Periscope eats up mobile data

Twitter's live video streaming app Periscope has been launched on Android, exactly two months after its debut in the Apple store in March.

Rival streaming app Meerkat has been available for download on Google's Play store since the beginning of May.

Twitter acquired Periscope in January 2015. It claims there were more than a million downloads of the Apple version of the app during its first week. Both apps offer a live broadcasting service via mobile phone. Those watching can show their appreciation and send messages which pop up on screen during the stream.

Periscope is great fun and I've been using it over the past week since it was released on Android. I must point out that these services are heavy on data. If you're watching random streams for about half an hour you're going to get through about 400MB (depending on the quality), so if you're on a low data plan, be aware of exactly how much data you're using.

Periscope android engineer Sara Haider said in a blogpost that Android users of the app will be able to return to watch a broadcast where they left off if, for example, an incoming phone call or text message interrupts the feed. This hasn't happened for me. When I leave a broadcast I'm watching on a replay, then come back I have to watch from the start every time. Plus there's no ability to fast forward to the point you left. I find myself not watching the stream anymore. In retrospect, the app consumes a lot of mobile data and could cost you a lot of money.

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