Plex, a media software startup and streamer, is expanding its service to become more than just a streaming hub. The company has launched a new feature called "Discover Together" that allows users to create profiles and find friends to discover new shows or movies to watch.
A Shift towards a Social Network
The idea behind "Discover Together" was first introduced in beta testing last summer but has been updated and expanded as it rolls out today to Plex’s wider user base. The company wants to lay the groundwork for Plex to become more than just a streaming hub – it wants to become a streaming community as well.
How ‘Discover Together’ Works
With "Discover Together," users can add their friends to see which movies and shows they’re watching, bookmarking for later, and how they’re rating the content they viewed. Over time, Plex plans to use this data to provide personalized recommendations to users based on their friends’ viewing habits.
Key Features of ‘Discover Together’
- Friendship System: Users can add friends and see what they’re watching.
- Content Sharing: Friends can share content with each other.
- Personalized Recommendations: Plex will use user data to provide personalized recommendations based on their friends’ viewing habits.
Impact of ‘Discover Together’
The launch of "Discover Together" is a significant milestone for Plex, which has been impacted by the advertising slowdown in recent quarters. Despite laying off 20% of its staff, the company remains committed to providing users with a seamless and enjoyable streaming experience.
Plex’s Response to Advertising Slowdown
In response to the advertising slowdown, Plex has updated other parts of its software experience as well. For personal media users, for example, Plex will now allow users to report issues with a title, the wrong language or subtitles, and the owner of the server will get an email alerting them to the problem.
Availability of ‘Discover Together’
The "Discover Together" feature is available today on Plex’s website, its mobile app, and its TV apps for streaming media players, including Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Roku, smart TVs (LG, Hisense, Samsung, Sony, Vizio), game consoles, tablets, and more.
Conclusion
Plex’s expansion into a social network is an exciting development in the world of streaming. With "Discover Together," users can now discover new content based on their friends’ viewing habits, creating a more engaging and interactive experience.