What Is Apple Doing To Microsoft & Adobe?

Apple stuck it to IBM and the PowerPC with a successful move to new hardware using Intel chips.

Is Apple laying the groundwork for an Apple Office and Photoshop competitor? Yes.

There are two major application suites that are a must for Apple’s Mac line to remain viable in a Windows PC world.

Microsoft Office and Adobe’s Creative Suite. Both are essential to Apple’s long term prosperity.

We once thought that IBM’s PowerPC line of hot computer chips was also essential to Apple.

Apple proved us wrong, and they’re slowly proving that they may not need Microsoft and Adobe to succeed.

An article in PC Magazine (penned by the folks from ThinkSecret) says Apple is already taking on Office, albeit gently.

The same is true with Adobe and their important Creative Suite of Photoshop, ImageReady, Illustrator and whatever else you add to the list.

Apple’s iWork already sports a PowerPoint challenger in Keynote and a Word wannabe in Pages.

Look for both to improve in capability by Macworld 2007.

PC Magazine says Apple will also introduce Lasso, a spreadsheet application, as a component in the iWork ‘07 Suite. I believe it.

Isn’t it just a matter of time before Apple introduces a basic version of FileMaker Pro into iWork, say ‘08?

What of Adobe? Apple is walking a fine line to control their own destiny and pushing the envelope, to mix a few metaphors.

Apple wants and needs both Microsoft and Adobe’s products to be available to Mac users.

That inherent need won’t stop Apple from pushing both to produce more competitive, valuable products that take advantage of all the tasty goodness that is in OS X Tiger and soon in Leopard.

Can we expect Apple to develop a graphics application for the rest of us?

Sure. Adobe did it already with Photoshop Elements, a stripped down version of their expensive behemoth graphic powerhouse.

Apple will be ready by Macworld ‘08, barely a year away, with the second barrage across Adobe’s bow. The first was Aperture, iPhoto on steroids; though not a Photoshop competitor, certainly a credible application within Adobe’s domain.

ThinkSecret says Apple’s spreadsheet for iWork ‘07 will be called Lasso (we thought it would be called Numbers) and come with a few hundred functions, a measure of Excel compatibility, and some uber cool functions not found in other spreadsheets.

The question is, “What is Apple doing to Microsoft and Adobe?”

Are they laying the groundwork for a suite of competing, yet more attractive applications can peacefully coexist between Office and Photoshop et al?

Is there something else going on? Is Apple setting the stage to create their own separate universe of Mac applications and digital hub products?

A year or two ago I would have rested assured of the former, but now I fully suspect the latter.

Apple wants a controlled environment, not wholly unlike that provided by Microsoft.

Think about it. Macs, operating system, basic applications, productivity suite, portable music player, cell phone, streaming media device—all under Apple’s umbrella; controlled by Apple for Apple devotees.

What do you think?