Video playback in group communications

1. A method comprising:

providing, by a processing device of a client device, a graphical representation of a video in a user interface (UI) of a messaging application during a group communication, the client device associated with a first user participating in the group communication with other users of a content sharing service, the graphical representation to scroll with messages of the group communication;

responsive to receiving a selection of the graphical representation of the video in the UI during the group communication, initiating playback of the video in a video playback portion of the UI, the video playback portion to scroll with the messages of the group communication; and

responsive to detecting that the video playback portion is scrolled at least partially out of view of the UI, maintaining the video playback portion of the UI visible to the first user in a persistent position in the UI while the messages are scrolled within the group communication separate from the video playback portion in the persistent position.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selection comprises a tap gesture detected with respect to the video in the UI of the group communication.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising allowing input, via the UI, of other messages for the group communication during the playback of the video.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of a vertical swipe up gesture or a vertical swipe down gesture detected with respect to the UI during the group communication is to cause the video playback portion and the messages to scroll together.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising, responsive to the vertical swipe down gesture causing the video playback portion to be scrolled out of view at a bottom of the UI of the group communication, stopping the playback of the video.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a user input comprising a tap gesture with respect to the video playback portion; and

responsive to the user input, instructing the client device to display the graphical representation of the video in the UI.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

receiving a user input comprising a second selection of a collapse control of the video; and

responsive to the user input, instructing the client device to display the graphical representation of the video.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the video playback portion comprises playback controls to allow the playback of the video to be paused while keeping the video in the playback portion of the UI.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of a vertical swipe up gesture or a vertical swipe down gesture detected with respect to the persistent position of the video playback portion of the UI causes the messages to scroll while the video playback portion maintains the persistent position in the UI.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising, while the video is displayed in the persistent position and responsive to one of the messages comprising the video as originally shared in the group communication appearing fully in view in the UI during the group communication, instructing the client device to display the graphical representation of the video.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

receiving a user input comprising a swipe down gesture with respect to the video playback portion displayed in the persistent position in the UI; and

responsive to the user input, instructing the client device to display the graphical representation of the video.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein a drop-shadow displayed under the video playback portion in the UI during the group communication indicates that the video is displayed in the persistent position.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphical representation of the video comprises a thumbnail image.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a user input comprising a selection of another video in the UI of the group communication; and

responsive to the user input:

instructing the client device to display the graphical representation of the video; and

instructing the client device to begin the playback of the another video in the video playback portion of the UI.

15. A client device comprising:

a memory; and

a processing device, coupled to the memory, to:

provide a graphical representation of a video in a user interface (UI) of a messaging application during a group communication, the client device associated with a first user participating in the group communication with other users of a content sharing service, the graphical representation to scroll with messages of the group communication;

responsive to receiving a selection of the graphical representation of the video in the UI during the group communication, initiate playback of the video in a video playback portion of the UI, the video playback portion to scroll with the messages of the group communication; and

responsive to detecting that the video playback portion is scrolled at least partially out of view of the UI, maintain the video playback portion of the UI visible to the first user in a persistent position in the UI while the messages are scrolled within the group communication separate from the video playback portion in the persistent position.

16. The client device of claim 15 , wherein the video playback portion is to scroll together with the messages, and wherein at least one of a vertical swipe up gesture or a vertical swipe down gesture detected with respect to the UI during the group communication is to cause the video playback portion and the messages to scroll together.

17. The client device of claim 15 , wherein at least one of a vertical swipe up gesture or a vertical swipe down gesture detected with respect to the persistent position of the video playback portion of the UI causes the messages to scroll while the video playback portion maintains the persistent position in the UI.

18. The client device of claim 17 , further comprising, while the video is displayed in the persistent position and responsive to one of the messages comprising the video as originally shared in the group communication appearing fully in view in the UI during the group communication, instructing the client device to display the graphical representation of the video.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a device comprising a processor to perform operations, comprising:

providing, by the processor of a client device, a graphical representation of a video in a user interface (UI) of a messaging application during a group communication, the client device associated with a first user participating in the group communication with other users of a content sharing service, the graphical representation to scroll with messages of the group communication;

responsive to receiving a selection of the graphical representation of the video in the UI during the group communication, initiating playback of the video in a video playback portion of the UI, the video playback portion to scroll with the messages of the group communication; and

responsive to detecting that the video playback portion is scrolled at least partially out of view of the UI, maintaining the video playback portion of the UI visible to the first user in a persistent position in the UI while the messages are scrolled within the group communication separate from the video playback portion in the persistent position.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the video playback portion is to scroll together with the messages, and wherein at least one of a vertical swipe up gesture or a vertical swipe down gesture detected with respect to the UI during the group communication is to cause the video playback portion and the messages to scroll together.