Apple needs that spreadsheet – now

Rumours are that Apple is preparing a spreadsheet product for sometime early next year to join its iWork portfolio. We think this is too little and too late.

With the world moving towards an even more ‘online’ model of computing – purported to follow the banner of Web 2.0 – see the rapid growth of online solutions such as Salesforce.com’s CRM system over the last few years, with google launching its beta version (as always) of its own minimalist, but functional online spreadsheet solution, and Adobe et al promoting Rich Internet Applications, is Apple behind the curve on this area?

Apple announced a $900 education LCD iMac yesterday, and yet still it falls short on provision of what is now considered to be one of the basics of the computing space – a spreadsheet. Apple has introduced a superbly simple, yet powerful and innovative set of products under the iWork and iLife banner over the last few years, yet conspicuous in its absence was a spread sheet solution – almost the only reason the PC took off after the introduction of VisiCalc (ironically first on an Apple).

Apple is not new to the spreadsheet, nor should it fear the wrath of Microsoft anymore in this space – Apple has had a second rate solution for some time with its less than evolving AppleWorks suite for over ten years, and when Steven Jobs went off to start NeXT, he worked with Lotus to produce the innovative Improv spreadsheet product (which introduced us all to graphics and pivots).

For Apple to succeed in the small business and education market this is not an option, it’s a requirement – a commodity item, but none-the-less a necessary one – Apple we expect this and you need this – now!