YouTube launches mobile live streaming for top users

YouTube has launched a new feature allowing vloggers with over 10,000 subscribers to live stream from their smartphones.

The update has been built directly into the YouTube mobile app and any creator with a large enough following will be able to begin live streaming.

The streamed videos will have the same features as any other video on YouTube, which means they can be searched for, found through recommendations and playlists and also protected from unauthorised use.

“It’s a launch that’ll put the power of live streaming in the hands of hundreds of thousands of talented creators, giving them a more intimate and spontaneous way to share their thoughts, lives, and creativity,” YouTube said in a blog post announcing the news.

The video service said that all users will eventually be able to use the feature.

A new live stream monetisation tool – Super Chat – is also available to creators in more than 20 countries to help them earn revenue from live streaming.

“Super Chat is like paying for that front-row seat in the digital age: it lets any fan watching a live stream stand out from the crowd and get a creator’s attention,” said the video platform.

The fans’ chat messages will be highlighted in bright colours and stay pinned to the top of the window for up to five hours.

Despite stating that it has supported live streaming since 2011, YouTube is facing significant competition from social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – who have already introduced live streaming videos.