Archived Post

Apple updates Pages, Numbers, Keynote for macOS and iOS

Apple has updated Pages, Numbers, and Keynote for its macOS and iOS devices.

Pages 8.0 for the Mac allows you to use the new table of contents view to navigate a document or book. You can automatically sync custom shapes and templates to all your devices using iCloud.

Pages 8.0 lets you add alignment guides to mater pages to help with layouts. There’s improved performance when collaborating on documents. You can insert tables of contents and edit grouped docs while collaborating. In Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages, you can now type vertically in your entire document or in an individual text box.

Numbers 6.0 for macOS offers performance and usability improvements to Smart Categories. You can now save custom shapes and templates that automatically sync to all your devices using iCloud. There’s improved performance when collaborating on spreadsheets. For example, you can edit grouped documents while collaborating.

Numbers 6.0 provides enhancements to Excel and comma-separated value file import. And there’s support for vertical text in shapes and text boxes in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages.

Keynote 9.0 for macOS allows you to automatically sync custom shape sand themes to all your devices using iCloud. You can create a GIF by exporting one or more slides. Slides with customer wider aspect ratios now display better in the slide navigator, light table, and presenter display..

There’s improved performance when collaborating on presentations. For example, you can edit grouped objects while collaborating. And there’s support for vertical text in shapes and text boxes in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages.

All are available at the Mac App Store.

All the iOS versions have been revved to version 5.0. They get some features previously available only on the macOS versions of the apps, as well as increased Apple Pencil support. According to Apple’s release notes, here are the individual tweak for the apps:

Pages:

  • Use the new table of contents view to easily navigate your document or book.

  • Insert a table of contents onto a page in a word-processing document.

  • Save custom shapes for use in other documents and access them on any device using iCloud.

  • Create templates to use as a model for new documents, and access them on any device using iCloud.

  • Create image placeholders to easily replace images without affecting the formatting of your page.

  • Switch your document between word processing and page layout.

  • Improved performance while collaborating on documents.

  • Edit grouped objects while collaborating.

  • In Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages, you can now type vertically in your entire document or in an individual text box.

Numbers:

  • Make precise changes to table row and column counts and sizes with the format pane.

  • Performance and usability improvements to Smart Categories.

  • Save custom shapes for use in other spreadsheets, then access them on any device using iCloud.

  • Create templates to use as a model for new spreadsheets, and access them on any device using iCloud.

  • Increased maximum zoom level to 400%.

  • Enhancements to Excel and comma separated value file import.

  • Create image placeholders to easily replace images without affecting the formatting of your spreadsheet.

  • Improved performance while collaborating on spreadsheets.

  • Edit grouped objects while collaborating.

  • Support for vertical text in shapes and text boxes in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages.

Keynote:

  • Draw a path with your finger or Apple Pencil to animate an object across the slide.

  • Add emphasis to presentations with action build effects, including move, rotate, and scale animations.

  • Create and share an animated GIF by exporting one or more slides.

  • Edit presenter notes while presenting or rehearsing a slideshow.

  • Save custom shapes for use in other presentations and access them on any device using iCloud.

  • Create themes to use as a model for new presentations, and access them on any device using iCloud.

  • Slides with custom wider aspect ratios now display better in the slide navigator, light table, and presenter display.

  • Create image placeholders to easily replace images without affecting the formatting of your slide.

  • Improved performance while collaborating on presentations.

  • Edit grouped objects while collaborating.

  • Support for vertical text in shapes and text boxes in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages.

All are available at the Apple App Store.

Dennis Sellers
the authorDennis Sellers
Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.