AppleInsider Staff
The trial versions of Pages, Numbers and Keynote '09 can no longer be downloaded from Apple as of Monday, and the same goes for Aperture 3. Their removal was first noted on Monday by MacStories.
Users browsing Apple's website are asked to view the software on the Mac App Store. However, there is no free trial of any of the four applications available on the Mac App Store.
"The trial version of iWork is no longer supported," Apple's website now reads. "But you can easily purchase Keynote, Pages, and Numbers from the Mac App Store to start creating beautiful presentations, documents, and spreadsheets today."
The notice for those searching for the Aperture 3 free trial states: "If you currently have a copy of the Aperture 3 Trial installed on your Mac, you must delete it from your Applications folder before downloading Aperture 3 from the Mac App Store."
Each of the applications found in the iWork suite — Pages, Keynote and Numbers — can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $19.99 each. Aperture 3 is also available for $79.99.
Apple's new move away from free trials of its paid software comes as the company has discontinued essentially all of its boxed retail software. The company's transition away from physical media has been spurred by the success of devices like the iPad and MacBook Air, which have minimal inputs and lack spinning disc drives.
Christine McKee
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Mike Wuerthele
Chip Loder
Amber Neely
37 Comments
Hoping for iWork 12 and Aperture 4 please!
Hoping for iWork 12 and Aperture 4 please!
I don't see the latter until at least next year. Probably late.
And at this point, I don't see iWork '13 until, well? next year?
I don't see the latter until at least next year. Probably late.
And at this point, I don't see iWork '13 until, well? next year?
iWork X and the improvements coming to iCloud in Mountain Lion should get along like Peanut Butter and Jelly.
Aperture 4 could be a ways off judging from the avg time between major versions historically.
I guess the free trials technically aren't necessary anymore since the apps are much less expensive now that they're downloadable on the Mac App Store. Remember the days when Final Cut Studio was $1300? Or Aperture at $300? For some, the lack of a trial may hurt but overall Apple does make excellent software that is now at a more affordable price.
Trials are important. Lets say customer A wants to buy a new software for handling his photos. He/she will probably download trials and check which one is more suitable to his/er needs before buying. Specifically for Aperture, which has direct competition.
Now, without the trial, that same person might just go for the other option with the trial and end up liking it, without actually trying the other software.
I particularly did exactly that. Without the trial though, I wonder if my choice would have been different.