FaceTime SharePlay Feature Won't Be Available When iOS 15 Launches

[MacRumors]

In the beta notes for the sixth updates to iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and tvOS 15, Apple says that the FaceTime SharePlay feature has been disabled for future beta releases and will not be available to use when the updates initially launch this fall.

Apple will instead make SharePlay available in an update to iOS 15, iPadOS 15, tvOS 15, and macOS Monterey that's coming later this year.

With SharePlay being removed temporarily, Apple is offering an alternative tool for developers to test SharePlay development features, and a SharePlay profile is available for developers to download.

SharePlay has been disabled for use in iOS and iPadOS 15 developer beta 6 and will be disabled for use in its initial release this fall. SharePlay will be enabled for use again in future developer beta releases and will launch to the public in software updates later this fall. To continue your development, we have provided a SharePlay Development Profile which will enable successful creation and reception of GroupSessions via the Group Activities API.

With SharePlay, FaceTime users can share their screens with one another, watch movies and TV shows in sync together, listen to music and contribute to a group playlist, and more.

Article Link: FaceTime SharePlay Feature Won't Be Available When iOS 15 Launches

 

[Ent]

More like FailPlay

 

[Hyde0709]

Lame. Sharing screens is the one big thing I want some FaceTime. I am tired of walking my parents and in-laws through tasks on their phone and not seeing what they're seeing.

 

[fwmireault]

It doesn’t surprise me, the feature was quite buggy on beta. Also, I don’t think we will see universal control enabled for september launch

 

[sniffies]

I guess they decided to reserve it for iOS 16

 

[sjpr]

Agree with wesd1234. Such a buggy feature, and even more annoying is that this was one of the key features of iOS 15 alongside the Safari redesign that’s been mostly retracted… so wth is iOS 15 for again?

 

[nikster0029]

Most disappointing update ever.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Bummer! possibly be available on iOS 15.1 or 15.2?

 

[Ninjaman]

What a shock. They can never launch 💯 of their promises. I’m sure we will see it next March or April

 

[btrach144]

That was like the main iOS 15 feature.

besides csam

 

[ProfessionalFan]

Wasn't this the biggest new feature of iOS15?

 

[ProfessionalFan]

Bummer! possibly be available on iOS 15.1 or 15.2?

Likely

 

[diamondsw]

Apple really needs to drop the annual cadence. Every two years would be fine - more stability for organizations, meatier OS updates, and more time for testing.

 

[Apple$]

Boooo! This was one of the features I was looking forward to.

 

[rdinterman]

Every year, over promise and under deliver...

 

[dguisinger]

Apple really needs to drop the annual cadence. Every two years would be fine - more stability for organizations, meatier OS updates, and more time for testing.

Or just release features when they are ready as smaller updates.

Then again, iOS 15 will be knowing as the backtracking release.
Whether they backtracked on UI changes (Safari), features (shareplay), or on PR (child safety)

 

[I7guy]

Apple really needs to drop the annual cadence. Every two years would be fine - more stability for organizations, meatier OS updates, and more time for testing.

They won't do it. Most people, I think, want these yearly releases.

As far as Shareplay, it will be released, when it gets released. Other than that, I'm liking the overall updates to ios 15.

 

[nvmls]

It's ok Apple, no one is surprised at this point.

 

[incoherent_1]

Apple decided they first needed to add filters that run hashes of your content through a database of Apple-approved TV shows /s

 

[swingerofbirch]

I haven't cared about features forever. I'd be happy if they just fixed/didn't ship buggy software. Like software with known bugs over multiple OSes that they don't seem to care at all about.

But this was *the* main feature from the consumer side of the WWDC keynote.

Not only that, it's a feature that had been partially implemented and taken away before in the form of iChat Theater. It's not really that new of an idea.

 

[nvmls]

Agree with wesd1234. Such a buggy feature, and even more annoying is that this was one of the key features of iOS 15 alongside the Safari redesign that’s been mostly retracted… so wth is iOS 15 for again?

CSAM & iPedo Pro.

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

I forgot that this was even a feature to be honest.

 

[clcnyc]

WHYYYYYY? This was the biggest feature of the update for me! Lame. What the hell else is there to look forward to with this “update” now?

 

[BornAgainMac]

Apple must have found a major show stopper in the testing.

 

[AppleFan91]

So iOS 15 is pretty much “hey we updated Safari” lol.
I’ve been using the beta since WWDC and it already felt like iOS 14.5. Not that it’s a bad thing, there just aren’t any larger, notably changes and now there are even less.

My “gut feeling” based on no evidence, is that there is a lot more to iOS 15 that they are working on behind the scenes for the new iPhone 13 (refresh rate, while hardware, will have software implementations. Also, potential always on display and complications on Lock Screen, etc). These would all need to be ready when iOS 15 launches for the new iPhone 13’s.