Facebook Watch, the social network’s dedicated video streaming platform, is finally launching internationally – a year after it became available to users in the United States.
The social network’s answer to YouTube and Netflix features a host of original videos, with viewers encouraged to engage and interact with fellow viewers via more traditional likes, reactions, comments and shares.
Facebook Watch will now appear as a dedicated section in the main Facebook app, while it’ll also be available through the Facebook Video app for Apple TV, Samsung Smart TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Xbox One, and Oculus TV.
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The social network says it’ll help users around the globe discover new videos, to stay in touch with their favourite creators and publishers, while also providing a repository for videos users want to view at their leisure. Facebook also says it is building new interactive videos that enable viewers to participate and shape the nature of the content.
In a blog post on the launch, Facebook says: “Over time you’ll be able to find new video experiences in your Watch feed, like Watch Parties, Premieres, and videos focused on audience participation — like the new trivia game show, Confetti. And we’ll make it easier to find live videos so you can discuss the big moments as they’re happening.”
Facebook says more than 50 million people in the US are using Facebook Watch for at least a minute each month, while there’s been a 14-fold increase in total viewing time this year. The company touts the popularity of content like Red Table Talk with Jada Pinkett Smith, Huda Kattan’s behind-the-scenes show Huda Boss and live Major League Baseball games.
Of course the global launch will give Facebook more opportunities to bring in advertising revenue from pre-roll content, which should certainly give YouTube food for thought in nations where it currently dominates the market.
Can Facebook Watch challenge YouTube’s dominance? Drop us a line with your thoughts @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
