Yeplive: do we really need another Periscope or Meerkat?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about diversity in the App Store. Even so, the recent release of Yeplive has me scratching my head and shaking my fist at the same time. Maybe I’m just an old grouch, but the release of Yeplive on the App Store makes me wonder just how many live video streaming programs we need?
Yeplive bills itself as “a simple way to stream and share moments as they’re happening.” It has a location-centric interface and “unique discovery filters” that make it easy to find out what’s happening around you and everywhere else in the world.
The app allows you to begin your live video feed, and then share a link to it on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+. The app allows you to search for video feeds by location, tag, or title. It also has both a map view and a stack view that are easy to switch between.
Like Periscope and Meerkat, the video stream has a social aspect to it. Viewers can chat with you while you stream, and you can mark your favorite feeds with a star to help boost their popularity. Video feeds that get enough stars allow the broadcasters to become “a featured YepStar.
After you stop streaming, the video stays available for replay in Yeplive for at least 24 hours. After that, you can choose to archive the video and keep sharing it, or you can delete it.
Here’s why I wonder if we really need another way to live broadcast video. I don’t want to have a dozen apps on my iPhone that all do the same thing. Have I installed Yeplive on my iPhone? Of course, to check it out. But will it stay there? Probably not.
Yeplive is available for free on the App Store without any in-app purchases or advertisements. The app requires iOS 7 or later, and is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
