Facebook recently started connecting your Messenger and Instagram chats some time ago. In 2018, it launched the Watch Together feature that allowed users to set up virtual rooms to watch the live stream. Now, the company has taken the next step by rolling out a feature that allows friends to watch TV shows together. The Messenger Rooms feature was launched by Facebook in April as part of its efforts to bring virtual socialization to users in the midst of the Covid-19-led lockdown. With the latest update, Facebook users can sign up for Messenger and enjoy the Watch Party experience. In recent months, several service providers have jumped on this bandwagon to create a virtual experience for users, as social distancing standards have kept socializing to a minimum. While Hulu and Disney Plus already allow the option to watch the party, a few others have added this feature as well. However, none of the OTT platforms in India provide it at the moment. The challenge for Facebook right now is that, unlike OTT platforms, it has very little content to offer on Watch Together. The company seems to be aware of its downsides and currently offers Community and Dawson's Creek and may add more in the coming days. What is unique here is that the platform supports video creation and virtual viewing from a room with friends. "Watch Together is great for creators, whether you're an artist, DJ, chef or personal trainer, your community can see and interact with your video in a Messenger video call," says Nora Micheva, Product Manager at Facebook in an article of Blog. The company also revealed a partnership with celebrity fitness trainer and author Melissa Alcantara to create a series of fitness videos that could allow users to virtually workout with their friends and motivate each other toward fitness goals. And this is how it works:
- Start a Messenger video call or create a Messenger room
- Select a suggested video for you
- You can also choose from a category: TV and Movies, Viewed or Downloaded.
- Search for Melissa Alcantara in the Watch Together search bar
- That's all. You are ready to watch and train with your friends.