TikTok Launches Floating Player for Desktop, Allowing Users to Watch Videos While Browsing Other Websites
TikTok
TikTok launched a new Floating Player for desktop. When watching videos on a desktop, a new Floating Player icon appears at the bottom of the video player. Upon clicking it, the video generates in its own separate player.
Users can move this around on their screen and continue watching the video and subsequent videos while navigating other websites and apps. New videos will continue to play one after another. If a video was started from a creator's profile, the next video from that creator will play. If a video was started from the For You feed, the next video that TikTok recommends will play. Users can also manually scroll to the next and previous videos.
Users can return to the full TikTok experience by clicking the full-screen icon, which will take them back to the tab where they were originally watching TikTok.
Why It Matters: The Floating Player feature caters to the multitasking nature of many users. Instead of being confined to the TikTok desktop app, users can now watch videos while browsing other websites or working on different tasks. This feature is particularly beneficial for those who watch how-to and tutorial videos, as it allows them to follow along more easily while working on related tasks, especially those involving software or computer-based activities.
Additionally, the Floating Player supports TikTok’s push towards longer-form video content by enabling users to consume this content in a more flexible and less restrictive way.
However, a potential downside is that some video views might be less meaningful, as users may not be fully engaged while the videos are playing in the background.
