When Apple announced iCloud would be the cloud-computing solution to fix its serious lack of inter-device connectivity and sharing, it was immediately accepted that the service would replace MobileMe. While a competent early go at cloud solutions, MobileMe was generally a headache for users and Apple. It was a short-term, first attempt that early signs indicate will be vastly improved upon by iCloud. Of course there are bound to be snares in the transition process, but the pros will likely outweigh the cons.
None of this came as a surprise: MobileMe’s death has been in the making for quite some time now. But today, Apple has confirmed that iCloud will also take out iWeb. IWeb is a feature of iLife that helps users create websites and hosts them via MobileMe and Apple servers. According to MacRumors, Apple CEO Steve Jobs replied to a concerned consumer’s query about the fate of the site:
“Q: Dear Mr. Jobs,
Will I need to find an alternative website builder and someone to host my sites? I have invested a lot of time and effort and the thought of re-training sucks more than mobileme [sic] ever did.
A: Yep.
Sent from my iPhone”
There you have it, in very succinct Jobs-fashion. It’s possible the response isn’t actually Jobs, but suffice it to say it’s extremely possible iWeb is on its way out. IWeb hasn’t received the type of attention most other iLife applications have, and has only had one significant update (back in 2009). It’s uncertain whether iCloud will have a comparable service or something that can at least take over some of iWeb’s functions, as Apple continues to say it will release full details in the fall. But for those of you that are frequent, dependent iWeb users, it might be a good idea to start looking for some new options.
