Apple Updates iWork Apps With New iOS 18.4 and macOS 15.4 Features

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Apple today updated its iWork apps Keynote, Numbers, and Pages with new features that require iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, or macOS 15.4.

iWork macOS Trio Feature
For example, in the latest version of each app, you can now make text edits using Writing Tools directly in a presentation, spreadsheet, or document. This feature requires Apple Intelligence, which is available on iPhone 15 Pro models, all iPhone 16 models, any Mac or iPad model with an M1 chip or newer, or the iPad mini with the A17 Pro chip.

In addition, Apple says you can now export a presentation, spreadsheet, or document in another format using the Shortcuts app, and all three apps gained improved copy and paste integration with the Freeform app. Each app also received a few other enhancements that are not tied to the latest software updates.

The release notes for version 14.4 of each app on iOS follow.

Keynote:

• Make text edits using Writing Tools directly in your presentation (requires Apple Intelligence and iOS or iPadOS 18.4)
• Export presentations into other formats using Shortcuts (requires iOS or iPadOS 18.4)
• Improved copy and paste with Freeform (requires iOS or iPadOS 18.4)

Numbers:

• Use over 30 new advanced functions including LET, LAMBDA, FILTER, SORT, and UNIQUE
• See results from a single formula across multiple cells using spilling arrays
• Make text edits using Writing Tools directly in your spreadsheet (requires Apple Intelligence and iOS or iPadOS 18.4)
• Export spreadsheets into other formats using Shortcuts (requires iOS or iPadOS 18.4)
• Improved copy and paste with Freeform (requires iOS or iPadOS 18.4)
• Improved compatibility when importing or exporting Microsoft Excel spreadsheets

Pages:

• Make text edits using Writing Tools directly in your document (requires Apple Intelligence and macOS 15.4)
• Add additional pages into a word-processing document more easily
• Export documents into other formats using Shortcuts (requires macOS 15.4)
• Improved copy and paste with Freeform (requires macOS 15.4)

iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS 15.4 were all released to the general public this week, following more than a month of beta testing.

The updated iWork apps are available in the App Store across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Tags: iWork, Keynote, Numbers, Pages

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Top Rated Comments

sdz Avatar
sdz
8 months ago

iWork in general seems a little overlooked these days. Used to be a major feature of the Mac. I guess Microsoft has continued to succeed in making Office indispensable, like it or not.
I use iWork and love it. Quite contrary to the feeling I have when using Microsoft products.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bagelche Avatar
bagelche
8 months ago

Until these apps can directly edit & save in Microsoft-compatible formats there's just no way anyone can use them for actual work.
I really tire of the "actual work" or what is "professional" claims. If your workflow requires particular applications or resources, then use those applications and resources.

Final Cut Pro isn't a "pro" application, Macs aren't "pro" computers, Pages, Keynote, Numbers can't be used for "actual work". Whatever. The argument itself is ridiculous and more often than not, I'm told these apps don't do "N" at all, when in fact, they do "N" just fine. Is this true for every "N"? Of course not, but geesh people. Do your work and let others do theirs.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kirbyrun Avatar
kirbyrun
8 months ago

Until these apps can directly edit & save in Microsoft-compatible formats there's just no way anyone can use them for actual work.
I guess all those books I wrote in Pages aren't actually published and on bookshelves around the world.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
frenchcamp49er Avatar
frenchcamp49er
8 months ago

As someone who uses multiple platforms, this walled-garden garbage is one of the first things I delete.
I have to use windows and never ever use anything windows on my Mac. Been ding this for years with absolute zero issues. I do use all 3 of the apps mentioned.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bagelche Avatar
bagelche
8 months ago

But if you were going to make a new document of your own on your own computer that has an Excel license, would you choose to use Numbers or Excel?

Genuinely asking and curious as to why.

This is how Microsoft won the desktop in the first place. People wanted the same thing at home as they had at work.
The majority of the time I will use Numbers. It handles all of the basic data manipulation I need and if I need something specific that requires Excel, I'll go there (generally it's Numbers for personal work, Google Sheets for collaboration, and if I have to, Excel). For presenting my data, Numbers is vastly superior to Excel in terms of layout and presentation.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
abusbey3 Avatar
abusbey3
8 months ago

Until these apps can directly edit & save in Microsoft-compatible formats there's just no way anyone can use them for actual work.

I like Numbers for very specific things, since it's nice having free-floating tables in the same sheet, something Excel can't do very effectively.

I do prefer Keynote to Powerpoint but inevitably have to convert to powerpoint for when I give talks.

Pages is pointless and I can't remember the last time I actually used it.
Pages is a damn site better than Word. Graphics stay where you put them rather than jumping around. Editing is much easier. I only use Word if I am forced to any more - too much bloat.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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