The new feature is free and was rolled out globally this week on iOS and Android. It allows users to swipe up on a video call or Messenger Room and tap the new Watch Together option. Facebook says there are now 150 million video calls on Messenger a day, and that people send 200 million videos to one another daily. From here, you can select a video suggested for you or choose from a category, such as ‘TV & Movies,’ ‘Watched’, ‘or ‘Uploaded.’ Unlike some streaming websites, this new feature isn’t very limited with the number of people you can watch videos with. You can watch clips with up to eight people on a Messenger video call and up to 50 people in Rooms. In Facebook’s Watch Together announcement, Nora Micheva, Product Manager at Facebook, explains why they created the feature: During the pandemic, consumption of all types of media has surged across the globe – and with features like Watch Together, at least it adds a little more human connection in a detached time. Although Facebook has been late to the game compared to these streaming sites, it’s the first major social media site to add in the feature. Most companies are set to work from home until January 2021, but even once people are sent back, there’s still likely to be restrictions on how many people can be in one room. So, features like Watch Together might well be here to stay.
