Apple is delaying the release of iOS 16’s iCloud Shared Photo Library feature, saying it will “come later this year” rather than when the mobile OS refresh launches on September 12 (through AppleInsider). A archived version from the iOS 16 webpage shows that the delay message was added sometime this week.
When launched, the feature allows you and up to five other people automatically share a collection of photoswith the option to include all photos in your personal library, photos taken after a certain date or with specific people.
It’s not particularly unusual for Apple to withhold features from its initial release — iOS 15 launched last year without SharePlay, Universal Control, and better Find My support for AirPods. The features then trickled out in point releases over the next few months. iOS 16 doesn’t seem to have as many features being pushed back, though the iPadOS 16 update for Apple’s tablets has been delayed and launched as iPadOS 16.1 instead.
It’s possible that Apple is putting iPadOS 16 on its own release schedule has something to do with the feature’s delay – it’s easy to imagine people setting it up on their phones and then getting confused as to why it’s not showing up on theirs. iPad or Mac (macOS Ventura’s release date will be sometime in October, according to Apple’s site). Or the company could just be a little extra careful as the feature covers photos people don’t want to lose. Apple did not immediately respond The edge‘s request for comment on the change in plans for the shared photo library.
