iOS 11.3 could be missing two big features when it finally makes its public debut this spring.
Messages on iCloud and AirPlay 2 are notably missing from early release notes. Both features, which were initially expected to come with iOS 11 last fall, have been hit by several days. Who knows when they will appear again.
Apple product delays have become a more frequent occurance under Tim Cook’s leadership. The average time between a product’s announcement and its release is now 23 days — twice as long as it was under Jobs. AirPods, HomePod, and other things were all pushed back before release.
Messages on iCloud and AirPlay 2 are missing
Now two features that were originally supposed to arrive last fall are being held back. Messages on iCloud and AirPlay 2 were supposed to be a part of iOS 11, but Apple pulled them before its public debut. They were then teased in early iOS 11.3 betas, but new information suggests they won’t surface.
French blog Mac4Ever has obtained release notes for iOS 11.3 ahead of its public release — and they make no mention of Messages on iCloud or AirPlay 2.
Apple pulled AirPlay 2 from the iOS 11.3 beta back in February and it’s yet to reappear, so it’s no surprise that it’s missing from the release notes. Apple is yet to offer an explanation for its postponement, or an indication when the feature might be available.
The same can be said for Messages on iCloud, which was also pulled from earlier beta releases.
We’re still waiting for iOS 11.3 to rollout to all. It has been made available on the new iPad, which isn’t actually available yet, but it is yet to appear on other devices.
