Periscope Extends beyond Phones as Twitter Tries to Take on Facebook Live

Twitter is second most popular social media platform after Facebook and it has been getting stiff competition from it when it comes to keep users engaged and entertained on the platform. Recently Facebook has launched the Facebook Live feature which allows users to create live videos and proclaim the happening in their lives to the followers in an instant. Twitter has brought a similar feature on its platform in the name of Periscope which essentially is a live-video service. Periscope services has been launched to broaden the audience reach and to keep audience engaged on the Twitter platform.

Periscope will be a delight for the individuals and media outlets alike

Twitter’s Periscope Producer will allow the media outlets and individuals to create live video feeds which will be uploaded directly on the Twitter. Periscope made its debut last year but it has strictly confined to the smartphone. Now users wouldn’t even require smartphone to record and broadcast live videos using the Periscope feature. In order to test the capability of the advanced Periscope Florida television station broadcasted a live video on its official website later it was redistributed to the same feeds on the television. In beginning Twitter will only allow major producers such as Disney and ANC News along with a number of major media outlets to make use of the Periscope.

Privacy is a huge concern for Twitter

Since the launch of Periscope service people have started using it for broadcasting the live video of TV shows and movies from their smartphone. This has resulted in the unwanted rise in the piracy issue which doesn’t go well with the video content producers such as much labels and movie production houses.

Twitter has high hopes from Periscope Service

Twitter’s CEO Jack Dorsey has stated that the launch of Periscope will help in increasing the popularity as well as reach of its messaging service. Twitter has already indulged in steaming the news, sports events as well as the entertainment segment based content. Twitter is aiming towards offering more to the users than just offering a great way to set out their thoughts in tweets and to keep tab on the happening in and around them. Dorsey further elaborates that inclusion of the Periscope will offer a great way to upload, share and view live videos on global scales.

Everyone wants to jump on live video wagon

A number of internet companies ranging from SnapChat to Facebook have jumped upon the wagon of bringing live-video functionality on their platform in order to generate huge advertising money later on. Some of the companies have even started to experiment with live streaming functionality for the marketing purpose. This includes General Motors which has launched its upcoming electric car named Chevy Bolt EV through using the Facebook Live at the beginning of this year. On other hand media outlets are utilizing the live video feed to broadcast the presidential debates in US.

With the launch of Periscope Twitter also jumps up in the live streaming train and joins other popular live-streaming services such as Twitch and YouTube.

Getting Started With the Live-Streaming App Periscope

Periscope – Display Broadcast from People

Twitters’ latest live-streaming iOS app Periscope has been upgraded to display broadcast from individuals, who would want to follow it more conspicuously. The latest app tends to display broadcast from people you follow at the top of the feed making it easier to locate from the various streams of other Periscope users. Besides this, follower notifications by default are also turned off.

 The company has informed that they are working on adding more granular control to enable only alerts which could be of importance. Moreover, one also has the option of sharing location before broadcasting and if one discloses the whereabouts, the map display gives a less accurate indication of your location on a zoomed out view on the map.

A confirmation from Periscope has been received that it is working on Android version of its app. Periscope, the newly released live streaming app periscope which was released offers a straight forward means of streaming live video to any user who tends to tune in or only to those who may be invited.

While using Periscope for the first time, should there arise a mishap, it would be mean inviting the others to view a live stream of personal video of home or the bathroom trip and users need to learn a few more details before using the app.

First Visit – Permission to Access Camera/Microphone/Location 

On signing in and following other users, one is taken to the apps feed where you will find current live streams from friends and other users all across the globe. On scrolling to the bottom of the feed, the user will come across older feeds which are hosted by Periscope and when a feed ends, the person streaming could make the choice of leaving the feed for a maximum of 24 hours or it could immediately be removed.

On tapping on a stream in the feed you have the liberty to watch it. When the stream selected is loading, basic information from where the stream originates, list of fellow viewers and buttons to follow the user is provided.

If one intends to leave a stream, they could either tap on the X in the upper right hand area or swipe down just like the pull to refresh gesture. You could start a stream on tapping on the camera button placed at the bottom of the screen.

On the first visit to this section of the app, users are asked to permit Periscope access to the camera, microphone as well as the location and on granting permission, user could start streaming.

End Stream Button 

The first step is to give the stream a title and then decide if one would want to include the location of the stream and permit everyone to see your stream or else you would only want to invite a selected few to view it. Finally the user can have Periscope send a tweet on behalf of the user publicising your stream.

One can view comments as they come along, while on air together with the viewer count and with a double tap on the screen it will toggle the active camera. If the back camera is being utilised, a double tapping on the screen could change to the front facing camera and you have the liberty of switching back to the rear camera with another double tap.

To end a stream you could do with the same downward gesture used to leave a stream and tap on the End Stream button.