Camera-shy until you have a companion? Instagram understands and it is doing everything it can to help get you broadcast live to all your friends, family, and followers. On Tuesday, the social media app announced the debut of a “fun way to go live with a friend.”
No, it’s not just a matter of having someone else in your frame — instead, Instagram’s new feature allows some folks to add other users directly to their live broadcast in split-screen mode. Think of it as a virtual conversation that you are having in public, even if you aren’t in the same space.
Adding a friend to your broadcast is simple: just tap the new icon on the bottom right (it’s shaped like two smiley faces) and select a friend to add, which will split your screen vertically. Everything else about live Instagram videos — hearts, comments, and the option to save it to your story afterward — works pretty much the same.
Guests can be removed at any time or choose to leave on their own. Once the Instagram Live video has ended, users can share it to an Instagram Story or discard it. Instagram’s Live team is still fine-tuning the product, nicknamed project Tango (as in “it takes two to tango”).
Social media influencers and celebrities could seriously benefit from this new feature, which allows them to interact directly with their fans in a unique fashion.
Currently, Instagram is testing the tool with a “small percentage” of its user base. A global rollout is expected over the next few months.
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