One of the photo highlights for families and groups in iOS 16 is coming later. Apple wants to update the shared iCloud photo library with a delay.
Anyone who takes a lot of photos with their iPhone and wants to share them in a private group should be able to do this much more easily with iOS 16. In addition, Apple has announced the new function of a shared iCloud photo library. With the feature, anyone can be invited to a photo group to share and even edit images together. However, Apple currently seems to have problems with the implementation: The shared iCloud photo library is delayed.
Delay communicated via footnote
Apple announced this in the official press release for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus in a plain footnote. “iCloud Shared Photo Library makes it easier to share photo collections with family,” the statement said. “iCloud Shared Photo Library will be available through a software update later this year.” Apple didn’t say what “later this year” actually means. It would be conceivable that the group would activate the shared iCloud photo library in October. Then come macOS 13 and iPadOS 16, which should also support the function in their respective photos app.
Currently, the shared iCloud Photo Library can already be tested in the beta version of iOS 16. According to previous reports, the feature works well so far, but it is always advisable to only use such brand new iCloud offers with a specially created demo account so as not to affect your own photo collection if there are still bugs. Apple has not announced whether this exists and what triggers the delay.
What iCloud Shared Photo Library can do
With iCloud Photo Library Shared, not only can groups share photos, but anyone who’s invited can edit them, too. You can mark people in the photo, create captions, select favorites and even make edits. There is no rights management, every user can do everything as long as he has been invited. This should be considered when using it. Everyone involved can also upload new photos.
iOS 16 will officially be launched on September 12th, which is next Monday. The free update runs on iPhones from generation 8 and 8 Plus, which were released in 2017. With the SE models, however, only the third generation from 2022 is included. iPadOS 16 and macOS 13 aka Ventura are currently expected in mid-October, but there is no exact date here yet.
