Apple’s SharePlay, a feature that enables Watch Party-like interactions on the supported devices, won’t be ready in time for iOS 15’s launch this fall. The company shared the news via an update on its developer site, and adding that it expects the feature to arrive via a post-launch update later in the year.
Announced back at WWDC, SharePlay allows users to check out content, including TV shows and movies, through a shared viewing experience — similar to the watch party features we’ve seen pop up on various streaming services. So friends and family on, say, a Group FaceTime call can watch a movie together and share reactions via chat, video, and voice.
For now, though, Apple says it’s disabling the feature on recent beta releases of iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and macOS. And SharePlay will remain off limits when iOS 15 launches in the fall.
“We’re thrilled with the high level of enthusiasm we’ve seen from the developer community for SharePlay, and we can’t wait to bring it to users so that they can experience your apps with their friends and family in a whole new way,” Apple said in its post.
We’ll keep an eye out for more info on the feature’s eventual release, and we’ll share updates as soon as we learn more.
Meanwhile, iOS 15 and Apple’s next iPhone line are expected to make an appearance in the coming weeks during what’s typically a very busy season for the company.