Apple updates iWork for iOS and OS X El Capitan with support for multitasking, 3D Touch, VoiceOver,

AppleInsider · October 15, 2015 3:52PM

Apple on Thursday updated its iWork suite of apps for both iOS 9 and OS X 10.11 El Capitan, bringing new hardware support for iPhone 6s and iPad, including 3D Touch, tablet multitasking options, keyboard shortcuts for wireless accessories and more.

Pages, Numbers and Keynote all hit version 2.6 on iOS 9, while the same titles reached version 5.6 on OS X 10.11 El Capitan, each bringing enhancements specific to Apple's latest operating systems.

Among the more substantial improvements for iOS 9 is support for Slide Over, Split View and Picture in Picture multitasking on iPad Air 2, iPad mini 4 and the upcoming iPad Pro. The apps can also take advantage of the new shortcut bar in iOS 9, as well as keyboard shortcuts for wireless keyboards. On iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, iWork apps are now compatible with pressure-sensitive 3D Touch controls.

Other upgrades include the ability to open iWork '08 and '06 documents and preview shared documents via Web browser, while compatibility with Microsoft's Office suite has also been improved.

Accessibility features received a boost with new VoiceOver commands for editing documents and navigating each app's user interface. Enhancements include adding, editing, reading, interacting and previewing document items, or accessing various menu functions. An exhaustive list of features for all iWork apps can be found on Apple's dedicated What's New webpage.

On OS X 10.11 El Capitan, Pages, Numbers and Keynote bring support for Split View, Apple's new two-up viewing option. Newer MacBooks with Force Touch, or iMacs with Force Touch trackpads, receive haptic feedback when editing document assets like images, while additional VoiceOver commands add to the user experience. Like their corresponding iOS 9 apps, Mac versions of Pages, Numbers and Keynote can open iWork '08 and '06 documents. A full list of features can be found on each app's store page.

Existing users can download Apple's iWork updates for free via the iOS or Mac App Store. Pages, Numbers and Keynote for iOS come in at 275MB, 233MB and 510MB, respectively, while the same apps weigh in at 224MB, 166MB and 465MB on Mac. New users can purchase the apps on iOS for $9.99 each, or on Mac for $19.99 each.

macmanfelix · October 15, 2015 5:15PM

And I'll wager that Pages still lacks linked text boxes so many (including me) are still stuck with the old version. And they killed Aperture. Not cool, Apple, not cool.

cy_starkman · October 15, 2015 5:50PM

I might be wrong but don't you mean old users can buy them

New users or buyers of new devices get offered them for free

tallest skil · October 15, 2015 5:50PM

So an ePub template for Pages... but no meaningful updates to iBooks Author for YEARS.

The heck, Apple?! If nothing else, could you at least give us the ability to add FOOTNOTES?! Footnotes. For a book. How hard is that? Maybe even an automatically populating index or glossary. That’d be really nice.

EDIT: WAIT, they brought back support for older versions of iWork files! Now I can cut my basement iMac out of my workflow when bringing forward old docs! Partially. Unless they’re ClarisWorks documents.

[Deleted User] · October 15, 2015 6:22PM

And no pivot tables for Numbers...

cornchip · October 15, 2015 7:25PM

SWEET!

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJL

Anyone of you is having Mac App Store issues?

Mine is not loading at all.

I had to switch over to "Featured" and back and they showed up.

Also, I can't wait to read all the comments about how iWork sucks.

oops, too late.

lkrupp · October 15, 2015 7:30PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacManFelix

And I'll wager that Pages still lacks linked text boxes so many (including me) are still stuck with the old version. And they killed Aperture. Not cool, Apple, not cool.

Switch to a different platform since Apple has left you behind. Live in the past with all your perfect software. Problem solved.

emoeller · October 15, 2015 7:54PM

macmanfelix wrote: »

And I'll wager that Pages still lacks linked text boxes so many (including me) are still stuck with the old version. And they killed Aperture. Not cool, Apple, not cool.

Linked text boxes do work on both iOS and OS. One can even set how the link is displayed within the text box.

macmanfelix · October 15, 2015 8:25PM

Thanks EMoeller but I'm not talking about links in text; I'm talking about linking text boxes across layouts, a critical feature for publishing which Apple unceremoniously removed when they rewrote Pages.

matrix07 · October 15, 2015 8:31PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacManFelix

And I'll wager that Pages still lacks linked text boxes so many (including me) are still stuck with the old version. And they killed Aperture. Not cool, Apple, not cool.

And linked Table of Contents when export to PDF. Is that workable now I wonder.

emoeller · October 15, 2015 8:52PM

macmanfelix wrote: »

Thanks EMoeller but I'm not talking about links in text; I'm talking about linking text boxes across layouts, a critical feature for publishing which Apple unceremoniously removed when they rewrote Pages.

My apologies, I know exactly what you are missing as I used it several years ago in a pamphlet that I put together. Suggest you, I and others report using the www.apple.com/feedback reporting process.

wwee · October 15, 2015 8:58PM

And it just crashes in my iPad mini retina. Grr. Deleted it and downloaded three times, restarting iPad. Apple, this one sucks the big one. I WANT Pages to be great, but you're failing.

buzdots · October 15, 2015 10:44PM

Anyone know if they brought back mail merge to Pages?

No mail merge = no upgrade for me.

Kinda reminds me of that political statement a few years back - you know, the pig and lipstick thing.

tallest skil · October 15, 2015 10:51PM

Originally Posted by BuzDots

Kinda reminds me of that political statement a few years back - you know, the pig and lipstick thing.

What does Hillary’s candidacy announcement have to do with iWork?

wonkothesane · October 15, 2015 11:43PM

tallest skil wrote: »

So an ePub template for Pages... but no meaningful updates to iBooks Author for YEARS.

The heck, Apple?! If nothing else, could you at least give us the ability to add FOOTNOTES?! Footnotes. For a book. How hard is that? Maybe even an automatically populating index or glossary. That’d be really nice.

EDIT: WAIT, they brought back support for older versions of iWork files! Now I can cut my basement iMac out of my workflow when bringing forward old docs! Partially. Unless they’re ClarisWorks documents.

This. I kind of gave up on iBA. Maybe they want to migrate this in the long run to Pages. And yeah, serious layouting using linked textboxes or the points you mentioned is really missing.

Edit: hah, Claris Works. I remember that one.

Edit2: currently, I'm using a mix of iBA, Indesign, and a specific software from a publishing house to create my basic interactive iBooks. But I always end up hard coding in HTML/JavaScript to get them look and behave the way I want. Any recommendation for a good authoring tool that supports read aloud in multiple languages, interactive graphics like Sprite-based, good text layout control (arbitrary shapes and masks, nice keening etc) and overall document structure handling and export to various platforms (of course with the platform specific features only)?

wonkothesane · October 15, 2015 11:48PM

lkrupp wrote: »

Switch to a different platform since Apple has left you behind. Live in the past with all your perfect software. Problem solved.

Nothing to do with living in the past. And nothing to do with perfect software. For some, linked textboxes are more than nice to have. And it was supported in the past. Care to explain what to do other than either loose that feature or give up on pages resp. Keeping the old version?

mdriftmeyer · October 16, 2015 12:25AM

Wake me when you have built-in end notes, footnotes and cross-linking inside an exported document. These ``enhancements'' are limp beyond an iPad. Seriously, Pages and Numbers are the Appleworks of 2015.

macapfel · October 16, 2015 12:38AM

Really glad to hear Apple is still working on iWork. And I agree with others that Pages is still lacking in functionality compared to earlier versions. Add to the list of simple things: Two pages view. Was available in Pages '09 and is great, as you see two full pages side by side. Now just one page. Why?

tallest skil · October 16, 2015 12:42AM

Originally Posted by MacApfel

Really glad to hear Apple is still working on iWork.

If you can call this work... Features are now forced to have parity with what HTML5 and JavaScript can simulate. At the very least they could add the stuff that people seem to want back, even before new features.

And why they’re bringing back support for older files after removing it isn’t confusing, it’s why they removed support in the first place.

gilliam bates · October 16, 2015 6:45AM

I don't get this. Where are the announced new build animation "Line Draw" and the so called "Fonts menu"? I don't see them …anywhere :no:

orange whip · October 16, 2015 8:11AM

The most significant update to this version is the version number....

What a piece of .....

There are so many deficiencies in the iWork suite. What the hell is Apple doing? The go on about how they care about the user experience... Really?

Why is it that you cannot duplicate a page in page layout mode?
Why is it if I have a solid fill across a number of cells and no borders that a PDF shows borders?
Why can't you link text boxes.
The interface is a mess, now harder to use than the inspector in Pages 09

There are some good features, such as the ability to edit a grouped object, but on the whole the current pages sucks.
It reminds me of when Claris works became Apple Works.

This is really sub-par Apple..

Not happy

Apple updates iWork for iOS and OS X El Capitan with support for multitasking, 3D Touch, VoiceOver,

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