Google Play Family Library: Now share your Google Library with up to 6 family members
Google has finally announced Google Play Family Sharing across all supported Google Play Services.
The Play Family Library system will allow you to share your entire Google Play library—movies, games, music and books included—with up to six other members of your family. The feature isn’t just limited to Android devices however and iOS users will also be able to share and enjoy Google Music, Movies and Books purchases on their devices.
As far as we can tell, Google’s offering is identical to Apple’s Family Sharing system, which also allows you to add up to six family members to a Family Sharing account. The pricing is also very similar, with both companies charging $14.99 for Google Play Music and Apple Music Family Sharing plans.
Both services allow you to make payments via a common credit card and offer the ability to monitor and control purchases on other accounts. If you enable Family Sharing/Family Library, you’ll have complete control over the apps and media that you share.
Individual members will also have the option to make payments via their own credit cards or gift cards. Unfortunately, Google is not rolling the service out in India just yet. The service will be available in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, the UK and the US.
Apple has offered Family Sharing since iOS 8’s release in 2014, almost two years ago. Going a step further, Apple also allows family members to sync photo streams, a common calendar and even location history.