Heading back to iWork: Apple to return missing app features over next 6 months

Heading back to iWork: Apple to return missing app features over next 6 months

In a rare move, Apple has pre-announced the return of some iWork for Mac features that went missing in the suite's most recent iteration.

Apple kept its note cut-and-dry, but this is likely in response to power users who felt the company dumbed down the offering to bring it more inline with iOS 7. Microsoft even threw its own criticism last month, calling Apple's iWork apps "watered down" compared to Office.

According to Apple, it rewrote Pages, Numbers and Keynote for iWork from the bottom up "to be fully 64-bit and to support a unified file format between OS X and iOS 7 versions, as well as iWork for iCloud beta."

In the process, some iWork '09 features "were not available for the initial release," however Apple plans to reintroduce some features over the next six months. Interesting Apple only mentions "some" features returning, though it does note "brand new features" will also make it through in subsequent releases.

Features making a comeback

Apple listed 18 features it will bring back in the coming half-year, a smattering for Pages, Numbers and Keynote each.

Pages will get back its customize toolbar, vertical rule, a quartet of improved tools, keyword shortcuts for styles and the ability to manage pages and sections in thumbnail view.

Numbers will also see the return of the customize toolbar, page headers and footers, and improvements to AppleScript support, among others.

Keynote's toolbar too makes a comeback, along with a restoration of old transitions and builds, improvements to presenter display and AppleScript support improvements.

While it's a good start, even with these features back iWork's apps won't be completely up to par with the older versions. The company did point out users can still use access earlier versions of iWork applications as they remain installed on Macs.

Apple wrapped up with a tip on reverting document files to previous versions of iWork apps. Unedited documents can be reverted to the iWork '09 by going to File > Revert To.

Edited docs (with edits you want to save) can be saved as an iWork '09 document by selecting File > Export To and choosing Pages '09, Numbers '09 or Keynote '09.

• Yes, it's true. The iPad Air is TechRadar's first 5-start tablet.