After Facebook’s success with live video on its own app, Instagram is testing a live broadcast feature for users. So far the trial appears limited to Russia. After Stories, which borrowed heavily from Snapchat, Instagram is following the path of Periscope, YouTube, and Facebook.
Leaked screenshots show a “Go Insta!” button in the camera UI that starts a live stream. Live sessions show up in Stories with a “Live” badge. If Instagram rolls the feature out worldwide, Stories is the natural home: the product has been iterated since day one, and the company recently said Stories would also appear in the Explore tab.
Parent company Facebook brought live video to its main app in January after Periscope and Meerkat popularized the format. Meerkat later left the App Store under Periscope’s shadow. Facebook Live drew real attention, and now Facebook wants the same capability inside its photo app. Whether the test becomes a full launch is still unclear.
