Disney Plus movies add emojis and group games in a number of social features

Disney Plus movies add emojis and group games in a number of social features
Disney Plus now allows users to sync reading to watch as a group. With the new GroupWatch feature, up to seven users can now sync any movie, TV show or documentary to Disney Plus; any user can play, pause, rewind or fast forward the title at will. It can get chaotic if someone starts ``fighting for remote control,'' so to speak, but there's no denying the usefulness of allowing all members access to reading tools. In an age of lockdowns, endless Zoom calls, and a heavy reliance on digital platforms to stay connected with our friends and family, a video syncing feature seems like a very smart move from Disney. A series of emoji reactions that users can post to the screen (such as funny, sad, angry, scared, surprised) also allow viewers to share their emotional journey without committing the terrible crime of talking through a movie. GroupWatch works on "the web, mobile, smart TVs, and smart TVs," so any device that supports Disney Plus will also support this feature. (It should be noted that Panasonic TVs don't yet offer the app, but most smart TVs will otherwise.) The group sync feature, previously tested in Canada and New Zealand but only launching now in the US, adds a major new social element to Disney's streaming service. It should also launch in the coming weeks for the UK and Europe. However, US users can start by heading to the GroupWatch icon, a small circle with three digits, found next to the Play, Watchlist, and Download icons located on each title's homepages. A link can then be shared with other Disney Plus subscribers, though it must be from a mobile or web browser.

Let's be social

(Image credit: Disney) The rise of social features for online television has been inevitable for some time as streaming service providers look to engage more with their products and recreate the fun of watching a movie with their friends, even when you're in different houses. Especially in a period of limited in-person interaction, and movie networks closed or operating at reduced capacity, features like GroupWatch offer alternative interactions that can help some viewers feel more connected to loved ones. We've seen similar functionality through Netflix Party, a third-party Chrome plugin for syncing Netflix playback, as well as the official Watch Party feature on Amazon Prime Video. So Disney isn't the first to celebrate, but they've certainly ditched an official version and developed their own version of emoji. I wish we had these angry reactions when we tried to watch the Mulan remake... Today's best Disney Plus deals