As the cost of living continues to rise, it has become more important than ever to ensure that the streaming services we pay for offer the best value for money.
Amazon, for its part, is doing its best to keep Prime Video subscribers who enjoy watching movies and TV shows with others by expanding support for the platform's popular Watch Party feature to a multitude of streaming devices. including Roku streaming devices, smart TVs, and game consoles.
The feature, which allows up to 100 people with a Prime subscription to watch content at the same time, was previously only available on Fire TV devices, desktop web browsers, and the Prime Video mobile app. Its expansion was first reported by TechCrunch (opens in a new tab).
At this time, Watch Party remains exclusive to US subscribers and is only compatible with library content included in a standard Prime Video subscription - viewers cannot host a group session for movie rentals, live sports, Live or Movies & TV from Freevee (formerly known as IMDbtv). shows
The feature gained popularity at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, when friends and family were confined to their homes but still wanted to enjoy entertainment content with each other remotely. Other streaming services, including Disney Plus, Hulu, and HBO Max, launched similar features around the same time.
Unlike Prime Video, Netflix doesn't have a group-viewing feature in the app, and while the desktop version of the latter service does support the Teleparty browser extension, the streamer's lack of proprietary sharing software is a feather. missing in another function. - stacked plug.
Of course, Prime Video's new Watch Party feature doesn't make Amazon's platform an inherently better streaming service. In truth, the ability to enjoy content remotely with others is unlikely to have a significant impact on consumers' decisions to keep or cancel their streaming subscriptions.
Still, Prime Video's expansion of a feature that its biggest competitor has yet to properly implement can only improve the health of a streamer whose content offering continues to strengthen.
For more on the state of Amazon Prime Video in 2022, check out our preview of the platform's upcoming Lord of the Rings TV show and the mystery surrounding its most popular series.