was iPhoto... and I'm a fanatic. The remainder was nice, but simply nothing I would use on a regular basis. Also, I'm not the type of person that purchases a $2799 laptop. Perhaps I'll get jazzed up when I view it online... which has happened before.

Final Note: I probably would have jumped on a $699 netbook that was basically a Apple themed $499 MSI Wind...

[Umer @ Jan 6th 2009 2:15PM]

Oh come on........ wtf!!!

I would rather prefer free Google Docs than a $79 apple product.... or Microsoft Office Live which is also free and very nicely integrated in Office.

To be very honest. I am very disappointed with the phil's keynote and Apple doesnt even believe in a nice good-bye kiss...... i was expecting something really revolutionary, something like iPhone Nano or Mac Media server and not Guitar lessons in iLife.

[francesco @ Jan 6th 2009 4:45PM]

Easily upload and notify.
View document online.
Add comments and notes.
Download a copy.

I do not see the EDIT part.
I signed in for the beta..
You must have iWork just to upload to a server so someone can just take a look at it, and comment. But he wants to edit, he needs to download and open it with his own copy of iWork.

Either I am missing something, either this service sucks. A lot.

[Alexander Atallah @ Jan 6th 2009 7:19PM]

This article is misleading. iWork.com can NOT edit your files, and it doesn't come close to competing with Google. It's essentially the missing part of MobileMe iDisk where you share a document with people and they can READ and COMMENT on it online, and nothing more.

I've just tried it out with a few documents (the service is online). It's not that exciting, really.

[chuck @ Jan 7th 2009 9:23AM]

iwork.com sounds similar to http://a.nnotate.com - upload a PDF / word doc to a web page, and get review feedback from several people by letting them attach comments / replies. It looks like they render fonts/layout properly in the browser too (unlike google docs which does a lossy conversion to html).

Apple's iwork.com flash demo is worth a look -

http://www.apple.com/iwork/iwork-dot-com/