Photo Credit: Jaime Marrero
Apple has announced it is expanding SharePlay to include HomePods, Apple TV, and any generic Bluetooth speaker. SharePlay allows family and friends to control music playing on the speakers in your home. The feature was announced at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference this week and is expected to arrive this fall.
The new feature will extend the familiar CarPlay experience into the home, allowing other people access to what’s playing. The feature is similar to Spotify Jams, which allows people to contribute to a Spotify playlist, meaning no one person has to be in charge of the music anymore.
The person launching a new SharePlay session will need to have an Apple Music subscription, but those joining in to share music will not. All they’ll need to do is bring their iPhone next to the subscriber’s iPhone, or scan a QR code in the Apple Music SharePlay window. The host can approve the guest and then they’re allowed to share tracks to the playlist through their own Apple Music app.
The feature briefly appeared in the iOS 17.4 beta, but the feature was removed before that version of the OS was released. SharePlay debuted with iOS 15, allowing friends to stream music, online videos, and movies over FaceTime. The CarPlay implementation of SharePlay was released in iOS 17 and has arguably become the most important feature of SharePlay. With the release of iOS 18 means friends and family can finally share their tunes while at home just as easy as in the car.
Another interesting new feature Apple debuted is a new music haptics feature for people with hearing difficulties. The new feature uses the iPhone’s Taptic Engine to play taps, textures, and refined vibrations to the audio in the music—giving those with hearing difficulties a brand-new way to experience the music. The feature will work across millions of songs in the Apple Music catalog and for developers, will feature an API so it can be added to their apps.
