That’s all in the past now. My understanding is that it’s been a long slog to get here — here being where these apps and all OS updates are available free of charge — the details of said slog being the sort of convoluted bean-counting that would put anyone who doesn’t wear a green eyeshade to sleep. But this too — I think — is why the iLife and iWork apps are only free with the purchase of a new device and for users of previous versions. Apple’s not trying to milk money from those customers ineligible for the free versions of these apps (although, of course, they will happily keep the money). It’s simply the fallout from Apple’s accounting guidelines that they cannot simply offer these apps free of charge to everyone. John Gruber
Wow, the excuses Apple fans can dig up to justify its decisions! I have worked in accounting for several years and in my experience it’s the accounting that follows business decisions, not the other way around! Maybe it’s different in the US – though I doubt it – but, as long as the business practices are legal, there is a way to reflect this in accounting.
And let’s not forget the usual double-standard:
The bottom line as I see it: you need to have clear priorities, and Apple’s highest priority here was clearly cross-platform parity for iPhone, iPad, web, and Mac. No other office platform in the world has that — complete parity between native apps for phone, tablet, desktop, and a web app. John Gruber
Well, no other office suite has cross-platform feature parity because nobody wants that! Why would you give up convenient features like keyboard shortcuts and automation because they’re unavailable on a tablet? Or complex graphs because they’re complicated to implement in the web version? Isn’t it better to have a full-featured desktop version where you can do all the heavy work and a lighter tablet/web version for quick checks and presentation?
Apple fans have ridiculed Microsoft’s decision to unify the desktop and mobile operating system in Windows 8. Yet Apple is doing the same thing now with its office suite and all the fans can think of is finding excuses why this is the best course of action…
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