iOS 15: Flagship ‘SharePlay’ feature is on its way, new iPhone update suggests

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

One of the biggest features of iOS 15 finally looks set to be released, according to a new Apple update.

When Apple introduced the new version of the iPhone operating system in June, one of its flagship features was SharePlay, which allows people to watch films or TV shows together over FaceTime. But when iOS 15 was released, on Monday, it was missing.

Apple said over summer that the feature was not ready and that it would be removed from the beta, with the aim of introducing it properly “this fall”.

Now Apple has pushed out iOS 15.1 as an early beta to developers. It includes SharePlay, suggesting that Apple has overcome whatever problems forced it to delay it in the first place.

There is no guarantee that the arrival in the beta means that it will be coming soon, since it could be removed once more. Apple is also yet to announce when iOS 15.1 will actually arrive with the public.

The beta version of iOS 15.1 also lets people add important health documents such as Covid vaccination cards into their Health app, so that it can be pulled up more easily from within the phone.

SharePlay is one of a range of features announced for iOS 15 that are yet to arrive. Apple also said that it will bring “Digital Legacy” features to allow people to control what happens to their data after their death, the option to put keys into the Apple Wallet, and a Universal Control tool that connects up iPads and Macs and is likely to require MacOS Monterey to be released first.