Apple Photos to Enable Cross-Platform Album Sharing This Fall
Apple is expanding its iCloud Shared Albums feature to allow iPhone users to share full-resolution albums with Android and Windows device owners. This update, arriving in fall as part of iOS 17 and macOS 15, aims to rival Google Photos' cross-platform accessibility, ending current restrictions for non-Apple users.
Key points
- Apple will introduce cross-platform support for iCloud Shared Albums this fall.
- iPhone users will be able to share full-resolution albums with Android and Windows devices.
- Currently, Android users cannot view or join iCloud shared albums.
- The update is planned for inclusion in iOS 17 and macOS 15.
Apple announced during WWDC 2024 that its iCloud Shared Albums feature will soon support sharing with users on Android and Windows devices. This move represents a significant shift from the platform's current limitations, where non-Apple users are largely unable to participate in shared albums.
The upcoming update, slated for release this fall, will allow iPhone users to share albums at full resolution with friends and family regardless of their operating system. This brings Apple Photos' sharing capabilities closer to those offered by competitors like Google Photos, which has long provided open cross-platform sharing.
The enhancements are expected to be integrated into iOS 17 and macOS 15. Currently, while a limited iCloud for Windows app exists, it does not offer full functionality for shared albums, a gap this new feature aims to fill.
Sources
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