Numbers 2.0 for iOS review: Screen size does matter with Apple's spreadsheet app
Alongside Numbers 3.0 for OS X, Apple also introduced Numbers 2.0 for iOS. The big news in this version is file, user interface, and (for the most part) feature parity with the desktop (and Web) versions of Numbers. As with the desktop version, the new iOS version has been lightened, flattened, and cleaned up quite a bit. Unlike with the desktop app, where I felt like the interface was penalizing me for having a large screen (no multiple windows, no overview sidebar on the left, etc.), the new interface feels right at home on the constrained screen of an iPad.
Yes, you can also run Numbers on your iPhone or iPod touch, but I really wouldn't advise it—these screens are so small that getting anything done in a spreadsheet app is frustratingly painful. You can only see a couple handful of cells at once, at least at any zoom level where you can read what's in the cells. In a pinch it works, but if you've got work to do in a spreadsheet on an iOS device, you really want that device to be an iPad.
How you feel about using Numbers on an iPad will depend on how you use it. If you can make use of Apple's redesigned (and very handsome) templates, then you'll probably love the experience.
Overview
Overall, Apple has really done a nice job at unifying the Numbers interface across OS X, iOS, and the Web. If you've used the app on one platform, you'll feel instantly at home on the other platforms. The iPad differs in a couple of minor areas, mainly changes made in recognition of the small amount of screen space available. Numbers for iOS gains interactive charts that work as they do in the desktop version (and are very cool), and you can now share your work by sending a link in iCloud, AirDrop, or mailing a copy to someone. You can now send that copy as a CSV file, joining the already-existing Numbers, PDF, and Excel formats.
The main interface, when working with a spreadsheet, is incredibly simple and clean. At the top of the main window is a small toolbar that controls your interactions with Numbers; you can jump to your list of saved spreadsheets, undo the last action, add and format objects, access a number of tools, share your work with others, and turn on a quasi-replica of balloon help from Mac OS releases of yesteryear. Beyond the tiny toolbar, 100 percent of the space is dedicated to displaying your spreadsheet.
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