By distancing itself from Meerkat, Twitter has driven the fledgling live video-streaming app into the arms of another: Facebook.
Over the weekend, Meerkat released an update for the iOS app, which allows users to push live and upcoming streams directly to Facebook and no longer requires a Twitter account for Meerkat access.
The update also scans your phone's address book to automatically find friends for you to follow, publicizes popular streams and provides a new means for reacting to streams—momentarily replacing your face with a single emoji.
During its peak popularity at the South by Southwest festival in March, Meerkat was integrated with Twitter. Shortly after and with little notice, Twitter cut off Meerkat from its social graph (making it harder to find people to follow) and quickly replaced the app with its own, newer and arguably better version, called Periscope.
Following its launch, Periscope quickly surpassed Meerkat in terms of popularity. But the new Facebook integration may help tilt the scales back in Meerkat's favor.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Lauren is a reporter covering technology, national security and foreign affairs. She has previously worked on award winning teams at ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
