GroupWatch lets you watch content together and comment on it with friends in real time from your device. Here's how it works
After Netflix and other streaming platforms, Disney + is also launching a feature designed to watch movies, TV series and other content on multiple devices belonging to different profiles at the same time. The feature is called GroupWatch and allows you to share your content with other accounts subscribed to the service.
GroupWatch is ideal for this period, in which you are often forced to stay away from friends and family to follow the anti-county rules. Starting the feature is really simple, in fact you just need to share a link to start watching content together. But the real quality is that GroupWatch lets users exchange emoticons while watching. These appear on the screen of all devices and make the experience even more engaging and interactive. Currently, the feature has arrived in some parts of the world, but to see it in Europe you'll have to wait a little longer. In the meantime, however, it's useful to learn about it so that you can be prepared.
How to use Disney+'s GroupWatch
Jerrell B Jimerson, SVP Product Manager at Disney+ presented the feature to the public and said he was very pleased because it will allow users to have an even more fun and engaging experience. "GroupWatch will allow people to safely connect with each other and watch Disney+ stories together from the comfort of their couch."
To use the feature, simply select a piece of content from the platform. On the screen where the preview image is shown, there are a few buttons right below the title: in addition to the Play button, the one to add the title to your List and the one to download the content to your device, there is now also a GroupWatch icon.
Just click it from any device to immediately get a link to send to the person you want to watch the show with, provided they are subscribed to the service. You can invite up to a maximum of 6 users. Invitations have to be created from mobile or the web version, while the invited people can watch the content from any compatible device, including smart TVs.
The recipient at this point just has to click and launch the link to watch the content. The feature allows to pause, review a scene or skip certain parts: all these actions are enabled for the entire group of viewers. The moment the video stops, the person who decided to perform that action is shown on the device. For example, "Giulia has paused the video".
Disney +: how to interact with GroupWatch
GroupWatch was created not only to watch a movie or a TV series at the same time, but also to encourage interaction between users.
In fact, while they are in front of the screen, people can exchange emoticons in real time. To do so, you need to access the appropriate section of the app and select a simple Like or a sad, angry, in love, scared and surprised face. The emoji look a lot like Facebook reactions.
The feature was initially launched in Canada on September 10, later reaching Australia and New Zealand the following week. Starting from this it will be gradually available in the United States, while to see it on European devices, and therefore also in Italy, it will be necessary to wait a few more weeks.