Facebook just announced Live Audio, a new way for broadcasters and publishers to go live with audio-only broadcasts. The new feature enables Facebook to offer an alternative to publishers trying to go live on Facebook from areas with poor internet connectivity. Previously, a publisher could already broadcast live audio by pointing the camera at a still image while providing voiceover. This did require some creativity, right?
While publishers are going live with audio broadcasts, audiences can still offer comments and reactions like they are doing with Live Videos. Currently, Facebook is testing the new feature out with a few publishers, including BBC World Service, LBC, Haper Collins, authors Adam Grant, and Britt Bennett. The social network says it will make Live Audio more widely available to publishers and people early next year.
If audiences using Android devices would like to continue browsing the Internet while they listen, they can close Facebook and use another app while live audio continues playing. For those using iOS devices, they can just browse the rest of Facebook with live audio playing. If they launch another app, the sound will be cut.
Facebook has been giving priority to Live recently. This is true as the company released Live video at the end of 2015. Plus, just last week, it beta launched the option for Live 360-degree videos, and Livestreaming from Oculus VR to the News Feed. Not stopping there, Instagram also released a live video feature last month.
The Live Audio feature is expected to appeal to a number of publishers, and those who have something to say but don’t want to be shown to others via the camera.
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