It looks like Instagram is out to eat Periscope and Snapchat’s lunch. The service is rolling out its Live Stories feature globally today, allowing users across the globe to broadcast live video from their mobile devices.
You’ll want to update Instagram’s app on your mobile device to access the feature, as it’s only available on version 10.0 and newer. Live Stories first launched for users in the US last November, along with a ‘Top Live’ listing of popular streams to watch in real-time.
With that, Instagram is now a one-stop service for all your social photo and video publishing needs. The global launch of Live Stories will also see it compete with Facebook’s Live streaming feature, but given that the social network owns Instagram, both businesses have nothing to lose in offering similar functionality.
To use Live Stories, fire up Instagram and and swipe right from the home page, or tap the camera icon in the top left corner. Then swipe right again to launch Live mode, or press “Start Live Video.” As with other services, you’ll be able to see comments and likes pour in from your viewers while you stream; when your broadcast ends, the video will no longer be available to view.
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If you’d like to check out other users’ streams, tap the magnifying glass icon in the bottom navigation bar and hit the Top Live button.
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