Go behind the scenes now with Twitter’s Live 360 Video

Micro-blogging website Twitter – known for its 140-character tweets – launched Live 360 Video on Wednesday night in a bid to stay relevant in the live race among social media giants.

Introducing live 360 video on Twitter and Periscope! https://t.co/dAiZnHIsr7

— Twitter (@twitter) December 28, 2016

Live 360 Video lets viewers have an absolutely immersive experience when broadcasters and publishers go live to report news, cover exclusive events, document travels and tales, or run commentary pertaining to themed blogs.

(Image courtesy: TechCrunch)

Fans can also go behind the scenes with adored celebrities and famous personalities. The new feature helps viewers understand what’s happening behind the camera – literally – as Live 360 Video is enabled by attaching a secondary photo-video device below their primary phone.

According to Twitter’s official blog post, all users can view the new videos, but “only select partners can go live in 360 via Periscope.” Twitterati are also informed that the new feature can be recognized via the LIVE 360 symbol in videos, and can be used by either "moving your phone or swiping the screen.”

Given the investors’ continuing adverse sentiment related to Twitter’s stagnant user base and sluggish growth in Monthly Active Users (MAUs), the feature is a major plus for its future, as the company strives to add more value. Twitter has been criticized ever since current CEO and co-founder Jack Dorsey took over from Dick Costolo.

Earlier this year, the website had come under limelight as numerous big names in the tech industry, such as Microsoft, Alphabet’s Google, and salesforce.com, allegedly eyed it as possible acquisition target, after the Window-maker purchased LinkedIn for $26 billion.

The Live concept is becoming progressively widespread, as various players in the social networking space contend to stay ahead of others, and garner more active users. This makes Twitter’s latest move a success strategy, likely to attract back the users it may have lost since 2015.

Food for thought now is that Twitter AR/VR director Alessandro Sabatelli announced the news on the website’s blog. Speculators can go wild thinking of how Live 360 Videos can tie in with augmented and virtual reality in the not-so-distant future.

Periscope, which was taken over by Twitter last year before its launch, also co-revealed the new feature, which is another step adding to its mantra that “[Periscope has] always said that joining a broadcast is like stepping into someone else’s shoes and seeing the world through their eyes.”

Some tech websites mentioned that Live 360 Video is not compatible with the Safari browser. However, the Periscope team joyously added in its Medium post, “When they smile, you’ll smile, and when they laugh, maybe you’ll laugh too.”

Enjoy the “first ever #Periscope360” in award-winning broadcaster Alex Pettitt’s tweet here:

360 Sunset in Florida. First ever #Periscope360 with @Brandee_Anthony https://t.co/AZWbnnT15S

— Alex Pettitt (@Alexpettitt) December 28, 2016