It's now official that iOS 15 is here, but there are some exciting new features still to come

On the product pages of Apple's operating systems, I found features that aren't yet visible on iPhones and iPads, such as SharePlay, improved AirPod Find My support, and Universal Control. Unless Universal Control, which isn't available (yet) for the iPhone, not all features are available on both platforms.

Probably the most noticeable missing feature is SharePlay, which enables users to watch videos and listen to music on FaceTime calls with their friends. Apple warned us (and developers) about the delay after removing SharePlay from beta testing, but it remains difficult to figure out how to do it. My first thought was that this was a critical role. As a result, many other features are suppressed - Apple recently announced that a group fitness workout would be held back until SharePlay is released.

Also, Apple says it has not provided better AirPods support until late this fall. A close-up view like AirTag was announced at WWDC, and Apple states that some headphones have the feature. With some Android versions, you can now connect your Find My network to your AirPods Pro and Max, so you can find them even if you're not physically separated. As someone who is currently missing a set of AirPods (and wanting to find them is draining like an earphone battery), this is probably the most painful delay.

One of the most prominent missing features is SharePlay, which lets users watch videos with friends over FaceTime. We (and developers) were warned about the delay after SharePlay was removed from beta tests, but it still seems awkward given how significant the feature appeared at first. The delay is made worse because Apple has stopped developing other features until SharePlay is available.

Also, Apple says that better Find My Support for AirPods won't be available until later this fall. Some of Apple's headphones will get an AirTag-like proximity view, Apple announced at WWDC. The AirPods Pro and iPhone Max will be able to connect to the Find My network, making it easier to find them even if they aren't physically present. In my opinion, the most frustrating part of this delay is probably the current lack of AirPods (and my hope that they might still be found).

As of now, the App Store also doesn't have a feature that shows in-game events, live video streams, and other limited-time features. There is an asterisk next to it, indicating that it will be available sometime later this fall. iPad users will also have to wait for the incredible-looking Universal Control feature, which lets you share a cursor seamlessly between Macs and iPads. Universal Control's omission from the launch shouldn't be a surprise: unlike SharePlay, it didn't make an appearance in the betas, and the feature is dependent on Mac OS Monterey, which isn't yet available.

How Universal Control on macOS Monterey Works

In addition, new AirPods and MacBook Pros may be on the way this fall, with predictions of a new event focused on these devices. I try to keep in mind that rumors should be taken with a grain of salt, but it makes sense that Apple would wait to launch a new version of macOS and new hardware if it's really that close.

My colleague Chaim wrote a fantastic review of Apple's new iOS and iPadOS upgrades if you'd like to learn about the features that made it into the new updates. The demo was impressive because it was so easy and seamless. Apple moved in a classic way: there was You don't need to set anything up. The segment happened so fast that it even appeared (incorrectly, as it turns out) that the Mac had physically found the iPad in space, so it knew where to place the mouse pointer.

As a result of Zaprudering the clip and asking Apple a few questions, I now have a better understanding of what's going on. Despite initially appearing complicated, the system is actually quite simple. It's basically repurposing some existing technologies that Apple has already developed. In that sense, Universal Control is not a joke - sometimes the best features of software come from clever thinking, not just brute force technological advancements. Let's take a look at what happens in the demo. As a first step, you should get the Mac and iPad close to each other. Continuity and Handoff are built into Universal Control, as they have been on iOS and macOS for years. In close proximity, the Bluetooth modules of the devices communicate with each other. The devices here must all be connected to the same iCloud account for this to work.

An iPad will show a small bar on the side with a bump at this point indicating that it has made a Wi-Fi Direct connection. There's a kind of indication here that the iPad realizes what you're doing. Drag the bump and the pointer becomes circular, breaking free. Both the mouse on your Mac and the keyboard on your iPad will control the iPad when they are placed on the screen. You can then control the Mac by moving it back to it. 

As I mentioned above, what interests me most about this system is that it is only possible thanks to a series of software enhancements built into the iPad over the years, including:

1. Continuous handoff, handoff with airdrop, and AirDrop. Though not technically AirDrop, Universal Control is based on the same basic idea. All of these methods allow Apple devices to communicate directly with one another instead of via the cloud.
2. The multitasking process. The improved windowing features on the iPad didn't come with split-screen but instead came with drag-and-drop ability.
3. Keyboard and mouse support are available. Although that’s an obvious prerequisite, it wasn’t always apparent that Apple would implement a mouse interface for the iPad.

An automobile. You can use Sidecar to turn an iPad into a second Mac monitor. It's not clear if Universal Control uses the same bits of software as Sidecar, but there may be lessons to be learned about latency there.

During next month's release of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, tvOS 15, watchOS 8, and macOS 12 Monterey, Apple will release new versions of these operating systems. FaceTime SharePlay will not be available in its entirety for a while. You can look forward to a multitude of features, however.

With future iOS 15 updates, Apple will make this feature available. 
SharePlay will not be available in its initial release of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 developer beta six, Apple announced to developers in a note.
"SharePlay will be enabled again for developers in future beta releases and in software updates for the general public later this fall."

In order to continue your development, Apple has provided a SharePlay Development Profile that will enable the successful creation and reception of GroupSessions using the Group Activities API.