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.

newicloud
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.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 8 New Features

Thursday January 9, 2025 5:45 am PST by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. iPhone 17 Pro concept based on rumors Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of January 2025: More aluminum: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models ...
airpods pro 2 botw

Hearing a Mysterious Chime From Your AirPods Pro Case? It's a Feature

Thursday January 9, 2025 3:42 pm PST by
If you've been hearing a chiming sound from your AirPods Pro 2 case when the AirPods are charging, it's a feature that Apple added with the launch of Hearing Health last year. In a support guide, Apple says that the AirPods Pro may play a sound every so often while in the case to ensure the microphones and speakers are working as intended. From Apple: To help ensure that your AirPods...
iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Horizontal 1

iPhone 17 Pro Main Camera Sensor 'Smaller' Than iPhone 16 Pro Sensor

Friday January 10, 2025 3:14 am PST by
This year's iPhone 17 Pro models will feature a smaller main camera sensor than the one used in the Fusion camera currently found in iPhone 16 Pro models, according to Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station. The Chinese leaker claims that Apple will adopt a 1/1.3" sensor for the 48MP main camera in the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, down from the 1/1.28" sensor used in the iPhone 16...
se 4 for 2025

When to Expect the iPhone SE 4 or So-Called 'iPhone 16E' to Launch

Friday January 10, 2025 9:20 am PST by
Apple is widely rumored to be planning a new iPhone SE, and multiple sources lately have commented on the device's launch timing. The latest word comes from Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a blog post today, he said the device will be released around the middle of the first half of 2025. In other words, around the quarter mark of 2025. That means the next iPhone SE will likely be ...
AppleEventLogoFeature

Apple Focusing on These Eight New Low-Cost Devices in 2025

Saturday January 11, 2025 1:00 am PST by
Apple's slate of 2025 products look to be dominated by a large number of low-cost and entry-level devices. Here's what to expect. With advancements like Apple Intelligence and all-new in-house chip designs, Apple is reportedly looking to enhance many of its budget-friendly offerings, ensuring they remain competitive in an increasingly crowded market. These updates also indicate a slight...
HomePod mini and Apple TV

New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Launching This Year With One Thing in Common

Wednesday January 8, 2025 6:18 am PST by
It was recently reported that new Apple TV and new HomePod mini models will launch this year, and the devices are expected to have one thing in common. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last month reported that the new Apple TV and the new HomePod mini will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip. Gurman said the chip supports Wi-Fi 6E, so that could end up being a key upgrade...
apple intelligence black

Apple Intelligence Isn't Driving iPhone Upgrades

Friday January 10, 2025 2:17 pm PST by
Apple Intelligence hasn't convinced people to buy an iPhone 16, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today. According to Kuo, a supply chain survey suggests Apple Intelligence is not pushing people to upgrade their devices. The delay between the Apple Intelligence introduction in June 2024 and a launch even after iPhone 16 models came out was a contributing factor, and Apple Intelligence "appeal...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

5 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's MacBook Pro

Wednesday January 8, 2025 6:33 am PST by
Apple in October 2024 overhauled its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, Thunderbolt 5 ports on higher-end models, display changes, and more. That's quite a lot of updates in one go, but if you think this means a further major refresh for the MacBook Pro is now several years away, think again. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said he expects only a small...
apple pay feature dynamic island

Apple Pay Now Lets You Pay Later With Synchrony [Updated]

Friday January 10, 2025 11:34 am PST by
Synchrony is now available as a buy-now, pay-later option when checking out with Apple Pay online and in apps on iPhone and iPad. Synchrony was added to a list of Apple Pay installment providers in the U.S. in an Apple support document that was updated today, joining Affirm and Klarna. The addition was spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 users can select...

Top Rated Comments

scottishwildcat Avatar
146 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
146 months ago
Handy indeed, but please bring back the missing features in the Mac iWork apps..
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CptnJustc Avatar
146 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
146 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
146 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
146 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)