Google is apparently keenly aware of the rising popularity of services that allow users to watch streaming media at the same time while communicating.
Google+ members now have the ability to watch a YouTube video using the service’s group video chat Hangouts feature. YouTube product manager Brian Glick announced the addition Thursday in a note.
“Just click on ‘Share’ underneath any video, and then click on ‘Start a Google+ Hangout’ in the bottom right-hand corner,” Glick writes in the note. (We’ve also included a screenshot above to provide a better visual.)
The feature may end up killing new services like Chill and Rolling.fm, which allow (or have plans to allow) people to watch embedded videos in the background.
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However, unlike those services, Google+ doesn’t offer the ability for users to customize their own avatar and/or “viewing room.”
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