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Apple introduces collaboration tools, Touch ID protection and more in massive iWork update

Published Mar 27th, 2017 11:35PM EDT
iWork Update
Image: Niels Epting

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It was a busy day for Apple on Monday, with the company releasing a sizable and feature laden iOS 10.3 update for the iPhone and iPad. Available as an over the air download and via your desktop computer, the latest iOS update brings with it a host of compelling new bells and whistles, including a Find My AirPods feature and a completely new APFS file system.

Somewhat obscured by the release of iOS 10.3, however, were a number of updates to Apple’s suite of iWork software, a collection that includes Numbers, Pages and Keynote for both iOS and macOS. While updates to productivity software aren’t typically all that exciting, you’ll want to take note of some of the new features Apple introduced today if you’re an existing iWork user or contemplating making the switch.

One of the more noteworthy enhancements is a more robust collaboration feature which allows users to “edit a document, spreadsheet or presentation with someone else in real time directly from the macOS and iOS apps.” Further, today’s iWork update brings with it support for Touch ID, essentially giving users the ability to security protect sensitive documents, spreadsheets and presentations via Apple’s secure fingerprint recognition software.

Additional features on an app by app basis can be viewed below.

Numbers

-Easily add current or historical stock information to spreadsheets
-Use the new My Stocks template to easily track your portfolio
-A powerful new editing experience makes entering data and formulas fast and easy
-New action menu keeps most common tasks one tap away
-Quickly open password-protected spreadsheets using Touch ID
-Format text as superscript or subscript, use ligatures, and change text background color
-New leader lines make pie charts easier to read
-Easily replace missing fonts in your spreadsheet
-While collaborating on a spreadsheet, you can now cut, copy, paste, and duplicate sheets
-Customize dates, times, and currencies for your language or region
-Edit rich text within table cells

Pages

-Format text as superscript or subscript, use ligatures, and change text background color
-Add bookmarks to easily link from one part of your document to another
-Add elegant mathematical equations using LaTeX or MathML notation
-Quickly open password-protected documents using Touch ID
-Import and export documents in Rich Text Format (RTF)
-Easily replace missing fonts in your document
-New leader lines make pie charts easier to read
-Customize dates, times, and currencies for your language or region

Keynote

-Change slide master and customize slide background
-Rehearse a presentation with current slide, presenter notes, and timer all in one view
-Quickly open password-protected presentations using Touch ID
-Format text as superscript or subscript, use ligatures, and change text background color
-Easily replace missing fonts in your presentation
-New leader lines make pie charts easier to read
-Import Keynote 1 presentations
-Post interactive presentations on Medium, WordPress, and other websites
-Customize dates, times, and currencies for your language or region

If you already have iWork installed on your computer or iOS device, you can download the above updates free of charge.

Yoni Heisler Contributing Writer

Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the tech industry at large with over 15 years of experience. A life long expert Mac user and Apple expert, his writing has appeared in Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK, and TUAW.

When not analyzing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni enjoys catching Improv shows in Chicago, playing soccer, and cultivating new TV show addictions.