Periscope

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Periscope simple

Periskop linsen

Periscope rifle Gallipoli 1915

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An Auxiliary Periscope for Submarines (cropped)

Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-198-1363-29A, Russland, Artillerie-Beobachtung

1889 Arthur Krebs & Jean Rey periscope for the french Gymnote submarine

Periscope was a live video streaming app for iOS and Android devices. It was developed by Kayvon Beykpour and Joe Bernstein and acquired by Twitter Inc. in March 2015 before its public launch. The app enabled users to broadcast live video to the world, allowing others to watch and interact with broadcasts in real-time. Periscope was integrated into Twitter, allowing for live broadcasts to be directly shared within tweets.

History

Periscope was launched in March 2015, shortly after being acquired by Twitter. The acquisition was part of Twitter's effort to expand its capabilities in video and live content, competing with other services like Meerkat and later, Facebook Live. Periscope quickly gained popularity for its user-friendly interface and the immediacy it offered for sharing and experiencing live events. It was used for a wide range of purposes, from casual personal streams to broadcasting significant events like protests, conferences, and natural disasters.

Features

Periscope offered several key features that contributed to its popularity:

• Live Broadcasting: Users could start live broadcasts, which were immediately accessible to their followers and the wider Periscope community. Broadcasts could also be shared on Twitter.
• Interaction: Viewers could interact with the broadcaster by sending "hearts" as a form of appreciation and commenting in real-time during the broadcast.
• Replay: Broadcasts were available for replay for 24 hours after the live stream, allowing users to watch videos they had missed.
• Discovery: The app included a discovery feature that allowed users to find live and replayed broadcasts by location or topic.
• Privacy: Broadcasters had the option to make their videos public or viewable only to selected followers.

Integration with Twitter

The integration of Periscope with Twitter allowed users to watch live broadcasts directly from tweets without needing to open the Periscope app. This feature made live content more accessible to Twitter's user base and facilitated the viral spread of popular broadcasts.

Sunsetting of Periscope

Twitter announced the shutdown of Periscope as a standalone app in December 2020, citing declining usage and high maintenance costs. The company decided to incorporate the core capabilities of Periscope into Twitter's own live video streaming features, effectively making live broadcasts a native feature of Twitter. The Periscope app was removed from app stores in March 2021, though existing broadcasts were made accessible via Twitter.

Legacy

Periscope played a significant role in popularizing live video streaming on social media platforms. Its integration into Twitter paved the way for the widespread adoption of live streaming features across various social networks. The app's influence is evident in the continued importance of live video in digital communication, from news coverage to social interactions.