Twitter launches Periscope, a Meerkat-style live streaming app for iPhone

BY Rajesh Pandey

Published 26 Mar 2015

Periscope

Twitter today released Periscope, a live streaming service app for iOS after it acquired the service back in January. 

The app will allow iPhone users to instantly live stream from their smartphone to their Twitter followers, friends and relatives. The live stream can be replayed by other users up to 24 hours after it has ended. A broadcaster, however, can decide whether he wants the stream to be available or not after it has ended.

If you have not already guessed it, Periscope is Twitter’s answer to the popular Meerkat — a live streaming service whose user base has been increasing by nearly 30 percent every day.

Viewers of the live stream can also interact with broadcaster by sending them messages and hearts. The hearts show up on the side of the live stream, and is visible to other viewers as well.

The Periscope app has been in development for over a year, which is visible from its beautiful and thought after UI.

Despite being acquired by Twitter, it will not be possible for users to launch the app directly from the Twitter client on their phone. At least for now, both app will exist separately.

The full feature list of the Periscope app for iPhone is below:

[+] REPLAY: When your broadcast is over, you can make it available for replay so viewers can watch later. Viewers can replay your broadcast with comments and hearts to relive the full experience. Replays currently last 24 hours. You can delete your replay at any time.
[+] PRIVATE: If you want to broadcast to specific people, press the lock icon before going live and choose who you want to invite to your broadcast.
[+] TWITTER: You can choose to share your Periscope broadcasts on Twitter by tapping the bird icon before you start broadcasting. When you go live, you’ll tweet a link so that your Twitter followers can watch on the web (or in the app)
[+] MANAGE NOTIFICATIONS: Periscope will suggest people for you to follow based on your Twitter network. You can always follow new people, or unfollow them if you don’t want to be notified when they go live. You can also adjust notification preferences in Periscope Settings (in Profile)
[+] HEARTS: Periscope keeps track of how many hearts you get from your viewers. The more hearts, the higher you get in the “Most Loved” list.

Download: Persicope