ABC News said it updated its Apple TV app to allow users to livestream up to four video feeds at once. As TechCrunch noted, the service has arrived just as companies like Facebook and Twitter are investing in more content and technologies to support livestreaming.
The update allows Apple TV users to select from a wide range of feeds and then stream up to four of those feeds onto their TV screens through the app.
“During periods of breaking news, there are often multiple story threads and video sources being surfaced simultaneously—the multistream experience helps our users keep an eye on all of the developments without missing a beat,” Doug Vance, VP of product development at ABC News, told TechCrunch while explaining the new offering.
The types of feeds available through the app include offerings directly produced by the ABC News team as well as content from ABC partners and affiliates and third-party sources. Topics in the feeds could include breaking news as well as entertainment and lifestyle content.
TechCrunch noted that those feeds have been available through the ABC News apps on iOS devices, Roku and other platforms for years now. The new feature in the company’s Apple TV update is that users can stream between two and four feeds to their screen at the same time.
Clearly, it’s a service for news junkies, or for those who want to dig into breaking news events through multiple, simultaneous video services.
And, not surprisingly, multiple, simultaneous video feeds have also been available on sporting platforms like MLB At Bat.
The new offering from ABC News comes as a range of new players enter the news and content market. Facebook, Twitter and others have been investing in technology that can livestream video to users, technology that could put them on the forefront of breaking news events.
The offering from ABC News also comes amid increased interest in the media sector as the White House continues to engage in high-profile disagreements with news outlets ranging from CNN to the New York Times.