According to Russian news outlet Tjournal.ru a few days ago, the popular photo-sharing service Instagram is testing live video functionality in its recently-launched Stories feature which permits users to create slideshows from their photos that automatically disappear after 24 hours.
Facebook added live video to its mobile app in August 2015. Facebook Messenger gained the ability to share live video with contacts while chatting in September 2016.
A user reportedly discovered a new live button while running the beta version of Instagram on Android, reported the Russian-language publication. Live videos appear in users’ Stories and are distinguished from other posts with a bold LIVE banner at the top of the Stories feed, as seen below.
The feature is similar to Facebook LIVE, Meerkat and Periscope, the report said.
Users can start broadcasting live video to their Instagram followers by tapping a red button reading “Go Insta!” to let others see what they’re broadcasting at any given moment, as evidenced on the screenshot top of post.
Facebook is hoping that live video on Instagram may help the service attract more advertisers and encourage big brands to increase their Instagram ad budget.
It would appear that the app might also offer a list of popular live broadcasts, although tapping that link produces an error page because the feature obviously is not ready for prime time yet. It’s unclear when live video on Instagram might launch for everyone.
The company declined comment.
Instagram Stories has managed to exceed 100 million daily active users. Instagram currently has more than 500 million people using its service on a daily basis versus 150 million daily active users on Snapchat.
Source: TJournal.ru (Google Translate)