Move over Periscope, because Google is looking to get in on some of your action. The company is reported to have built a livestreaming app, called YouTube Connect that will let users stream what’s going on around them in real time.
The YouTube Connect app, which hasn’t been officially unveiled yet, would allow YouTube to double down on its live video capabilities and go against competitors like Facebook Live and Twitter. These two companies have been investing heavily, both in terms of marketing and technology, in livestreaming projects.
According to VentureBeat, the YT Connect app already has the same functionality you’re are used to with Periscope. Users can sign in with their Google or YouTube accounts and immediately start streaming. There are also tagging features and a live chat for the audience. The app is also expected to be able to save a copy of the stream at the end, as long as the user opts in. Streams would then be available for later viewing on YouTube or in the app directly.
It all sounds very run of the mill, in terms of functionality and expectations, but having a powerful platform like YouTube behind the service may go a long way with users, who until now have flocked to Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat.
That being said this is by no means YouTube’s or Google first foray into livestreaming. Over the years the company has tried to promote different services from Hangouts to YouTube streaming live, to YouTube Gaming, but the first one never stuck with the audience while the second is only open for a select few.
In either case we’re bound to learn more about YouTube Connect in the next few weeks and months ahead of I/O. The app is expected to be announced around that timeframe and be launched on both iOS and Android.
Source: VentureBeat