• Live video feature on Twitter

Live video feature on Twitter (Photo : YouTube/Twitter)

With Twitter allowing users on Dec. 14, Wednesday, to directly broadcast live video from within its app users can bypass their Periscope account.

Periscope might be owned by Twitter but this has not stopped the microblogging platform from taking a leaf out of its book. In a recent upgrade, users on Twitter were given the ability to broadcast video right from within the app on their mobile device.

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The new feature on Twitter can be accessed with a few taps once the user is signed in, reported Forbes and they do not need the Periscope app or an account. When using the live broadcast feature, users will get access to many of the options present on Periscope such as interacting with broadcasters. Interaction will include comments on videos and the ability to use icons such as hearts.

Additionally, if a tweet is sent out with live video can be shared and retweeted in much the same way a normal tweet. With this new feature to broadcast live video, it is thought that Twitter is hoping to compete directly with Facebook which has similar tools.

However, now with Twitter providing an option to broadcast live video Periscope is bound to find the going tough, reported TechCrunch. This could result in Periscope metaphorically, being unable to keep its head up amongst growing competition. The results of increased competition are already taking a toll on Periscope and this week the app slid according to TechCrunch to the number 441 spot in a ranking of apps.

At the beginning of this year, Periscope was ranked as high as number 23 when compared to other apps. Now, with Twitter spreading its wings and taking over Periscope's real estate the future for the app remains bleak. Importantly Twitter took 21 months to offer a similar feature as Periscope and it remains to be seen if the company will provide more support for live video broadcasting.

Broadcasting of live video is considered to be a niche compared to Tweeting or even uploading images via Instagram. So analysts will be examining the new feature launched by Twitter on Dec. 14, Wednesday to see if it proves to as popular as sending out a tweet comprised of around 140 characters. However, it is likely that Twitter users who thrive off living in the moment will take well to the introduction of live video broadcasting.

Twitter Rolls Out Live-Video Feature