It was two months ago that Apple opened iWork for iCloud to everyone and now it seems the company is getting ready to launch Pages, Keynote and Numbers web apps for public consumption. While visiting beta.icloud.com and logging in with your Apple ID doesn’t give it away, try clicking on, say, the Pages icon and you’ll be greeted with a message saying “we’re updating Pages for iCloud” and a typical Apple tease, “In just a few short hours, you’ll be able to create and edit documents, and enjoy great new features”…
Of course, Apple’s big iPad reveal also starts “in just a few short hours” so Apple’s message indicates there will be a keynote segment dedicated to iWork for iCloud and the revamped Pages, Keynote and Numbers apps for both iOS and OS X.
Apple took the wraps off iWork for iCloud at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, saying the browser-based web apps will include full editing capability. Just last month, both iWork (Pages, Numbers and Keynote) and iLife (iPhoto and iMovie) suites had gone free with every new iOS device purchase.
According to the leaked iPhoto and GarageBand iOS 7 style icons and the iPhone 5s Built-In Apps web page, the revamped GarageBand will be a free download with an optional in-app purchase of additional GarageBand instruments and sounds.
On a related note, several high-profile websites are now enabling Safari push notifications, a new OS X Mavericks feature which lets web apps deliver alerts when content changes, straight to your Mac’s Notification Center.
Apple’s event kicks off at 10am PST / 1pm EST (read our roundup).
The online Apple Stores have gone offline ahead of the keynote and Apple.com has been updated with gorgeous teaser graphics. Apple will live-stream today’s event to owners of the Apple TV, as well as to those who will be following the event on their iPhone, iPad, iPod or Mac devices.
In addition to iLife/iWork news and iWork for iCloud updates, other announcements on the menu include an updated iPad 5 and iPad mini and possibly new Retina MacBook Pros, Apple’s redesigned Mac Pro and OS X Mavericks.