This time Apple public relations has gone too far

Earlier today, Apple debuted iWork for iPhone and iPod touch. The iPad version has been available since the tablet launched 13 months ago. I was going to skip this one, since it's such a busy news day because of Computex and D9. But something in the press release is so outrageous, I had to write something. Do the mouthes of public relations people drip honey when they write these things?

"Pages is the most beautiful word processor ever designed for a mobile device and has everything you need to create amazing documents," the PR reads. Cough. Cough. What an audacious claim to make. Most beautiful word processor ever designed for a mobile device? By what measure, bud? Beauty is subjective, right?

Pages sells for $9.99 as do the other two iWork apps -- Keynote and Numbers. Pages for iPhone has 50 user reviews so far, with an average rating of 4.5 stars. Thirty-three people rated the app 5 stars. So somebody likes it. But is Pages "most beautiful?"

"The long awaited option of folders is a very nice addition which makes it much easier to access documents," writes Schwetty Bals, who had used the iPad version. "The only critique I have here is that one should be allowed to sort folders and documents however one desires, but is restricted by sorting by date or name."

Justen Eason: "No ability to type in faster and easier landscape mode on iPhone." He only gives it 3 stars -- the first reviewer 5. "It doesn't feel as great as the iPad," writes Kevin Lessy, who finds that Pages for iPhone "functions beautifully." Well, there's the B word, even if it doesn't describe the appearance. Many reviewers complain about there being no landscape mode, which some people might call beauty marred.

So you tell me: Is Pages the "most beautiful word processor ever designed for a mobile device?" Please use the two above Pages screenshots, all taken by Apple, to assess its beauty. Below are screenshots of Microsoft Word Mobile 2010 and QuickOffice Pro. I couldn't find a good Word Mobile screenshot. If you've got one, please email it to joe at betanews dot com.

By the way, because of the story's headline, I've been a little differential to Apple with the screenshots. The press release claims any "mobile device," which means much more than iPhone. There are many more attractive (and productive) word processor choices for iPad than smartphones.

OK, let the debate begin. Please answer the question in comments.