I have quite a few documents created using Pages '08, both in document and page layout mode. I see a fair amount of information about importing from Pages '09 into Pages 5 (the most recent version as of this writing), but haven't found any mention about Pages '08. So can it import from this version? If so, are there any additional caveats I should be aware of?
According to Ars Technica's iWork '13 review, Pages '13 can't open '08 documents.
The iWork '13 apps on the Mac can open iWork '09 files but not iWork '08 files.
If you still have a copy of Pages '09 you could save the documents in '09 format and then use '13 to save them in '13 format.
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If you are not dependent on any Pages specific features like the stationary or embedded images your easiest option may just be to export form Pages 08 as a Microsoft Word DOC file. Then you can easily open the file in Pages 13. If you dare to entrust your data to a proprietary Apple file format that is.
This lack of backward compatibility over just five years is appalling. MS Word 2013 can easily open DOC files from the early 1990's without complaint!
Pages 5.x cannot open Pages ’08 documents. However later versions can.
Pages 6.0 for Mac (September 2016) can open documents from Pages ’05 and later
The Apple article "What’s new in Pages for Mac" has the following entry under Pages 6.0:
- Open and edit Pages ’05 documents. Learn more
The hyperlink goes to a page that provides more compatibility information and confirms that versions newer than Pages ’05 can also be opened.
Pages for Mac can open
- Pages ’05 or later
However, it can only export to Pages ’09.
As of October 2015, Pages for iCloud can open Pages ’06 and ’08 documents (’05 support was added later)
"Pages for iCloud release notes" has the following under October 2015:
- Open Pages ’08 and ’06 documents.
Pages ’05 support was added in September 2016, like with the Mac version.
iOS Pages 6.x can also open Pages ’05 and newer
The compatibility listings for Pages 6.x says that iOS version of Pages also supports Pages ’05 and newer. I don't know when it was added, but it is there now.