Apple updates iWork, iMovie for iOS apps with trackpad and mouse support for iPad

Apple's iWork suite — Pages, Numbers and Keynote — nets a number of enhancements with today's update, but owners of current iPads running iPadOS 13.4 will ostensibly benefit the most from new trackpad and mouse support.

All three apps gain iCloud Drive folder sharing for fast and easy collaboration on group projects, a hold-and-drag gesture for selecting multiple objects, drop cap insertion, and an option to include comments in prints and PDF exports. Numbers and Keynote also see the addition of offline editing tools that allow users to edit shared documents and automatically upload those changes once reconnected to the internet.

Other features include:

Pages release notes

• Select from a variety of gorgeous new templates to help you get started.
• Apply a color, gradient, or image to the background of any document.
• Easily access recently used templates in a redesigned template chooser.
• Edit shared documents while offline and your changes will upload when you're back online. Requires iPadOS or iOS 13 or later.
• Enhance your documents with a variety of new, editable shapes.

Numbers release notes

• Create spreadsheets with more rows and columns than ever before.
• Apply a color to the background of a sheet.
• Easily access your recently used templates in a redesigned template chooser.
• Add a drop cap to text in a shape.
• Enhance your spreadsheets with a variety of new, editable shapes.

Keynote release notes

• Select from a variety of gorgeous new themes to help you get started.
• Easily access your recently used themes in a redesigned theme chooser.
• Enhance your presentations with a variety of new, editable shapes.
• New "Keyboard" text build in and build out animation.

The iWork suite is free to download from the App Store, with Pages coming in at 526MB, Numbers at 511.6MB and Keynote at 612.3MB.

Apple on Tuesday also issued a batch update for its iWork suite of apps for Mac, delivering support for iCloud Drive folder sharing.

Apple's iMovie version 2.2.9 delivers a host of new features and enhancements.

The latest iteration of Apple's consumer video making software incorporates iPadOS 13.4's new trackpad- and mouse-based cursor control. In addition to bluetooth devices and keyboard cases from Logitech and Brydge, the update enables future integration with Apple's forthcoming Magic Keyboard.

With today's release, users can tap into keyboard shortcuts to toggle between five inspector modes — Action, Speed adjustments, Volume, Titles and Filters — when a clip is selected. Shortcuts can also be assigned to rotate video 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise, Apple said in release notes supplied with iMovie.

Other improvements include a "Download All" button in the soundtracks list that, when tapped, downloads all bundled soundtracks at once. The app also gains support for PNG, GIF, TIFF and BMP files, which can be inserted directly into a movie's timeline.

Today's update comes with the usual unnamed performance and stability improvements.

Apple's iMovie version 2.2.9 is a free 619.3MB download from the App Store.