Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) investors will no doubt be glued to the ticker feed today, looking for news of significant iPad upgrades as Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) touts its newest Surface tablets.

There should be plenty to digest. New models. New screens, cameras, and processors. At least as important as all of that? Apple's promised changes to iWork for iCloud. Upgrades are in process right now:

Apple's iWork suite is getting a makeover. Screenshot courtesy of Tim Beyers/The Motley Fool.

We've seen this coming for a while. All three of the major iWork apps -- Keynote for presentations, Numbers for spreadsheets, and Pages for writing -- are available free to those who purchased an eligible iOS 7 device after Sept. 1. According to MacRumors, this same group also received $20 in iTunes store credit for purchasing extra goodies of their choosing.

And yet the upgrade can't get here soon enough. Microsoft will soon offer a touch-first version of its Office productivity suite for the iPad in hopes of preserving the franchise as the work world turns increasingly mobile. At last count, there were more than 40 million tablets hooked up to 3G or 4G wireless networks here in the U.S. Research shows a plurality of those devices make their way into the workplace, which Microsoft sees an opportunity for its business-focused Surface tablets.

The iPad, meanwhile, is a hit with consumptive consumers. Yet a growing number of them also seem to want to use the device for work. Improvements to iWork for iCloud should get them a step closer, and that's good news for both Apple investors and users.

Fool contributor Tim Beyers is a member of the Motley Fool Rule Breakers stock-picking team and the Motley Fool Supernova Odyssey I mission. He owned shares of Apple at the time of publication. Check out Tim's web home and portfolio holdings or connect with him on Google+, Tumblr, or Twitter, where he goes by @milehighfool. You can also get his insights delivered directly to your RSS reader.

The Motley Fool recommends Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple and Microsoft. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.