YouTube prepping standalone livestreaming app

youtube square canvasThere’s no rest for the weary at Google. The team is reportedly working on a livestreaming app dubbed YouTube Connect. This app builds on YouTube’s existing broadcast capabilities, which are part of its Creator Studio program but are only available to select users. Like YouTube Gaming and YouTube Music, YouTube Connect would be a standalone app that complements the core video service. The live broadcast angle has the potential to be attractive to the audiences of those other communities. For instance, a musician might stream live from the studio or backstage before a big tour stop.

As Twitch, the livestreaming service for video games, grew big enough to attract Amazon’s attention, other big online players have also been pushing into broadcasting territory. Facebook Live and Periscope, owned by Twitter, recently joined that niche. As long as people seem interested in the product, these tech companies will likely continue to build out broadcasting services and seek ways to monetize them. On the creator side, live streams create new ways to connect with fans and to promote big events. And the approach can be financially rewarding; with Twitch, some people have successfully turned gaming from a hobby into a full-time job.

Anna Washenko