Amazon Prime Video Launches ‘Watch Party’ Feature, Letting Up to 100 People Stream Together
https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/amazon-prime-video-launches-watch-party-1234693515/
Amazon’s Prime Video has jumped into the “Watch Party” pool — a streaming trend that has gained momentum during the coronavirus crisis.
The ecommerce company’s Prime Video service has started to gradually roll out Watch Party, its version of a native social-viewing experience, the company said Monday. Available for users on desktop PCs,
Prime Video’s browser-based Watch Party lets up to 100 people watch a TV show or movie together in one virtual room.
Using the feature, Prime members can host and participate in a Watch Party, with synchronized playback (which the host controls) and a chat sidebar to the right of the main video window.
For now, the feature is available only in the United States.
Also, it’s important to note,
each participant must have a Prime membership (and must be based in the U.S.); otherwise, it’s available for no additional charge.
The idea of online “watch parties” has been around for a few years, but with social distancing it has gained more currency.
And of course, subscription-video services are eager to promote anything that could help them acquire (or retain) customers.
