Apple on Wednesday released an update for iWork for iPad – its suite of productivity software comprising spreadsheet, presentation and word processing/page layout apps. Each of the apps – Pages, Numbers and Keynote – have been updated with new features, and all are now at version 1.2. The updates are available through iTunes, and are free for registered users.

The biggest improvement is that all three apps now support file transfer through iDisk, online storage available of Apple’s subscription-based MobileMe service. Previously, iWork users had to transfer files to and from their Macs by syncing content through iTunes, requiring the iPad to be physically tethered to the Mac to facilitate the exchange. If you’re not a MobileMe user, the updates also support file transfer to servers that support WebDAV, an open Internet standard broadly supported by Apple.

Numbers, the spreadsheet application, now supports Microsoft Excel XLS export and adds other new features; Keynote, the presentation software, similarly adds support for Microsoft PowerPoint PPT export, along with new features including new build and slide animations. Pages will now display word counts and opens text file attachments from Mail, along with other improvements.