With its most recent update, the ESPN app has finally brought SharePlay support to all Apple device users. SharePlay has been a long-requested feature for ESPN+ as it allows iPhone and iPad owners to watch and share content across multiple devices via FaceTime.
When it was first introduced, SharePlay seemed like the perfect tool for a company like ESPN to utilize as watching sports games with friends and family is how many fans engage with games. Now that it’s finally here, fans won’t need to be in the same room to enjoy watching games together. This feature is especially welcome now in the current pandemic landscape that frequently keeps people from being physically close.
Currently, ESPN supports SharePlay on iPhones and iPads with the iOS 15.1 and the iPadOS 15.1 updates, but is planning on bringing it to Apple TV in an update coming later this month, according to an official ESPN press release. The release specifies that SharePlay is usable for all aspects of ESPN+, from live-streamed games to the app’s original content.
SharePlay allows up to 32 different device owners to all watch content in a single session, opening the door for large-scale remote viewing parties for sports games on ESPN+. It’s important to note that all parties looking to stream ESPN+ content with others through SharePlay will need to be logged in to an ESPN+ account before sharing. All devices will also need to be up to date with the iOS 15.1 or iPadOS 15.1 updates to support SharePlay.
The ESPN+ SharePlay features are currently only available in the U.S., with no word on support for other countries or regions.
