Make Movie or Music Party with FaceTime

Apple announced new FaceTime features and enhancements at the annual WWDC in July. The main one is the SharePlay function, with which you can watch movies and listen to music along with your friends. Read below on how to organize a safe and COVID-compliant party using the new feature.

What Is SharePlay?

FaceTime will soon support the SharePlay option, thanks to which you can watch movies, TV shows and listen to music with friends in real-time. You can continue chatting while watching, and each participant is in control of the playback. By the way, this function is compatible with many third-party applications so that you can view absolutely any content with your friends.

Release Date

This option will be included in the new FaceTime app, which will be released along with the update for macOS 12 Monterey, iPadOS 15, iOS 15, and tvOS 15. Although the launch of this update is planned for the fall of 2021, the company representatives warned users that the new functionality would not be available right away. The exact release date is still unknown; another announcement from the developers is expected.

Options

SharePlay hasn't been made just for fun and parties. It can also be used for business purposes, such as reviewing project videos during official meetings.

Listen to the music

You can play a new song to a friend or share an album right during a conversation. Go to the Apple Music app, pick the track you want, click the "Play" button, and select the share option. Another person can also add any song to the queue to share with you. Controls (pause, stop, and skip) are available to all the participants.

Watch movies

You can start a movie or series from the streaming or TV app and watch it with your friends during a FaceTime conversation. If necessary, you can open other programs without stopping playback. Also, you can easily transfer video viewing from one device to another. For example, you can switch to Apple TV with neither loss in picture quality nor lag.

Share your screen

The opportunity to share your screen is sometimes a must, especially at work. With the new FaceTime feature, you can easily share it and collaborate with your friends and colleagues.

Services Supporting SharePlay

The list is not very large at the moment, but according to the developers' assurances, it will be replenished with different applications. The new feature will be available on all Apple devices with updated operating systems. Of course, the company's products, such as Apple Music and Apple TV, will support SharePlay. The list also includes such industry giants as Twitch, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, the NBA app, MasterClass, Zillow, TikTok, ESPN+, Paramount+, etc.

How to Start

The SharePlay feature is currently not available for general use, so there is a possibility that the final activation process might slightly differ from the beta version.

In the FaceTime app, you need to go to the settings, open the SharePlay tab, and enable this feature. Afterward, you can call a friend(-s) and activate the SharePlay option in the contact(-s) menu. Then start the track or video you want to demonstrate, and it will automatically load on the screen for all interlocutors. You can also create a link to the track or clip you need and share it with your friends in any way convenient for you.

Set Up a Party

Ensure all your friends have their devices updated to the latest versions. Make a group FaceTime call, and when everyone is connected, play a movie or series from supported streaming apps. All participants will watch the video at the same time, just like in a movie theater.