apple Apple updates iWork for iCloud, adds password protection to documents

sincity · January 24, 2014

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Apple has released the latest update for its iWork for iCloud web application, sprucing up its interface and adding new editing and security options.

The three apps that make up iWork, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote have all received a visual upgrade to their template chooser and document library. The main document layout, however, remains unchanged.

The update brings a slew of new editing features, such as formatting for floating tables, rich formatting of text in table cells, page numbering, footnoting, and styling of anchored and inline images, shapes and text boxes.

An important new feature is the addition of password protection on documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Passwords can be applied to files in all three apps.

Quality of life changes

Other changes include improvements to VoiceOver support for body text and document manager, new keyboard shortcuts, and the ability to view files shared by another user.

The update also fixes a slew of bugs. However, it may have also introduced some new ones. 9to5Mac reports that some users are having trouble opening iWork for iCloud documents in iWork for Mac or iOS.

Apple raised the ire of some users last year when it unveiled its revamps of iWork on all three of its platforms.The software was rewritten from the ground up, resulting in some features being left out of the initial release.

It has restored some and promised to restore more, but the omissions do lend weight to Microsoft's claim that iWork is "watered down" compared to Office.