Why iWork is Still Relevant for macOS in 2023: Insights from Apple @ Work by Bradley Chambers

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Apple’s Keynote, the presentation software program that’s a part of the iWork suite, is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this 12 months. Regardless of the dominance of Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 within the office, iWork nonetheless performs an necessary function within the productiveness of many companies.

About Apple @ Work: Bradley Chambers managed an enterprise IT community from 2009 to 2021. Via his expertise deploying and managing firewalls, switches, a cellular gadget administration system, enterprise grade Wi-Fi, 100s of Macs, and 100s of iPads, Bradley will spotlight methods wherein Apple IT managers deploy Apple units, construct networks to help them, practice customers, tales from the trenches of IT administration, and methods Apple might enhance its merchandise for IT departments.

Why iWork continues to be essential for macOS in 2023

Sure, most companies are going to have a Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 subscription giving them these respective instruments for productiveness. I believe there’s room for a second possibility, although. Similar to many organizations will use Slack or Microsoft Groups for chat, a lot of them will nonetheless use iMessage right here and there for a one-off dialog or group chats. I believe iWork matches in that very same bucket as properly. Is Excel extra in style within the office than Numbers? Nobody would query it. That doesn’t imply there isn’t a spot for Numbers to make fast charts when the facility of Excel is an excessive amount of.

Whereas it might sound easy, the truth that each Mac can open and edit any Microsoft Phrase, Excel, or PowerPoint file out of the field is essential. Even in a world dominated by subscriptions, iWork is the “little engine that would” of productiveness suites .12 months after 12 months, Apple continues to make it higher. Yearly, it will get even simpler to create lovely-wanting content material that’s out there to assessment and edit throughout any Mac, iPhone, or iPad over iCloud Drive.

Keynote continues to be the best option to make nice-wanting displays

Keynote gives a degree of interactivity and ease that PowerPoint and Google Slides are lacking my opinion. Each of these instruments excel at collaboration, however for constructing an amazing-wanting presentation, I imagine Keynote nonetheless is the most effective resolution. When Apple first announced Keynote in 2003, right here’s what Steve Jobs mentioned about it:

“Utilizing Keynote is like having an expert graphics division to create your slides,” mentioned Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “That is the appliance to make use of when your presentation actually counts.”

Jobs could be the one to know as properly. In truth, Keynote was an inside challenge at Apple for years earlier than it turned a public product. As a result of Jobs was dissatisfied with the present presentation resolution, he had Apple construct a customized one. Of all of the iWork instruments, Keynote is the one I’d miss essentially the most if I couldn’t use it. There’s actually nothing prefer it in the marketplace. The whole lot features as your mind thinks it ought to.

Managed Apple IDs + iWork = constructed-in collaboration

One of many key benefits of managed Apple IDs is the power to simply collaborate on paperwork and initiatives from an Apple gadget that syncs over iCloud Drive. With the constructed-in iWork apps (Pages, Keynote, and Numbers), workers can create and edit paperwork in actual time – regardless of the place they’re or once they’re engaged on them. Since Apple controls the gadget, syncing, and the apps – all the pieces is very easy.

One of many latest options of iWork I like known as Display View. Added in Pages 11.2, Display View is an revolutionary characteristic that optimizes textual content, photos, and different parts for show on an iPhone display screen. This characteristic routinely adjusts the format to suit the display screen, so paperwork are simple to learn and edit. With the continual circulation of textual content, photos, and different parts, studying and enhancing paperwork grow to be a simple process, making it simpler to remain productive on the go.

Latest additions to the iWork Suite

Apple has made important additions to its iWork suite of productiveness instruments in recent times. One of many key new options is Exercise, which permits customers to remain up to date on modifications made by others in collaborative spreadsheets, and to speak with their crew through Messages and FaceTime. The iPad model of iWork has been improved with the addition of a customizable toolbar, making it simpler to entry instruments and settings, and the Stage Supervisor characteristic, which makes multitasking throughout a number of spreadsheets and apps extra environment friendly. Background Elimination has additionally been added, making it simpler to take away or alter backgrounds from photos and reside movies. One other addition is Mail Merge, which allows customers to create personalised letters, playing cards, or envelopes for a number of recipients utilizing information from the Contacts app or a Numbers spreadsheet. Dynamic Backgrounds have been added to Pages, permitting customers so as to add colour and visible curiosity to their displays. Pivot Tables and types have additionally been added to the iWork suite, offering a strong and intuitive option to analyze information, and even open Microsoft Excel recordsdata with pivot tables. Display View has additionally been added to iPhone, making it simpler to learn and edit paperwork on a smaller display screen.

Wrapping up on iWork

There seemingly aren’t many medium and enormous companies which might be relying 100% on iWork, however that doesn’t imply they couldn’t. It’s an unbelievable suite of merchandise to make use of alongside no matter productiveness suite you’re utilizing. For a company that’s 100% on Apple, I see little motive why iWork couldn’t energy 100% of their artistic and collaboration performance for paperwork, spreadsheets, and displays.

I believe it’s necessary that Apple ships software program that may open and edit all Microsoft Workplace paperwork natively with no subscription. Apple hasn’t taken its foot off the fuel with growth, although. iWork sees steady updates 12 months after 12 months that gives unbelievable options. The iWork crew continues to construct instruments that spotlight the simplicity of Apple’s computing platforms.

Apple @ Work is delivered to you by Kolide, the gadget belief resolution that ensures that if a tool isn’t safe, it may possibly’t entry your cloud apps.  You probably have Okta, Kolide might help you get your fleet to 100% compliance.  They’re Zero Belief for Okta. Study extra or request a demo today.