Twitter-owned livestreaming service Periscope makes its debut on Android today, a few months after it launched on iOS.
The app, available for Android 4.4 and up, once again follows in Meerkat‘s footsteps by launching on a platform after its competitor. Nonetheless, it brings with it a significantly larger following thanks to Twitter’s influential backing.
Those already familiar with Periscope won’t find many surprises in the Android version of the service, but the company made a few tweaks specifically for the new OS, including a design that adheres to Google‘s Material Design principles.
The biggest interface difference is the red broadcast button in the lower right corner of the screen. Android users also get more control over notifications—although there’s still no way to get notifications for specific users—and a feature called “return to broadcast” that keeps a banner of the stream in the notification drawer so you can easily go back to it if you leave the app.
Periscope’s jump to Android opens the streaming service up to millions of new users. The app grew quickly on iOS, reaching one million users in just ten days. Since its launch, the platform has been the subject of breathless speculation about its effects on everything from citizen journalism and entertainment, but the top trends on Periscope are still people looking in fridges and various forms of piracy.
As Periscope continues to try and figure out what exactly it is in its best form, maybe Android users can figure out the true potential of the app.
Photo via Periscope
