SharePlay, a new feature in iOS 15 that permits apps to bring user experiences right into FaceTime, is creatively supported in the video-sharing app TikTok which presents the user with a new page titled “For Us” when using the feature during a video call.
HIGHLIGHTS
- TikTok’s For You page becomes For Us when on a FaceTime call
- It’s an interesting implementation of Apple’s SharePlay feature
- With SharePlay, apps can share experiences inside FaceTime
TikTok’s SharePlay update brings a new For Us page
TikTok’s SharePlay implementation includes a new For Us page that appears when the feature is used during a FaceTime call on iPhone. If you use TikTok, you’re familiar with the app’s For You feed which recommends content that reflects your own preferences and interests. Read: How to share music and videos during FaceTime calls
But now, as spotted shared by Aether Aurelia on Twitter, when you activate SharePlay for TikTok during a FaceTime video call, the For You page gets renamed For Us to reflect that the user has switched from a solitary experience to a shared one.
To try out this feature, be sure that your iPhone is running the iOS 15.1 software or newer. If so, start a FaceTime video call with one or more participants, then go to the home screen, launch TikTok and hit the SharePlay icon to get started.
It’s essentially a synced page between the devices on the SharePlay session, it also seems to mix interests. From what I can tell it just mixes them, although when I swiped to the next video it seemed more targeted towards me, when Tom swiped it seemed targeted towards him https://t.co/rfcMwtj6Zc
— Aether Aurelia (@AetherAurelia) November 15, 2021
The SharePlay-only For Us feed, as its name suggests, is filled with videos that are recommended to the people who are on the FaceTime call. “It’s essentially a synced page between the devices on the SharePlay session, it also seems to mix interests,” notes Aurelia.
SharePlay is coming to Spotify and other major apps
In order for users to be able to enjoy their favorite apps together, developers must implement support for SharePlay using Apple’s official APIs. Many major apps like Spotify are working on adding SharePlay support.
Out of the box, SharePlay features are supported in several of Apple’s own apps that come pre-installed on iPhone, including Music, TV, Podcasts and Fitness+. With SharePlay-enabled apps that provide subscription content, like Apple’s own TV app, all participants must have the subscription to enjoy shared content.
For instance, if I start a SharePlay session to bring the latest episode of the Apple TV+ sci-fi show Foundation into a FaceTime call, everyone on the call will need to be subscribed to the Apple TV+ service before being able to watch the episode inside the FaceTime call.
SharePlay is also supported on Macs and Apple TVs.