Twitter has released their new Periscope app for the iPhone. The app, recently acquired by Twitter, allows users to stream live broadcasts to Twitter followers. The app is a direct competitor to such apps as Meerkat and Hang w/.
There are several differences with Meerkat, including the ability to decide whether videos are shared only with Periscope users or all Twitter followers, and the option to further limit broadcasts to a select individuals. While a broadcast is in progress, chats are kept within the stream rather than posted to Twitter, and viewers can send “hearts” that will raise a person higher on a Most Loved list — which is similiar to Meerkat’s leaderboard.
Periscope also offers the ability to offer a stream for replay, with comments and hearts, for up to 24 hours. Users can delete a replay at any time.
Users can select Periscopers to follow based on their own Twitter network, and following or unfollowing a user on Periscope has no effect on the user’s status on Twitter. You can also turn off notifications in Periscope.
Periscope is available FREE for the iPhone, in the App Store. The app is currently iPhone-only.
