Apple to launch photo sharing functionality in iCloud at WWDC

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Apple is expected to upgrade its iCloud service with new photo sharing functionality at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference in June, according to a new report.

The new features will be announced when WWDC kicks off on June 11, according to The Wall Street Journal. The new functionality will allow users to share photos with others and also comment on them.

That's a major improvement from the current Photo Stream functionality in iCloud, which simply syncs pictures across devices rather than giving users the ability upload and share them publicly or with friends.

If true, the new photo sharing functionality would be another attempt at social networking on the part of Apple. The company launched a social networking component of iTunes with Ping in 2010, but that effort has largely failed to gain traction despite integration with Twitter.

Monday's report also reaffirmed that Apple is planning to add support for synced Notes and Reminders to an upgraded iCloud.com website. Apple itself tipped its hand to those upgrades last week, when the site beta.icloud.com was temporarily accessible to the public.

iCloud


Last week Apple's regular iCloud.com site also showed a test banner notification to users, suggesting that feature is also in the works for the iCloud website. Monday's report made no mention of Web-based notification syncing for iCloud.

Apple will show off the future of both iOS and OS X at WWDC when it kicks off on June 11 in San Francisco, Calif. The company is expected to reveal more about this summer's OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion update, and also unveil iOS 6 for iPhone and iPad.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 29
    In before trolls say Apple is copying Samsungs new photo sharing feature or trying to make their own Instagram.

    Never mind that since Photostream came out last year people have been requesting this feature to be added.
  • Reply 2 of 29
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    In before trolls say Apple is copying Samsungs new photo sharing feature or trying to make their own Instagram.
    Never mind that since Photostream came out last year people have been requesting this feature to be added.

    Or that people have been wanting MobileMe Gallery replacement for iCloud. Doesn't that just leave an app agnostic file sharing service for iCloud (IOW, a modern and secure version of iDisk)?
  • Reply 3 of 29
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member


    Can't wait. This event should really flesh-out iCloud. They got the basics right, as it's an extremely integrated, robust, and seamless system. Now they just need to add on the features. 

  • Reply 4 of 29
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,403member


    Meh. Not holding my breath. I'll believe it when I see it.


     


    I have never understood Apple's inability to do much that's interesting or innovative in this space.


     


    If/when they give me unlimited storage (that I'l be willing to pay for) and allow me to upload all my files, I'll start to get excited.

  • Reply 5 of 29


    I see this as being more of a replacement of MobileMe's gallery - than a social network - but hey everything is social these days. I think Apple care more about allowing people to do things with technology that they would in the real world - I'm not sure Apple is really motivated by creating a new Facebook. But what do I know - I don't work at Apple?

  • Reply 6 of 29
    porchlandporchland Posts: 478member


    Good to hear that Apple is focusing on photos in iCloud, but I'm more interested in being able to manage photos and folders with iCloud as the mother ship instead of my Mac.


     


    Basically, I want a photos version of iTunes Match, where everything lives in iCloud and I can download photos/folders whenever I want to whatever device I want.

     

  • Reply 7 of 29
    christophbchristophb Posts: 1,482member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    Or that people have been wanting MobileMe Gallery replacement for iCloud. Doesn't that just leave an app agnostic file sharing service for iCloud (IOW, a modern and secure version of iDisk)?


     


    And the "Family Pack" concept that allowed sharing the purchased storage across multiple accounts.  

  • Reply 8 of 29
    rg19rg19 Posts: 8member


    Yes!  Thank you.  The only remaining wildcard is if/how movies will be handled.  The loss of MobileMe Galleries hurts.


     


    Do you have any idea how wonderful it is to purchase for family members a $99 Apple TV when they live across the country and you want to share important events (like children, grandchildren, weddings, etc.).  Then, fully integrated with iPhoto and iMovie, you can create albums or movies and then upload and manage them directly to MobileMe Galleries.  You send off a quick email to family members - "check out your Apple TV for a new album!"  They can see photos or high quality movies sitting in their living room on their nice HDTV, rather than huddled around an outdated laptop or their super slow old PC.


     


    Short of this rumor coming true, with the loss of MobileMe Galleries, there was going to be no fully-integrated method to replicate this: from my iPhone (for video) or DSLR (via eye-fi) to my Mac, right into iPhoto or iMovie, edit and create album within iPhoto/iMovie, upload to MobileMe, and then viewable from the easy to use interface (especially for grandparents) of AppleTV in their living rooms.


     


    It is also often the first Apple product in the homes of those older generations, and usually ends up not being the last.

  • Reply 9 of 29
    yensid98yensid98 Posts: 311member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Porchland View Post


    Good to hear that Apple is focusing on photos in iCloud, but I'm more interested in being able to manage photos and folders with iCloud as the mother ship instead of my Mac.


     


    Basically, I want a photos version of iTunes Match, where everything lives in iCloud and I can download photos/folders whenever I want to whatever device I want.

     



    That's a nifty idea!


     


    What I really want though is a replacement for the Web Galleries of MobileMe. They are elegant, easy to use and customizable.  I use the Mobile Me galleries monthly for sharing photos with a group of people.  We can all contribute so there is one place we all can go to access all the photos from an event.  I can't find another service that offers anything like it. Hopefully this new iCloud service will not only incorporate the feature but make it even better.  Honestly, it's the loss I feel most in the move from MobileMe to iCloud.


     


    So far iCloud is excellent for synching but extremely poor in sharing with others.

  • Reply 10 of 29
    woodlinkwoodlink Posts: 198member
    And yet all of these functions are / were part of Mobile Me

    Come on Apple, not impressed.
  • Reply 11 of 29
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member


    Still waiting for the ability to delete them from iCloud (not just a device)........


     


    If I can do it for my uploads on iTunes Match, why can't I do it for my "uploaded" photo stream photos?

  • Reply 12 of 29
    yensid98yensid98 Posts: 311member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Woodlink View Post



    And yet all of these functions are / were part of Mobile Me

    Come on Apple, not impressed.


    I agree.  MobileMe is a MUCH better service than iCloud.  I'd gladly continue to pay for it. $60 (from third party vendors) for it's services was a pittance.  Now iCloud is free but looses much of the functionality.

  • Reply 13 of 29
    rg19rg19 Posts: 8member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Andysol View Post


    Still waiting for the ability to delete them from iCloud (not just a device)........


     


    If I can do it for my uploads on iTunes Match, why can't I do it for my "uploaded" photo stream photos?



    You can.  Make sure you are on latest iPhoto and iOS.  It will warn you how it will delete from the photo stream on all devices.

  • Reply 14 of 29
    macologistmacologist Posts: 264member


    I really hope that Apple reads this and other posts…, and not just it's own Feedback...


     


    I'd like to move my MobileMe Galleries to iCloud, so that they work seamlessly with my iPhoto. To me that's the next logical step, a No Brainer. 


     


    I like MobileMe Galleries Privacy, Passwords for iWeb Site… 


     


    If they MobileMe Galleries etc is to go Social, I'd like Apple to have these features:


     


    Notify when there is a New Comment 


    Approval for Comments  


     


    Let's face it, Facebook with it's Rules, is not for All Situations… Page = Public, Personal is Personal… 


     


    iWeb MobileMe Galleries allowed disabling of Download of the Photos. But one could still do a  Screenshot. Ideally, it'd be nice if Apple had Yes/No Disable Screenshots in Galleries. Apple already Disabled Screen Capture of Stills + Video in DVD Player!!!


     


    For now, I'd like to move my MobileMe Galleries to iCloud, so that they work seamlessly with my iPhoto. To me that's the next logical step, a No Brainer. 

  • Reply 15 of 29
    alex1983alex1983 Posts: 1member


    Finaly!!!

  • Reply 16 of 29


    Apple already added this. Everyone just forgot already somehow. https://www.icloud.com/journals/sample/

  • Reply 17 of 29
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by franktinsley View Post

    Apple already added this. Everyone just forgot already somehow. https://www.icloud.com/journals/sample/


     


    WHAT THE HECK IS THIS THIS IS AWESOME HOW DO I GET HERE AND HOW DO I GET BACK?!


     


    Ah… from iPhoto. Crying shame.

  • Reply 18 of 29
    patranuspatranus Posts: 366member


    Photo sharing (IE Gallery) integrated with iPhoto is DESPERATELY needed before MobileMe expires.


    Its the only way elderly relatives can share photos because it is SO easy.  Just click a button in iPhoto, not Facebook, flickr, ect. needed.


    (Still not sure why they eliminated group emails in iPhoto but hopefully that returns with whatever they replace Gallery with(

  • Reply 19 of 29
    yensid98yensid98 Posts: 311member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    WHAT THE HECK IS THIS THIS IS AWESOME HOW DO I GET HERE AND HOW DO I GET BACK?!


     


    Ah… from iPhoto. Crying shame.



    The iOS iPhoto Photo Journals are pretty snazzy, and a half-way replacement for MobileMe's Web Galleries.  However, they are missing a few key features (password protection and he ability for the people you share them with to add photos of their own).  Also, I find them a bit too difficult to create on an iPhone.  They work best on the iPad.


     


    Hopefully, Photo Journals are added to iPhoto on the Mac in a not too distant update.

  • Reply 20 of 29
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    andysol wrote: »
    Still waiting for the ability to delete them from iCloud (not just a device)........

    You've been able to do that for awhile now. It was part of 5.1

    What I want to know is if this report is talking about something other than Journals which is part of iPhoto for ios or not
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