Using iWork elsewhere:Although some options and templates are missing from iPhones and iPads, Apple does a good job of keeping the iOS apps consistent with the Mac applications. The main change: Instead of finding options to the right, you tap various buttons to access them.
In fact, many long-time iWork users have complained that Apple adapted the Mac version too much to achieve consistency with iOS. Some features, such as using files in Rich Text Format, went away. Apple promises to bring some of the features back in the coming months.
I would rather have that consistency.
With Office, the smartphone app is so bare-bones, I've hardly used it. And there's no Office app at all for iPads and Android tablets; you're limited to a Web version that requires a constant Internet connection. Microsoft wants to preserve Office as a selling point for its Windows tablets.
With iWork, documents are shared and synced through Apple's iCloud storage service. Changes made on the Mac show up on the iPad within seconds. Line and page breaks stay the same.
That consistency extends to some degree to the Web version, known as iWork for iCloud. Formatting remains the same. But because it's still in a "beta" test version, the Web version lacks key features. You can't track changes or view and leave comments, for instance. New features have been coming every month or two, so expect improvements over time.
Unfortunately, there's no app or iCloud support for devices running the rival Android system from Google. And for Windows, you must stay online to use iCloud.
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