Mac App Store to Debut with iWork 11, Sources Claim

Although iWork 11 is said to be a finished product, Apple is allegedly postponing the suite’s release so that it can tie it to the Mac App Store launch scheduled for next year, people familiar with the matter are telling AppleInsider.

The site quotes these sources as saying that development of iWork 11 ended this fall, and that the software was initially slated for an introduction alongside iLife 11.

However, the updated productivity suite was “held back at the last minute for undisclosed reasons,” these people allegedly informed the web site.

The insiders also reportedly noted that “Apple's revised plans currently call for the company to launch the new productivity suite alongside the forthcoming Mac App Store.”

As suggested in the past, the applications included in the suite - Pages, Keynote and Numbers - will be sold individually, for  $19.99 each, according to the same people.

Apple is reportedly undecided on whether it will release a retail box version of the suite, alongside the digital download version.

If it doesn’t, iWork 11 may become the first major Apple-developed piece of software to be exclusively distributed online, AppleInsider notes.

Upon launching iLife 11 last month, it became clear that the main focus of the suite was iPhoto, iMovie and GarageBand.

While iDVD and iWeb remain a part of the suite, Apple hasn’t shown continued interest in updating the two pieces of software with new features.

The same should not apply for iWork, which is comprised of three productivity applications, all of which are vital for office work.

iWork 09, released in January of 2009, was introduced alongside iWork.com, an new online document sharing service for iWork users.

Pages 09 boasts advanced tools for writing and easy page layout; Numbers 09 launched with easy-to-create formulas, one-click charts, and table categories; Keynote 09 brought new cinematic animations, transitions, and effects.