Apple Updates iOS iWork Apps With Drag and Drop Support, Other iOS 11 Features [Update: Mac Apps Too]

[MacRumors]

Following the release of iOS 11, Apple today updated its iWork line of iOS apps with support for the new update. There are new versions of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote available today, all with new features like Drag and Drop support.

All three apps include a redesigned and updated document manager that makes it easier to access files stored in iCloud Drive or third-party cloud storage solutions. Along with the new document manager, the iWork apps now support Drag and Drop, allowing users to drag and drop text, images, links, and more between apps.

iWork documents can be accessed within the new Files app on the iPhone and the iPad, and with the new iPad Dock, it's easier than ever to use the multi-tasking Slide Over and Split View features.

There are new Unite, Intersect, Subtract, and Exclude commands to create shapes in each of the apps, and Align, Distribute, Flip Vertical and Flip Horizontal commands can be used to arrange objects. There's also a new "Break Apart" command for use with complex shapes from the shapes library.

In Pages specifically, there's a new option to select a paragraph of text with a triple tap gesture, and an improved PDF export feature now lets you view a document's table of contents in the sidebar in PDF viewer apps.

In Numbers, there are new date, time, and duration keyboards to make it easier to enter values, along with new "smart steppers" for entering the values more quickly.

All three of the iWork apps also have improvements to performance and stability and can be downloaded now from the App Store.

Pages for iOS [App Store]
Keynote for iOS [App Store]
Numbers for iOS [App Store]

Update: Apple has also updated its iWork for Mac apps. Pages for Mac features improved PDF export and support for drag and drop rows in tables spanning multiple pages, while Keynote has been updated with the ability to filter object list by typing object names. All three apps, including Numbers, also feature performance and stability improvements.

Pages for macOS [Direct Link]
Keynote for macOS [Direct Link]
Numbers for macOS [Direct Link]

Article Link: Apple Updates iOS iWork Apps With Drag and Drop Support, Other iOS 11 Features [Update: Mac Apps Too]

 

[mabhatter]

It's bugging me that Apple drops previous version support in their Apple Apps literally the day the next iOS is released. If you were holding on to a previous version on one of your devices you end up with incompatible document versions if you upgrade one of your devices.

 

[AdrianCobon]

This ought to make it easier to get some serious typing done on the iPad... I am seriously considering switching entirely from Microsoft Office to iWork since it seems easier to just zone out and get a decent chunk of writing done! (Professional ghostwriter, I copy everything to a Scrivener project eventually!)

 

[mariusignorello]

So apparently App Containers are being depreciated. No more “Pages” folder in iCloud Drive.

 

[TMRJIJ]

So apparently App Containers are being depreciated. No more “Pages” folder in iCloud Drive.

It’s still there.

 

[usarioclave]

What, still no pencil support?

 

[mariusignorello]

It’s still there.
View attachment 719178

Yes but it doesn't insist that you to use that folder to store documents anymore.

 

[BWhaler]

This was the update I was waiting for all day.

I am pleased with what has released. Apple is getting closer to having a fully functioning iWork on iOS devices. If they are serious about the ipad as the future of computing, then they need to continue to prove that with a powerful iWork—and iOS also, of course.

The suite is still missing basic features, e.g. custom borders in Numbers, type tools in all apps that match the desktop version, and, mind boggling, the ability to truly customize master slides in Keynote. Each app has a punch list of missing core features which forces users to go back to the desktop tools.

But, it appears Apple is slowly fixing all of these deficiencies. Let’s hope this continues as a fast clip.

Finally, what I hope is Apple really invests in iWork and shows what is possible with an iPad and an Apple Pencil. Instead, we are waiting for basic, core features. But what should really happen is Apple release an iWork which inspires people to buy iPads as productivity devices and stays part of the iCloud ecosystem.

This is critical for Apple, not just for iPad sales, but to avoid the mistake of the past where Microsoft, and now Google, use productivity and office software/storage to cut Apple out of hardware sales.

 

[8012R3]

FYI, I was wondering why I couldn't see an update for Numbers....

It requires iOS 11.

 

[Glassed Silver]

It's bugging me that Apple drops previous version support in their Apple Apps literally the day the next iOS is released. If you were holding on to a previous version on one of your devices you end up with incompatible document versions if you upgrade one of your devices.

Something something "if you need your 32bit apps just don't update"...

HAH

Glassed Silver:win

 

[notrack]

It's bugging me that Apple drops previous version support in their Apple Apps literally the day the next iOS is released. If you were holding on to a previous version on one of your devices you end up with incompatible document versions if you upgrade one of your devices.

What do you mean? You can't open a Numbers document in iOS 10 when it was edited in iOS 11?

 

[riverfreak]

All three apps include a redesigned and updated document manager that makes it easier to access files stored in iCloud Drive or third-party cloud storage solutions. Along with the new document manager, the iWork apps now support Drag and Drop, allowing users to drag and drop text, images, links, and more between apps.

...

iWork documents can be accessed within the new Files app on the iPhone and the iPad, and with the new iPad Dock, it's easier than ever to use the multi-tasking Slide Over and Split View features.

...

Edited original post for brevity.

Does this mean you can open documents in iWork Apps stored on other services in place? Before you had to copy them to iCloud Drive.

I just tested with Numbers and a file stored in Dropbox. I can see and select the file, but it never opens. Specifically, I can Browse and then I get a progress bar that says “Downloading” after which I am returned to the browse interface.

Working for anyone else? It seems that you still need to store documents in iCloud in order to open them.

 

[BWhaler]

Edited original post for brevity.

Does this mean you can open documents in iWork Apps stored on other services in place? Before you had to copy them to iCloud Drive.

I just tested with Numbers and a file stored in Dropbox. I can see and select the file, but it never opens. Specifically, I can Browse and then I get a progress bar that says “Downloading” after which I am returned to the browse interface.

Working for anyone else? It seems that you still need to store documents in iCloud in order to open them.

It’s not working. You can’t create a file and save to Dropbox either or move a file,there from iCloud to Dropbox.

I’ve contacted Dropbox, and apparently they are working on fixes. They have had terrible integration with iOS in the past, forcing copying of files when all others would allow native open and save. My guess is this finally caught up with them.

Bottom line is, Dropbox is terrible and unusable on iOS.

 

[riverfreak]

It’s not working. You can’t create a file and save to Dropbox either or move a file,there from iCloud to Dropbox.

I’ve contacted Dropbox, and apparently they are working on fixes. They have had terrible integration with iOS in the past, forcing copying of files when all others would allow native open and save. My guess is this finally caught up with them.

Bottom line is, Dropbox is terrible and unusable on iOS.

Thanks for the confirmation!

I’ve always thought it was more on the iOS end, and not being able to edit files I place hosted on remote locations.

I could always export to say Numbers via a share sheet but then I’d be stuck with a copy of a document.

 

[notrack]

It works with Box. I created a document in Numbers and then saved it to Box. (Tap ... and then the elelvator icon and tap "Copy to Box").

Then I went to the Files app and it was there in the Box location. You can directly tap and edit it with Numbers. It lives there with no duplicates or so.

However, copying from iCloud Drive to Box left a copy of the original file in the "Numbers" folder in iCloud Drive. That's because I started there in Numbers and the in-app browser was at the "Numbers" folder.

This is a better way:
In Numbers, go to the Box folder first and then create a new file, it will be saved there by default. So no more duplicates necessary.

 

[BWhaler]

It works with Box. I created a document in Numbers and then saved it to Box. (Tap ... and then the elelvator icon and tap "Copy to Box").

Then I went to the Files app and it was there in the Box location. You can directly tap and edit it with Numbers. It lives there with no duplicates or so.

However, copying from iCloud Drive to Box left a copy of the original file in the "Numbers" folder in iCloud Drive. That's because I started there in Numbers and the in-app browser was at the "Numbers" folder.

This is a better way:
In Numbers, go to the Box folder first and then create a new file, it will be saved there by default. So no more duplicates necessary.

This is a Dropbox issue.

For years, they punished their customers with a strategy tax of not fully supporting iOS 10 and now iOS functionality. They didn’t want to become a “dumb drive in the cloud” They want to differentiate with photos and apps in the cloud.

It was annoying for years, but it looks like it finally bit them in the rear. Now their service is unusable. I like the reliability of Dropbox syncing and trust them, so I’m hoping these problems will force them to fix the app and treat their customers like, well, customers.

If this doesn’t get fixed fast and properly, I will be taking my personal and enterprise account elsewhere. I hate to do it, but they brought this on themselves.