Sometimes a project takes a bit longer than expected.
Apple has quietly informed customers that its shared iCloud Drive folders feature, which would have directly competed with Dropbox, has been pushed back to 2020.
Prior to Tuesday, the macOS All Features page had an asterisk for iCloud folder sharing that said the addition would be coming later this fall. Overnight, the text has changed to “coming this spring.”
The Communication Limits for Screen Time feature has also been pushed back as well.
The corresponding iOS 13 All Features page has not yet been updated to reflect the new timeline. It seems almost certain, though, that it will also be pushed back to the spring.
The iCloud Drive system was overhauled during the iOS 13 beta period, adding new features such as folder sharing and the ability to pin files to stay downloaded. Unfortunately, a number of beta testers reported issues with data loss and data corruption. Apple, in turn, reverter the iCloud Drive daemon to its previous version prior to the recent release and updates of iOS 13.
Shared folders would have allowed an Apple user to share a folder once with friends, and have everyone be able to see the contents of that folder as it changed. Shared recipients would also be able to add and edit files in the folder. This has been a key feature of Dropbox for years. Apple’s current iCloud Drive system only allows users to share and edit single files, not whole directories.
Other features that were demoed but might have to wait include Announce Messages with Siri, HomeKit Secure Video, AirPlay 2 speakers in automations, Image Capture API, and HomeKit-enabled routers. It seems as if these features might arrive via iOS 13.2 down the line.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.