YouTube adds live streaming options for mobile

YouTube is adding live-streaming functionality to the YouTube mobile app, allowing users to push a ‘capture’ button to broadcast in real-time.

The new functionality will be “baked right into the core YouTube mobile app,” said the company, with users also able to take or select a photo on their phone to use as the thumbnail image.

“Because it’s built right into the YouTube app, mobile live streaming will have all the features your regular videos have—you’ll be able to search for them, find them through recommendations and playlists and protect them from unauthorised uses,” said Kurt Wilms, product lead, immersive experiences at YouTube.

“We think this will offer you an entirely new, more intimate and spontaneous way to share your experiences with your communities.”
The new functionality launched last week with a select group of YouTube content creators and will roll our more widely “soon”.

The launch was announced to coincide with online video conference VidCon, which took place last week in Anaheim, California.