Apple updates iWork suite for OS X and iOS with new features, bug fixes [u]
Coming on the heels of an updated iWork for iCloud, Apple on Thursday released refreshed Keynote versions for both OS X and iOS, adding new features like password-protected file sharing and productivity enhancements.
Update: It appears that Apple has removed the standalone Keynote Remote app from the iOS App Store as the latest Keynote for iOS makes its functionality redundant.
In addition, the iOS app comes with a built-in remote feature likely to take the place of Apple's standalone Keynote Remote.
Both updates now allow users to create charts with date, time and duration values, while custom number formats in charts are now preserved when importing presentations from Keynote '09 and PowerPoint.
Finally, the new Keynote updates improve compatibility with Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 and include bug fixes and stability improvements.
For those who do not already own Keynote, the apps are priced at $19.99 for OS X and $9.99 for iOS.
The most substantial of Apple's updates, Pages for iOS also features a new character count tool, exporting password-protected documents to the DOCX format and automatic list creation using new special characters. Improvements are also applied to support of bidirectional text, ePub export and compatibility with Microsoft Word 2013 documents.
On the OS X side, Pages adds a vertical ruler, customizable alignment guides, keyboard shortcuts and the ability to delete section directly from the page navigator. Improvements were also made to inserting and pasting objects in addition to those mentioned with the above iOS version.
Pages is $19.99 for OS X and $9.99 for iOS
Other additions include improved compatibility with Microsoft Excel 2013 spreadsheets, preservation of custom number formats in charts imported from Numbers '09 and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and various bug fixes.
Numbers for Mac includes the same enhancements minus the screen orientation feature.
Numbers for OS X can be purchased for $19.99, while the iOS version is priced at $9.99.
Update: It appears that Apple has removed the standalone Keynote Remote app from the iOS App Store as the latest Keynote for iOS makes its functionality redundant.
Keynote
Updates to Keynote for OS X and iOS come with new transitions, enhanced presenter display option and password-protected sharing via iCloud.In addition, the iOS app comes with a built-in remote feature likely to take the place of Apple's standalone Keynote Remote.
Both updates now allow users to create charts with date, time and duration values, while custom number formats in charts are now preserved when importing presentations from Keynote '09 and PowerPoint.
Finally, the new Keynote updates improve compatibility with Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 and include bug fixes and stability improvements.
For those who do not already own Keynote, the apps are priced at $19.99 for OS X and $9.99 for iOS.
Pages
Pages for iOS version 2.1 brings the same password-based sharing capabilities as Keynote, allowing users to securely collaborate on documents via iCloud. For easy file handling, a shared documents can be viewed as a list on iWork for iCloud beta.The most substantial of Apple's updates, Pages for iOS also features a new character count tool, exporting password-protected documents to the DOCX format and automatic list creation using new special characters. Improvements are also applied to support of bidirectional text, ePub export and compatibility with Microsoft Word 2013 documents.
On the OS X side, Pages adds a vertical ruler, customizable alignment guides, keyboard shortcuts and the ability to delete section directly from the page navigator. Improvements were also made to inserting and pasting objects in addition to those mentioned with the above iOS version.
Pages is $19.99 for OS X and $9.99 for iOS
Numbers
Finally, Numbers for iOS version 2.1 offers the same password-protected document sharing, while adding a new feature that allows view and editing of spreadsheets in landscape orientation. This is a welcome enhancement especially for iPhone users with cramped screen real estate.Other additions include improved compatibility with Microsoft Excel 2013 spreadsheets, preservation of custom number formats in charts imported from Numbers '09 and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and various bug fixes.
Numbers for Mac includes the same enhancements minus the screen orientation feature.
Numbers for OS X can be purchased for $19.99, while the iOS version is priced at $9.99.
Comments
I look forward to downloading these updates and trying them out.
I'm simply sorry that I did and that now, some documents have been demoted by requiring the new versions of Pages and Keynote to open. These are downgrades to previously excellent applications that should have had new, needed features added ahead of feature parity between iOS and OS X versions. The new versions pollute my computer.
The latest updates are a good interface just lacking previous version features.
I'm simply sorry that I did and that now, some documents have been demoted by requiring the new versions of Pages and Keynote to open. These are downgrades to previously excellent applications that should have had new, needed features added ahead of feature parity between iOS and OS X versions. The new versions pollute my computer.
I see this type of statement here and there and I find it weird. First, installing the new versions doesn't delete the old versions. That gets rid of the teething pains people have been having. Second, if you opened a file and converted it to the new format by accident, you can export it to the legacy app. Additionally, you have the option of not converting a legacy file to the new version if you don't want to.
Ultimately, I think Apple knew that these releases didn't have feature parity with the old releases but they needed to get the ball rolling, and they took a conservative approach. You can keep using the old versions which have been working well enough for you until there is feature parity. I think that the amount of work that is evidently being put into the iWork suite lately is a strong sign that Apple is committed to it, which to be honest hasn't been the case for a long time.
Thanks, I take onboard your comments...
Quote:
...I think that the amount of work that is evidently being put into the iWork suite lately is a strong sign that Apple is committed to it, which to be honest hasn't been the case for a long time.
However, what kind of apps are Apple committed to? The new versions sent me spinning, I was honestly expecting more sophisticated versions would be released. My understanding and I might not be correct, is that the new versions are complete re-writes. There's a lot of work in that, however, I consider them vanity releases. I'm now back with word, which is an utter dog but has features that I need and thought Pages 'might' have by now.
However, what kind of apps are Apple committed to? The new versions sent me spinning, I was honestly expecting more sophisticated versions would be released. My understanding and I might not be correct, is that the new versions are complete re-writes. There's a lot of work in that, however, I consider them vanity releases. I'm now back with word, which is an utter dog but has features that I need and thought Pages 'might' have by now.
They are ground-up rewrites and you are correct, it is an intense amount of work. Because of the rewrites Apple is more able to do cross platform development and interoperability much quicker and easier than before. Do they have all the features of their competitors or even their old versions, nope. I am optimistic that they will get there though.
Apple does one thing that sometimes is rough to deal with but in the long run is beneficial to both them and to us users...they aren't afraid of getting rid of everything and starting from scratch. FCP was like that. Sure, they got a lot of grief for it but they have been on steady tick of adding features and in the long run, FCP is a much better product that is more forward thinking than most people give it credit for.
The reason that Word is an utter dog is because Microsoft is the opposite of Apple. They will sit on legacy code for as long as they can. When Microsoft dumps their legacy stuff, they have actually come up with some interesting products. I'd rather Apple take the approach they are taking right now and create solid base applications to build on top of, then sit of legacy code that they need to hack things to work with. I've been a programmer of different sorts for as long as I can remember, and starting with a clean slate is the most liberating thing in the world. It gives you the freedom to approach things from new angles, with new technologies.
Still a crappy update with a lot of items missing. Just really unhappy with Apple's decisions to release this and then "corrupt" our documents with this new version such that we can't open them in '09.
Says who? That's completely wrong. When installing the new versions, the iWork '09 apps are moved to a subfolder so you can continue using them. Additionally, before even being able to make a change to a legacy document in the new versions, you are given the option to edit a copy, which doesn't touch your legacy file or just do an upgrade to the new format. You can even export to the legacy apps as well.
Yup. This "update" is still miles away from being an upgrade compared to the '09 versions.
That must be new to this update. Did they fix the file association problem where Mac OS wouldn't let you configure Pages docs to open in '09?
That must be new to this update. Did they fix the file association problem where Mac OS wouldn't let you configure Pages docs to open in '09?
It has been that way since the new versions were released. I know some folks were having problems but haven't heard it as a bug in a while. I just checked about being able to associate files to Pages '09 and didn't have a problem associating all .pages files associated to it.
I, as many others, have avoided updating to the new versions. Does anyone know of a list of missing features for the most current iWork versions, including the updates?
I only found a list of all that was missing from the .0 release (on the Apple Community Forums). It really seems like Apple is trying hard to get iWork back to business as usual (if still too slow for most, specially people that use them for work, like me), and I thing having the overview of what's there and what's missing would be a good idea, that's why the list is such a pain in the butt to get through.
Can anyone recommend a list that has been kept current?
I thought the iWork suite was a free for all now? Why the dollar charges for those that don't have it?
Free with new devices, and free if you had iWork '09. You pay only if you want to get them for the first time for an older Mac or iOS device.