Apple Updates iWork Apps for iOS With Support for Scribble, New Image Picker, Editable Shapes and More

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Apple today updated its iWork apps designed for iOS devices, introducing new iOS 14 features and support for Pages, Numbers, and Keynote.

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All three of the apps now support the Scribble feature that was introduced in iPadOS 14, allowing Apple Pencil owners to handwrite anywhere in any text field within the iWork apps, with the written text then converted right into typed text.

The new feature will let ‌Apple Pencil‌ users write out Pages documents, Numbers spreadsheets, and Keynote presentations without having to swap over to the keyboard to fill in data.

Apple has also added new editable shapes in each of the apps along with support for the redesigned iOS and iPadOS 14 image picker. Full release notes for each app are below:

Pages

  • Use Scribble to write by hand with ‌Apple Pencil‌, and your words will automatically convert to text. Requires iPadOS 14.
  • Select from new report templates to help you get started.
  • Enhance your documents with a variety of new, editable shapes.
  • Easily find pictures and videos using new zoom and search capabilities in the redesigned image picker. Requires iOS 14 or iPadOS 14.

Keynote

  • Use Scribble to write by hand with ‌Apple Pencil‌, and your words will automatically convert to text. Requires iPadOS 14.
  • Use the new Outline View to focus on the structure and flow of your content without other distractions.
  • Play YouTube and Vimeo videos right in your presentations.
  • Movie export now supports a wide selection of formats and frame rates.
  • Hold the option key while dragging an object to duplicate it.
  • Easily find pictures and videos using new zoom and search capabilities in the redesigned image picker. Requires iOS 14 or iPadOS 14.
  • Enhance your presentations with a variety of new, editable shapes.

Numbers

  • Use Scribble to write by hand with ‌Apple Pencil‌, and your words will automatically convert to text. Requires iPadOS 14.
  • Forms are now easier to create and customize. Add a form to any table or use the new Basic Form template.
  • Improved performance when working with large tables.
  • Easily find pictures and videos using new zoom and search capabilities in the redesigned image picker. Requires iOS 14 or iPadOS 14.
  • Enhance your spreadsheets with a variety of new, editable shapes.

Apple has also updated the Mac versions of Pages, Keynote, and Numbers with new report templates and editable shapes.

All of the new updates are available from the iOS App Store and macOS ‌App Store‌ as of this morning.

Apple's iWork apps for Mac and iOS are free downloads for all users.

Tags: iWork, Keynote, Numbers, Pages

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Top Rated Comments

techpr Avatar
techpr
70 months ago
Apple Keynote is light years ahead of PowerPoint. Now with this update you can play YouTube/Vimeo videos! Can’t remember if you can play YouTube videos in PowerPoint.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gaximus Avatar
gaximus
70 months ago
I've always loved Pages. It's so much better for me. Word can do a lot more, but unless your a power user using most of the features, I think its probably better and easier to use than Word. Plus you can export it as a `.doc` and remain compatible with the rest of the world. At my last job they insisted that everyone use Word, I never even installed it and my bosses never knew.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Konigi Avatar
Konigi
70 months ago
So it looks like even the 1-day notice before iOS 14 release was too sudden for Apple's own developers. Took them a few days to implement the new features into their apps?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GeoStructural Avatar
GeoStructural
70 months ago
I like that the iWorks suite is now free (they weren’t a few years ago) but they are so behind other suites, I wish Apple invested more on them to at least be on par with the competition.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GeoStructural Avatar
GeoStructural
70 months ago

When was the iWork suite not free? It's always been included with a new Mac. That is still considered free especially since Microsoft Office 365 doesn't come free when you buy a PC.
They were paid apps! They were 80 bucks... then reduced to $20 in the Mac and $10 in iPhone EACH...
Even iMovie and Garage Band you had to pay for them, then they made it free for new iPhones and Macs, later (only a couple of years ago) for older devices free as well.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
4jasontv Avatar
4jasontv
70 months ago
iWork is this amazing piece of software that I forget about until that one person shares a keynote file and a dozen people email me asking how they can open it in PowerPoint.


So it looks like even the 1-day notice before iOS 14 release was too sudden for Apple's own developers. Took them a few days to implement the new features into their apps?
Their app developers get pulled to work on the OS near GM, so they rarely get it done on time.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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