Facebook expands Watch service amid growth in users' number

Facebook Inc said on Wednesday monthly users to its Watch video service had doubled since December while announcing more partnerships with international broadcasters and publishers in its bid to take on Alphabet Inc’s YouTube, Reuters reports.

Some 720 million people monthly and 140 million people daily now spend at least one minute daily on Facebook Watch, the company said, as it outlined the expansion of its money-generating Ad Breaks service into Canada and five new languages.

The company rolled out the video service globally last year, one year after it was launched in the United States, and had 75 million people spending at least a minute on the service daily in December.

Facebook said it was partnering with global publishers to bring popular shows like The Voice Germany, Germany’s Next Top Model and match previews, as well as highlights of the ongoing Cricket World Cup, to the Watch platform.