iCloud Shared Photo Library Still Coming This Year; New ‘Clean Energy Charging’ for iPhone

Apple today released iOS 16, watchOS 9 and tvOS 16, while it also released macOS 12.6, iPadOS 15.7 and iOS 15.7 for users of older devices.

The iOS 16 press release also reiterates what the company’s website has been saying: iCloud Shared Photo Library is delayed and will becoming “later this year.” The feature allows up to 6 family members to collaborate, share and enjoy a separate iCloud library.

Apple also stated ‘Clean Energy Charging’ will debut for the U.S., noting it “aims to decrease the carbon footprint of the iPhone by optimizing charging times for when the grid is using cleaner energy sources.” It’s unclear if that means Apple will be working with specific utilities to determine the hours of clean energy sources, to apply iPhone optimized charging, says for example when solar or wind energy sources are powering grids.

It’s unclear if this feature will ever expand outside the U.S., to other nations such as Canada, which has lots of clean hydropower in select provinces.

For the Matter universal smart home standard, iOS 16 will support this “later this fall”.