Live-streaming giant Twitch, working to stay ahead of new entrants in the live-streaming space, has come up with a way for multitasking gaming fans to keep up with game broadcasts while browsing for other things in Twitch's mobile app.
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Twitch's persistent player moves to the top left so that users can browse through other content on the app. (Source: Twitch) |
"Our latest update for iOS and Android introduces a persistent player," the Amazon-owned (NASDAQ: AMZN) company announced on its blog. "This lets you simultaneously watch video and browse for other content. If you want to remove the persistent player from your view, swipe it away."
While the persistent player reduces to a pretty tiny size on smartphones, it does allow mobile viewers to keep up with the action while they shift to other tasks within the app. Users can also stop the persistent player with a swipe of the finger.
Android device users have the additional option to switch to an "audio-only" mode while multitasking.
The update makes Twitch's mobile device interface similar to the way that YouTube's mobile app works, engadget noted in a look at the app.
Staying up front in the live-streaming race, particularly on mobile devices, is taking on a higher priority for Twitch. User-uploaded content provider Dailymotion added its own live-streaming interface in January, and last month two Twitter-friendly live-streaming apps, Meerkat and Periscope, launched.
Besides its technical updates, Twitch is exploring other streaming avenues, such as offering gaming-themed movies every Friday through a partnership with Devolver Digital, improving its pre-approved background music library and testing a radio-type player, and allowing users to upload their own original background music. The live-streaming site will also hold its first convention in San Francisco this September.
For more:
- see this Twitch blog post
- engadget has this story
Related articles:
Meerkat, Periscope leap to forefront of attention in live-streaming's growth
Twitch tests movie streaming, original music as Dailymotion launches its own game-streaming platform
Amazon stays mum on Twitch plans, original content spend as investor jitters climb