Twitter launches streaming app Periscope

Twitter has today launched Periscope, a live streaming app to allow users to stream from their phones to their followers for free.

In its blog post overnight Twitter said: "We watched someone rise above the Sonoma valley in a hot air balloon; we witnessed “Hands Up Don’t Shoot” directly from Ferguson, Missouri, a terrifying fire that erupted in San Francisco’s Mission district and a live performance from a pianist who played any song requested from the audience.”

Twitter actually acquired Periscope in January for a reported $100m and since Meerkat was made available in the App store for use on Twitter earlier this month, following a launch at SXSW's Interactive conference, eyes have been on Twitter to launch its rival.

Before Periscope's launch, Twitter had already stunted Meerkat's growth by denying the app access to its social graph, so Meerkat users can’t automatically see who among their followers are already using it. While Periscope isn’t directly built into Twitter (it’s its own app) it gives users the ability to watch recorded streams as well as live ones, opening up its userbase to musicians. The real test between the two however, will be to see which app musicians favour.

From today, Periscope is available on iOS with an Android version in the works.