Google today rolled out new features for its Sheets spreadsheet application. Most of the new features target the desktop-based version of Sheets. For example, machine learning makes it possible to ask Sheets questions in a natural way to explore the data contained in any given document. For example, users can ask “what is the distribution of products sold?” or “what are average sales on Sundays?” and Sheets' new Explore function will help find the answers. Google also made it easier to share and/or import data from Google Docs and Google Slides. Other new features include improved keyboard shortcuts, printing previews, and chart editing. On the mobile front, the Apple iPhone and iPad will benefit from some of these improvements. Google says iPhone and iPad owners will be able to create and edits charts in a new sidebar. Mobile users will be able to select their own colors for personalization, and add trend lines to highlight data within charts. Last, iPhones and iPads will be able to create more types of charts, including 3D charts. Sheets for iOS is free to download from the iTunes App Store. Google didn't say when the machine learning tools might reach its mobile apps.


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