Periscope bids its users goodbye!
The live video streaming app, acquired by Twitter before its launch in 2015, announced they will discontinue the separate mobile app by March 2021.
“We want to be transparent about why we’re making this decision, especially to those of you who are active and passionate users of Periscope today,” the company said in a statement via Medium. “The truth is that the Periscope app is in an unsustainable maintenance-mode state, and has been for a while. Over the past couple of years, we’ve seen declining usage and know that the cost to support the app will only continue to go up over time. Leaving it in its current state isn’t doing right by the current and former Periscope community or by Twitter. We still believe in the power of live video to solve impactful problems, which is why we’ve brought most of the core capabilities of Periscope into Twitter. We probably would have made this decision sooner if it weren’t for all of the projects we reprioritized due to the events of 2020. We’re sharing our decision with you now because we want to be transparent and honest about where we’re at and what’s next.”
Although the app will not be removed until March 2021, broadcasts that were shared to Twitter will still remain only as replays and all broadcasters will have the ability to download an archive of their Periscope data and broadcasts before the app is removed.
“Most importantly, we’re so grateful to all of you who invested time and energy into making Periscope the place to show what’s happening in your world and creating vibrant communities,” the company wrote. “We’ve learned so much, shared incredible experiences together, witnessed unforgettable moments in history, and seen pockets of the world we could’ve only imagined when we first launched Periscope. It was a genuine honor to pour our heart and soul into building something that other people loved enough to use and build their own communities around. Thank you so much.”
According to Periscope, new accounts in-app will not be permitted starting with the next release.
For more information on how Twitter will move forward with going live after the app goes away, click here.