Apple restricts access to iWork for iCloud beta

Looks like Apple’s hush-hush move to release iWork for iCloud beta has backfired. After news of the beta version being available was leaked, a horde of users tried to access the office suite feature on iCloud, forcing Apple to restrict the number of users who can access this feature.

9to5Mac has reported that some users are being denied access to iWork for iCloud because of the huge response it has been getting. “Sorry,” reads the error message when users try to log in to the service. “We’ve had an overwhelming response to Numbers [one of the iWork services] for iCloud beta. Please check back soon.”

Access restricted

Apple will, however, allow you to keep storing your spreadsheets and documents in iCloud. This will be without access to iWork though. The service is supposed to launch for all officially by the end of the year and is currently being tested in the beta phase.

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Apple announced the service back during WWDC this year and made it available in stages to users. Initially, only developers had access to iWork for iCloud beta followed by a handful of users that Apple sent out invites to. The service opened up silently for all users who had an Apple ID but the service was being stretched thanks to the sheer volume of users pouring in to try it out. Hopefully, the service will be a lot stronger when Apple finally decides to open it up for general users. The service – Apple’s very own office suite – will be pit against the likes of SkyDrive, Google Docs and Evernote.