Today at its VidCon keynote address, YouTube announced that its mobile app will be getting updated with a brand new live streaming option, allowing users to easily stream video from their iPhones directly from the YouTube app.

youtubelivestreaming

YouTube mobile live streaming will be baked right into the core YouTube mobile app. You won’t need to open anything else, just hit the big red capture button right there in the corner, take or select a photo to use as a thumbnail, and you can broadcast live to your fans and chat in near real time.

The feature will work similar to Facebook Live and Periscope, with streamers having the ability to see live comments from viewers. However, YouTube's live streaming will take advantage of the company's live streaming infrastructure, which it has been enhancing since its debut in 2011. Mobile live streaming has become increasingly popular since Meerkat launched in 2015, and has been used to document a variety of events, from NBA Final press conferences to the sit-in at the House of Representatives.

YouTube opened up live streaming in 2013, after two years of testing the service with big events like the Royal Wedding and Felix Baumgartner's leap from space. The video platform then began expanding it to verified accounts and creators with at least 1,000 subscribers.

Live streaming will launch today for select YouTube creators The Young Turks, AIB, Platica Polinesia, SacconeJolys, and Alex Wasabi, and will be rolling out to all users in the near future.

YouTube for iOS is available in the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Tag: YouTube

Top Rated Comments

ike1707 Avatar
ike1707
123 months ago
I've yet to see one compelling reason to re-download the YouTube app.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ILikeAllOS Avatar
ILikeAllOS
123 months ago
Whoa! Never thought I'd see Ana Kasparian from TYT show up in official screenshots! :cool:
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LIVEFRMNYC Avatar
LIVEFRMNYC
123 months ago
If they want to keep up with the likes of Periscope, Meerkat, and Facebook Live, they'd better roll this out tomorrow.
They can roll this out 2 years from now and instantly become the biggest live streaming app. Youtube is basically the God of online media.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
macduke
123 months ago
UStream has been doing this since around 2009. Google can't innovate anymore. They're late to the game. They're just copying others.

See? It works both ways. This will be a successful feature for Google.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fitshaced Avatar
fitshaced
123 months ago
Narcissistic? Looking for new ways to be in everyone's face? Feeling a bit 'unseen' today?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ovo6 Avatar
ovo6
123 months ago
Google fix this app first it's a mess
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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