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Exactly one week before Macworld begins in San Francisco, details have emerged about a rumored replacement to Apples aging AppleWorks productivity suite. Called iWork 05 and code-named “Sugar,” the new suite is expected to include Keynote 2 and to introduce a word-processing application currently know as “Pages.”
Meanwhile, Apples iLife will be refreshed with a new version of GarageBand that will be complemented by Jam Pack 4.
As first reported by Think Secret, iWork 05 will require a 500MHz processor and Mac OS X version 10.3.6. It is thought that the software will be protected by a serial number to ward off piracy, which would be a new tact for Apple.
Think Secret also speculates that the suite will be bundled with all new Mac systems, including the new sub-$500 iMac.
iWork has been a favorite topic in the Apple rumor mill after information about the products development leaked out nearly two years ago. If the report proves to be legitimate, the suite joins OpenOffice.org as an alternative to Microsofts Mac Office 2004.
Commenting on the potential for conflict with Microsoft, Jupiter Research senior analyst Joe Wilcox told BetaNews, “I dont see any immediate conflict with Microsoft over Mac Office, because our data doesnt indicate many consumers are planning to buy a productivity suite anyway. They just dont think they need one, which may or may not be true.”