Amazon Prime Video's Watch Party feature has just become a lot more useful. It has rolled out to non-Amazon streaming devices, smart TVs, and the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 games consoles, TechCrunch reports. That means you can watch Amazon Prime Video remotely with friends using a much wider range of devices.
Previously it was only available on Amazon Fire TV devices, desktop computers, and the Prime Video app on iOS and Android.
Amazon first tested the feature on its Twitch streaming platform in 2019 before rolling it out to select devices.
Watch Party lets the 'host' create a link that they share with anyone they want to invite to the viewing session. Up to 100 people can watch, as long as they have an internet connection and a compatible device (and a subscription to Prime Video). Participants can also chat during the session, making it closer to group watching in person.
Only the host can pause, rewind and skip, so they're in charge of the virtual remote control.
Watch Party is currently only available in the US, and will display an error message if you try and watch through a VPN. It's not compatible with live events, Amazon Prime Video Channels or FreeVee (formerly known as IMDb TV). Want to rent a film? Everyone in the party will have to pay separately, which is a bit of a downer.
Amazon Prime Video isn't the only service to offer group watching remotely. Hulu and Disney Plus offer the same functionality, while Netflix viewers can watch together using the Teleparty browser extension (formerly known as Netflix Party).
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