Facebook ‘Live Video’ Now Works On iPhones: How To Create New Facebook Status To Stream Live Video
Facebook has announced a new live video streaming option, and users with an iPhone and the Facebook app can get straight to broadcasting a live video to their friends, families, or the public on Facebook. Instead of searching all around the Facebook app options on your iPhone, simply open the Facebook app as if you are composing a status update (those who haven’t created a Facebook status update in a good while might need a refresher course). There’s a new icon on the bottom of the right side that looks like a person with half circles or waves around them, as seen in the following photo.
![facebook live video](http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/fb1-394x700.png)
Click “OK” and also give Facebook permission to access the microphone.
![facebook live video](http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/fb2-394x700.png)
![facebook live video](http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/fb3.png)
![facebook live video](http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/fb4.png)
After creating your live video, Facebook lets you know that you’ve shared your first live video with the world — or whomever you’ve chosen via Facebook to share your live video with. Your live video will appear on your Facebook timeline, and comments from Facebook friends or others on Facebook will begin appearing, along with information about who has watched your video. Facebook also gives you the option of saving the Facebook video to your camera roll.
![facebook live video](http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/fb5-394x700.png)
Interestingly, the thumbnail photo of the live Facebook video is a blurred photo of your Facebook profile photo.
![facebook live video](http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/fb6.png)
“Facebook’s live video is directly competing with Periscope, the Twitter-owned live streaming app that was named Apple’s app of the year for 2015. Unlike Periscope, broadcasts are saved permanently on Facebook unless you choose to hide or delete them. Periscope broadcasts currently expire after 24 hours, although the company has said it’s considering letting users save their videos permanently as well.
“Facebook also has an answer to Periscope’s notification system, which alerts you whenever someone you follow on Periscope has started streaming. While watching a live video on Facebook, you can tap a subscribe option at the top right to be notified whenever the person starts streaming again.”
(AP Photo/Gus Ruelas)