SharePlay is one of the newest features to come with iOS 15 and even though popular streaming services like Apple TV+, Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ and others have support for it, there are still plenty of streaming apps that need to add it.
For those who do not know, SharePlay works with users that are running at least iOS and iPadOS 15.1 or higher on their device, and then make a FaceTime call, select a streaming service like the ones listed above, and then watch a TV show or movie together over FaceTime. It is available on the Mac with a Mac running macOS Monterey 12.1 or newer.
This is an important feature given the COVID-19 pandemic and people spending more time at home, and just the overall ability to have a binge-a-thon or movie night without the need to have all of your friends and family in the same room.
With that said, we are still looking for a number of streaming apps to get SharePlay support. You can see which ones there are below:
- HBO Max: With its huge collection of movies and TV shows, as well as the addition of newer straight-out-of-the-theater films, HBO Max is certainly a service where SharePlay could come in handy. If it were added to just the ad-free model for $14.99 a month, it could potentially bring a little more value to it and help people make that decision, as opposed to choosing its ad-supported tier for $9.99 a month.
- Peacock: Since the streaming service will be getting live MLB Sunday, Monday and Wednesday Night Baseball games, as well as other live sporting events throughout the year that include a plethora of Indy Car races and NFL Sunday Night Football games, on top of the TV shows and movies available on the service, SharePlay should be added to Peacock sooner rather than later. Watching “The Office” is great, but watching it with friends is even more fun.
- Paramount+: Even though SharePlay can be used on it through Apple TV Channels, Paramount needs to add it to Paramount+. It is a streaming service that is still sort of finding itself and seeing what kind of content it should acquire and produce, so adding the ability for SharePlay for others that might not have it (so it can be shared with the person who does have it) could be a way for them to see Paramount+ content. With new TV shows like “Halo” and the second season of the “iCarly” reboot being released tomorrow, as well as other new original programming, Paramount+ does have a need for this. It as announced by Apple that Paramount+ will be one of the partners for this feature, so it does look at though the company does plan to add it to its app at some point.
- Prime Video: It’s the same story as many of the streaming services mentioned in this article. The service needs it so users can watch hours of content with their friends and family.
- Netflix: Since it is the most popular of all the streaming services on the U.S. market right now, having to ask for SharePlay support at this point is unacceptable. It should be on Netflix as this is being written. Perhaps adding it might justify all of those price increases?
- Spotify: Apple Music already has support for it, so since that is Spotify’s biggest competitor, it might be best for it to adopt SharePlay functionality and add another way for it to be a viable competitor.
When would be the best time to add SharePlay to these streaming services?
I’d say all of the streaming services listed above should have SharePlay support by the first day of summer. Kids will want to watch TV with their friends and classmates while they are away from school and maybe cannot see them as much.
What are your thoughts on the streaming services mentioned above needing SharePlay support? Comment below or let us know on Twitter at @appleosophy.
