Facebook live was first introduces the public first via only iOS, then gradually to Android and eventually to Pages. We saw various individuals, celebrities and brand getting on board the bandwagon and trying out the new feature that Facebook introduced.

Cleary Facebook Inc. has big plans for this new feature, which I should probably refer to as a platform since that is where this is eventually heading. This was further proven at this year’s Facebook F8 conference with the introduction of the Facebook Live API.

With the Facebook Live API publishers can get started with the Live API by contacting one of their Media Solutions partners. These partners have built video production, editing, and streaming products that publish directly to Facebook Live and bring live video to life with features like camera switching,

What can we do with the Facebook Live API?

1) Stream video from more than just your smartphone
The Live API lets you build video streams that mix multiple video and audio sources and introduce special effects. These can also include programmatic sources like games or screencasts.

2) Create new ways to interact with viewers
When you combine the Live API with Facebook’s Graph API, you gain access to your live video’s comments, reactions, and mentions. You can use this information to reflect viewer engagement in real time and create on-screen graphics that show live poll results, analyze comments, and enable comment moderation.

3) Go live from a standalone camera, or even a drone
The Live API can enable spectacular live videos through seamless hardware integrations. Hardware manufacturers can integrate with the Live API to let people go live directly from their devices.

A few  specs:

• Video in maximum 720p (1280 x 720) resolution, at 30 frames per second.
• You must send an I-frame (keyframe) at least once every two seconds throughout the stream.
• Recommended max bit rate is 2500Kbps.
• Video Length is 90 minute maximum length.

What is your opinion about Facebook Live? Is it the future of live streaming or is it just a farce that will fade away?