Google wants more people using its VR app. So the company’s releasing a new feature called Watch Together that will allow individual users to watch VR videos in a more communal virtual environment.
The feature is being called ‘Watch Together’. You should be able to access it by tapping the Watch Together icon under the play controls on your Daydream View or Gear VR headset.
A Communal, Virtual Space to Watch Videos Together
Google made this announcement today in a blog post:
“We believe that one of the best ways to experience VR is with other people. So today we’re introducing a new feature in the YouTube VR app that lets you watch and discuss videos with others in a communal, virtual space,” says Google.
YouTube gave an example of what this “virtual space” would look like and it looks intriguing. Users can enter a party either with friends or complete strangers. In the example, users can do things like watch VR videos and ride in a virtual car together.
YouTube is also opening it VR app to Samsung’s Gear virtual reality devices
The YouTube VR app has been notably absent from the Oculus Store for Samsung VR headsets for some time now — since 2015. Well, Google’s finally bringing YouTube VR to the Oculus Store.
Up until this point, users had to get to YouTube VR through a web browser. Not the best way to access YouTube for VR viewing.
Will Watch Together attract more people to VR?
Virtual reality is still in its very early infancy, but it’s catching on. Google’s new feature seems like a fun use of the technology. It would be very interesting if Google decided to expand this idea and began to create more exhilarating VR videos that you’d want to experience with your friends in order to help promote Watch Together.
Whether the feature will catch on isn’t clear, but I’m sure there is a lot of people out there that would like to watch VR videos with their friends.
