Apple's iWork for iCloud Apps Gain New Collaboration Features

When Apple launched its new iWork updates at its October iPad-centric event, it also officially debuted iWork for iCloud, which is a browser-based version of its Pages, Numbers, and Keynote productivity software. Files edited in iWork for iCloud are designed to sync with the Mac and iOS versions of Apple's iWork software.

During the event, Apple showed off some impressive real-time collaboration features within the software, allowing multiple users to work on a document simultaneously and share changes easily.

As noted by 9to5Mac, iWork for iCloud today gained some new features to enhance its collaboration tools, including a list that displays all users currently editing a project, plus the ability to toggle on "cursors and selections" for each person to see changes in real time.

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The apps have also received new folders to make file organization simpler, printing can be done directly from the Tools menu, and it is now possible to skip slides within Keynote during playback.

The iWork for iCloud software is available to all users for free, and it can be accessed through Apple's iCloud.com website. Collaboration through the software is simple and can be initiated through sending a simple link to another user.

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Top Rated Comments

scottishwildcat Avatar
150 months ago
Handy indeed, but please bring back the missing features in the Mac iWork apps..

They've already told us they'll be doing that.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
troop231 Avatar
150 months ago
Handy indeed, but please bring back the missing features in the Mac iWork apps..
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CptnJustc Avatar
150 months ago
With the amount of money and developers they have, this would've been done by now.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooks%27_law
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
subsonix Avatar
150 months ago
The problem exactly is that while I can use iWork '09 RIGHT NOW, it will become obsolete. The upgrade to the new version is unusable for some people and it's apparent that the new direction that iWork is going is the wrong one.
People who use iWork, Numbers especially, know that at some point with compatibility issues and so forth iWork '09 will be dumped and the current offering doesn't deliver when it comes to productivity. If that doesn't change, then I have to look for alternatives, and sooner rather than later so I can build in a learning curve. If that alternative belongs to another ecosystem (e.g. Google or Microsoft etc, then I may have to reluctantly look at transferring towards that eco-system. I.e. I won't need to be tied into using Apple's software (Which has worked up to date). If I don't need to be tied in to Apple, OSX, iCloud, I might not need to keep my iPhone, buy from iTunes, or use Aperture over Lightroom for example.

This is what pro users have been talking about for some time. If Apple products and software gradually become easy access, universally friendly products then that's great. But if that comes at the expense of productivity, powerful focussed applications, and cohesiveness then the pros who just need things to work will find another solution, perhaps even away from Apple software or hardware.

Why is that process so hard to understand?
It's not hard to understand, but it's different point from what we were discussing. It's a hypothetical future scenario, just look at the amount of times you use the word "if" in your post. I'm more pragmatic and worry about actual problems at hand and how they can be solved. Anyone that holds a job is a professional and the needs in that group differs widely. I have often noticed that it's only purpose in discussions is that it enables the user to keep a frown on their face.

Collaboration is something that can be useful for proof reading of a document and to get an ok from someone else that now also can edit the document directly, regardless of native OS. The new version also supports docx and epub formats, just to name some improvements.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
indychris Avatar
150 months ago
Better collaboration is great, but it just seems a bit out of order to me. I've got to assume that the majority of those who will utilize collaboration are business/professional users; however, the long list of features removed from iWork '13 are those that most negatively effect those same users according to the complaints on the various threads I've read (and for me personally as well).

What's the point of collaboration if professionals don't have the tools necessary to collaborate WITH?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
troop231 Avatar
150 months ago
I think his point is why ask if they're already working on it.

With the amount of money and developers they have, this would've been done by now.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)