Periscope

Associated With

Periscope; acquired by Twitter before launch - creator or operator, brand

Defining Feature

Live video broadcast and viewing from a mobile phone

Status

Discontinued — Periscope’s iOS and Android apps closed on 31 March 2021

Overview

Periscope turned a mobile phone into a live camera, letting viewers watch and respond as events unfolded.

Twitter acquired the Periscope company in January 2015, before the app's public iOS launch on 26 March. Android was then in development.

Periscope announced that the standalone app would be removed from app stores by March 2021 as usage declined and maintenance costs rose. It said its core live-video capabilities had been incorporated into Twitter, while broadcasts shared there would remain as replays.

Why It Mattered

Periscope helped make live video feel immediate and ordinary rather than something reserved for television crews. A protest, journey, performance or quiet moment could be broadcast to strangers within seconds.

Mobile Broadcasting at Launch

• The app let people broadcast and watch live video from a mobile phone.
• It launched publicly for iOS on 26 March 2015, with Android then in development.

Relationship with Twitter

• Twitter acquired the Periscope company in January 2015.
• The product was introduced as a complement to Twitter.

Closure of the Standalone App

• Periscope announced that the app would be removed from app stores by March 2021.
• The company attributed the decision to declining usage and the rising cost of maintaining a separate app.
• Broadcast archives could be downloaded, while broadcasts shared to Twitter remained as replays.
• Periscope said its core live-video capabilities had been incorporated into Twitter.

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