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Apple Updates iWork Suite for Mac, iOS, and iCloud

Apple has released notable updates to its iWork productivity suite on all three platforms — Mac, iOS, and iCloud — to restore missing features and add additional capabilities to Pages, Numbers, and Keynote.

The marquee feature across all platforms is the capability to password-protect iWork documents shared via iCloud. Previously, shared documents were available to anyone who had the document’s URL. Let’s look at each platform to see what other changes have come to each app, and how to password-protect documents.

Mac — The Mac version of Pages has been updated to version 5.1, and adds a vertical ruler, customizable alignment guides, keyboard shortcuts for styles, and the option to view character counts with or without spaces. Other changes include improved precision in placing objects; the capability to create charts with date, time, and duration values; the capability to delete sections from the page navigator; and the option to start a list using new special characters.

Pages 5.1 also gains improved compatibility with Microsoft Word 2013 documents, adds an option to export password-protected documents in .docx format, preserves custom number formats in charts when importing Pages ’09 and Word documents, and claims improved EPUB export.

Numbers has been updated to version 3.1, and power users will be thrilled to know that AppleScript support is back with a vengeance, gaining even more capabilities than its 2009-era predecessor had. Numbers 3.1 also features improved sorting, enabling you to sort by multiple columns or a subset of rows. Text now autocompletes when editing cells, chart date and duration values have been added, and there’s a new progress indicator for calculations. Compatibility improvements include better support for Excel 2013 documents and export of password-protected spreadsheets in .xlsx format.

Keynote, now at version 6.1, receives a set of new transitions, enhanced presenter display options, and the option to create charts with date, time, and duration values. It also features better compatibility with PowerPoint 2013 presentations, including preservation of custom number formats in charts when importing Keynote ’09 and PowerPoint presentations.

To password-protect a shared document in the Mac versions of iWork, click the Share button in the toolbar, and choose View Share Settings. Click Add Password to set a password and a hint, and then click Set Password when you’re finished.


iOS — On the iOS side of things, Pages has been updated to version 2.1, with the option to view character counts with or without spaces; the capability to start a list with new special characters; and support for charts with date, time, and duration values. It also features improved compatibility with Word 2013 documents, can export password-protected documents to .docx format, preserves custom number formats in charts when importing Pages ’09 and Word documents, and offers improved EPUB export.

Numbers 2.1 brings back the capability to view and edit spreadsheets in landscape orientation on the iPhone. It also adds chart date and duration values, improved compatibility with Excel 2013, export of password-protected spreadsheets to .xlsx format, and preservation of custom number formats in charts when importing Numbers ’09 and Excel spreadsheets.

The big change in Keynote 2.1 is that Apple has officially abandoned the long-neglected Keynote Remote app, instead rolling its features into Keynote — including the option to control a Keynote presentation on another iOS device.

To set a password in an iOS iWork app, open the document you want to protect, tap the wrench button, and then tap Set Password.


iCloud — In the wispy ether of iCloud, you can finally view a list of documents that others have shared with you. In the document manager, click the clock icon at the top to see them. Speaking of the document manager, Apple has tweaked its look to more closely resemble iOS 7’s visual feel, but the redesign applies only to the document manager and the template chooser. The actual document editors retain the old design, at least for now.


Other changes that apply to all three apps are support for rich text formatting in table cells, keyboard shortcuts for precise placement of objects, improved VoiceOver support in the document manager, and the ever-present “bug fixes and improvements.”

More specifically, Pages for iCloud now lets you insert, edit, and format floating tables; insert page numbers, page counts, and footnotes; and style anchored and inline images, shapes, and text boxes. In Numbers for iCloud, you can now flow text into adjacent cells. Keynote for iCloud now enables you to insert, edit, and format floating tables.

To password-protect a shared document in iCloud, click Share in the upper-right corner of the document editor, and click Add Password on the sharing pop-up. Enter the password twice, add a hint if you wish, and click Set Password.


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