Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile

Apple’s iOS 15.1 and iPadOS 15.1 bring SharePlay, camera improvements, and more

By

Apple is rolling out iOS 15.1 and iPadOS 15.1, its third update to the current generation of iOS since it rolled out alongside the iPhone 13. The iOS 15.1 update brings SharePlay, which lets multiple Apple users enjoy movies, music, and other content together during FaceTime calls; ProRes video recording on the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max, among other improvements to the camera; and some additions to the Home, Shortcuts, Translate, and Wallet apps.

Among the slew of new features that iOS 15.1 delivers, SharePlay is bound to get most of the attention. As its name indicates, SharePlay offers multiple shared experiences using FaceTime, from browsing the web together to watching synchronized movies or TV shows to sharing content across the Apple Music, Apple Fitness+, Apple TV, and other App Store apps. It also gives each user the ability to play, pause, rewind, or fast-forward movies, shows, or music and automatically lowers the volume of the content when it detects someone speaking.

Apple Music and the FaceTime preferences pane being used during a SharePlay session on a Mac running MacOS Monterey.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Besides SharePlay, iOS 15.1 brings ProRes video recording to the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max. The video feature minimizes compression while recording a video to capture moire details, ensuring the highest-quality video for editing and post-processing. The update also adds a button to disable automatic switching to the macro mode, giving users more control over how to use the cameras. That was one of our big complaints in our review of the iPhone 13, so it’s nice to see.

Recommended Videos

You will now also be able to add your COVID-19 vaccination card to the Apple Wallet app. Additions to the Home app now let users automate different actions based on Homekit-based air quality, humidity, or ambient light sensors. You also get some new games to play with Siri, while the Translate app gets systemwide support for Mandarin Chinese (Taiwan). As with each update, iOS 15.1 also brings several bug fixes.

The iOS 15.1 update is now rolling out to supported devices globally, and you should be able to download it right away by heading over to the Settings app and clicking General > Software Update.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Tushar Mehta
Tushar Mehta
Tushar has a passion for consumer tech and likes to tinker with smartphones, laptops, wearables, smart home devices, and…
iOS 17.5 just launched with a huge security feature for your iPhone
Apple iPhone 15 Plus and Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max seen from the back.

Apple iPhone 15 Plus (left) and Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Apple has just released the iOS 17.5 update for iPhones, which brings a host of new features. For European Union residents, it enables Web Distribution, which means you can sideload apps from the internet and won’t be limited to the App Store.

Read more
Apple’s new iPads look amazing, but there’s one big problem
Renders of the 11-inch and 13-inch models of the iPad Pro 2024.

After a year-long drought, Apple finally released some new iPads during its Let Loose event on May 7. Though it was just the iPad Air and iPad Pro models that were updated, we did get a 13-inch option for the iPad Air along with the standard 11-inch size, as well as iPad Pros with new OLED displays.

The iPad Airs now come equipped with an M2 chip inside, while the iPad Pros mark the debut of the new M4 chip. Exciting stuff, right? Unfortunately, as enticing as the hardware is, there is still one thing holding the iPad back -- and it's all Apple's fault.
Exciting new hardware, boring old software
iPad Air 2024 Apple

Read more
5 phones you should buy instead of the iPhone 15 Plus
A person holding the Apple iPhone 15 Plus.

Apple iPhone 15 Plus Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The iPhone 15 Plus has all the features that people love in an iPhone 15, but with a larger screen. However, there might be some reasons why you may not want to purchase it — such as its price and the fact that it lacks some features compared to the iPhone 15 Pro series.

Read more