Disney+ Seeks to Help Friends, Family Safely Connect With New GroupWatch Feature
By Allyson Vannatta, Senior Writer
After testing the feature in other markets, Disney+ is introducing a new watch party feature for U.S. subscribers.
It’s called GroupWatch and will allow up to six people to watch a TV show or movie all at the same time, Variety reports.
Jerrell Jimerson, SVP of product management for Disney Streaming Services, said, “In this moment when many are still apart from their friends and family, GroupWatch offers a way to safely connect virtually by co-viewing” in a statement obtained by The Verge.
This new feature allows viewers to send six different reaction emojis back and forth instead of a chat feature where participants could talk back and forth.
The purpose in not including the chat feature is to keep viewers focused on whatever they’re watching.
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“We were really focused on making it easy to use for friends and family… and making sure the viewing experience wasn’t tarnished,” Jimerson, said regarding why Disney did not include the text chat.
GroupWatch can be used on web, mobile apps, connected TV devices and smart TVs on any title viewers want to watch together.
According to Variety, this new viewing experience was already on the horizon for the app, but the coronavirus pandemic accelerated the development.
“Movies and TV shows are by their nature social, and people want to watch them together,” Jimerson said of the new feature.
To start a GroupWatch, invitations are sent by going to the details page of a show or movie and clicking the icon, which is located to the right of the play button.
Invitations to a GroupWatch have to be sent from the mobile app or web browser, but can be accepted on any connected TV or smart TV.
Anyone in the GroupWatch can pause, stop, rewind, or fast-forward the title.
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