Facebook will expand its live-streaming video service over the coming weeks as it takes on rival services such as Periscope.Vadim Lavrusik, Facebook product manager, writes that Facebook, having started testing the ability for people to share live video in December, is expanding the function to users in the US via iPhone, with the social network planning to start rolling it out to the rest of the world over the coming weeks.
The move comes in the same week that Twitter-owned Periscope announced a partnership with GoPro, under which iPhone users are able to toggle between broadcasting from their iPhone’s camera to their GoPro Hero4 Black or Silver cameras directly.
Facebook’s service allows users to share live video by tapping on Update Status and then selecting the Live Video icon.
Users can write a quick description and choose the audience they want to share with before going live, while during the broadcast, they will see the number of live viewers, along with the names of friends who are tuning in and a real-time stream of comments.
Upon ending the broadcast, it will be saved to the user’s Timeline, with the user having the option to delete or keep it.
Users can discover live videos from friends and public figures followed in News Feed, and can tap the Subscribe button to get notified the next time the broadcaster goes live while watching a live video.
Lavrusik writes that Facebook is working to bring live video to Android phones users soon.
