Disney+has introduced a new feature called GroupWatch. This new co-viewing feature will allow users to connect with friends and family as they can watch movies and shows from the entire Disney+ library together. The feature allows for up to seven people to watch together using synchronized playback. The feature is available across web, mobile, TV devices and Smart TVs.
The feature had originally been tested in Canada earlier this month before making a wider rollout. During quarantine, features like this have been quite popular. A third partyNetflix Party appbecame popular earlier in the year, with Hulu rolling out a similar feature as well. Now Disney+ is joining in as well, allowing for more options when it comes to safe, shared viewing experiences. Jerrell B Jimerson, SVP Product Management for Disney+, had this to say.
“Storytelling comes alive when you’re able to share and enjoy it with others, and in this moment when many are still apart from their friends and family, GroupWatch offers a way to safely connect virtually by co-viewing your favorite Disney+ stories with your favorite people from the comfort of your living room.”
GroupWatch’s synchronized playback feature will allow each participant to pause for abathroom break, or what have you, as well as play, rewind or fast forward, for the whole group. The feature also comes with six different emojis that can be used during watch parties including “like”, “funny”, “sad”, “angry”, “scared” and “surprised.”
This comes at a seemingly opportune time as Disney+ has some of its most highly-anticipated content of the year coming down the pipeline. First off,The Mandalorianseason 2 is set to kick off on October 30. That means you and some friends could have a weekly appointment with Mando and Baby Yoda, should you so choose. We also recently got confirmation thatWandaVisionis set to debut before the end of the year. This is the first live-action Marvel show developed for Disney+, which is heavily connected to the movies of Marvel Cinematic Universe.
