Facebook tests live streaming, ticket sales

Facebook has rolled out two new features, live streaming and concert ticket sales. Both are currently being market-tested in the United States only.

Real-time live streaming via mobile phones is fast growing in entertainment and sports, aided by the likes of Meerkat and Twitter-owned Periscope and new features as instant replays and innovative camera angles.

The Live Video feature shifts the tech giant further into the ‘right now’ world inhabited by Twitter and Snapchat. In recent years Facebook has moved so that its 1.5 billion daily users can message faster (WhatsApp), share faster (Messenger) and get transported to new worlds faster (Oculus).

Facebook said: “Live lets you show the people you care about what you’re seeing in real time – whether visiting a new place, cooking your favourite recipe or just want to share some thoughts.”

As in Meerkat and Periscope, the Facebook user can see how many are watching their stream (and which are friends) and real-time comments as they are written. The streams remain in the user’s timelines for as long as they want.

A new feature allows experiences to be shared with friends through a mixture of photo and video. Privacy reasons will see a restriction on what can be shared.

Facebook introduced the feature four months ago to celebrities and high profile users. Now expanding the service, initially, the feature will be available only to iPhones and a small percentage of people in the US. It said t”over time, the company plans to bring it to all users” but did not commit to a timeline.

After the introduction of its ‘Music Stories’ feature, Facebook has also gone into selling concert tickets to users. It’s testing out small before expanding.

Facebook explained: “We’re excited to partner with a small, initial group of independent venues, artists and event promoters in the San Francisco Bay Area, to help organizers sell more tickets via Facebook and to make ticket purchasing easier and faster for people.”

Promoters apparently keep 100% of ticket price. But this is no money making exercise. After all, Facebook made US$4.5 billion in the last quarter, $4.2 billion of that from ads. The idea is to keep artists and users longer on the platform and intensify its relationship with the music community. Similarly talks continue with the major labels to feature music videos on the site. Its videos generate 8 billion views a day.