Live streaming on YouTube has been around in one form or another for quite some time, but only on the desktop. Last year YouTube teased mobile live streaming, but has been fairly selective on what channels had the feature enabled. Now, YouTube is finally expanding that rollout to any channel that has 10,000 subscribers or more.
BlueStacks, the app that lets users play Android games on their PC, is today announcing integration with Twitch that it says will make it easier than ever before to live stream Android games.
It was perhaps unimaginable just a few years ago, but live streaming has become particularly popular thanks to apps like Meerkat and, most notoriously, Twitter-acquired Periscope. Not to be left out, Facebook joined the race last summer — albeit initially only for public figures via the dedicated Mentions app — and then pushed beyond earlier this year with the open introduction of “Facebook Live” in the US, a feature within the mobile app that allows anyone to live stream to their friends.
The experiment seems to be working well, and with the app update — which begins its rollout today — Facebook is adding a variety of features to enhance the Facebook Live experience; according to the company, adding a dedicated tab for finding live as well as archived video will “give you more ways to discover, share, and interact with live video, and more ways to personalize your live broadcasts”…
According to a report from VentureBeat, Google is working to compete more directly with live streaming app Periscope. The report claims that Google will launch an app called YouTube Connect that will allow anyone to immediately begin broadcasting live onto YouTube from their smartphone.
Kamcord, the popular platform for gameplay recording in mobile apps, is today launching support for live streaming directly from Android.
After adding gameplay recording features to mobile apps alongside its new YouTube Gaming platform launch earlier this month, Google is today updating its Google Play Games app for Android with similar features.
The update will allow users of the Play Games app to quickly hop into gameplay recording with the ability to share their own commentary simultaneously using their device’s front facing camera and microphone.
It’s simple. In the Play Games app, select any game you want to play, then tap the record button. You can capture your gameplay in 720p or 480p, and choose to add video of yourself and commentary via your device’s front facing camera and microphone. When you’re done recording, you can quickly edit and upload your video to YouTube.
Google notes that the feature should come in handy for some of the content creators contributing to the roughly 144 billion minutes of gaming videos and live streams viewed on YouTube each month.
The updated Google Play Games app for Android is rolling out to users in the US and UK starting this week with users in other countries getting access in the near future.
Good news, fans of live-streamed gaming: YouTube Gaming is now available for Android from Google Play. YouTube announced that it would be releasing a dedicated app for watching gaming-related live streams and videos hosted on the platform several months back, shortly after Amazon acquired competitor Twitch for nearly $1 billion. Downloading the app from the Play Store is limited to US and UK residents initially.
Twitch has an interesting new update out that lets anyone on Android view live streams from anywhere on their device (pictured above). The common term for this is “picture-in-picture” – Twitch calls it “Pop Out” – or displaying one thing on the whole screen and another, completely separate feed of content or video inside a smaller viewer simultaneously, still within the main screen. Users of the app have for some time had the ability to continue watching streams while browsing the rest of the app, and this is a continuation of that.
Popular live streaming app Meerkat has announced today that it is opening up a public beta for its upcoming Android client. Currently, Meerkat is available only on iOS. Meerkat promised Android support when it first launch, as did its primary competitor, Periscope.
NBC has this morning released an update for its Android app that introduces live streaming of the network’s content directly to an Android phone or tablet. Like most things in the cable industry, the feature is only available in a few select cable markets that this time and requires a subscription to a cable or satellite partner.
All users will be able to take advantage of the other new feature added in version 3.0, however…
In addition to a whopping 160 million Chrome downloads so far, up from 70 million a year earlier, Google shared some interesting stats related to their live video feed of the keynote. Yesterday’s keynote had been viewed by 60,00 simultaneous users, topping 600,000 people at its peek. Currently, Day Two Keynote is underway. You can tune in at a dedicated Google I/O Live – it’s the next best thing to being there in person. Alternatively, check out live YouTube channel.
Google’s annual pilgrimage for developers at San Francisco’s Moscone West Convention Center has just begun with a keynote at 9am Pacific Time. If you aren’t among the lucky few that managed to book tickets online (they sold out in 59 minutes), chances are you’ll be keeping tabs on key announcements from your home or work. We’re living in the age of video so why not watch the keynote instead read about it?
Plus, for the first time in Google I/O history, you’ll be able to join us throughout the two days at I/O Live. We’ll live stream the two keynote presentations, two full days of Android and Chrome technical sessions, and the After Hours party. Recorded videos from all sessions across eight product tracks will be available within 24 hours after the conference.
Tuning in couldn’t be easier. Read on…
