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Instagram tests letting you add a friend to live stream

Instagram tests letting you add a friend to live stream

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Split-screen streaming

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Image: Instagram

Instagram is testing a new feature that lets you stream live Instagram broadcasts with a friend in split-screen mode.

Adding a friend to your broadcast is simple: just tap the new icon on the bottom right (it’s shaped like two smiley faces) and select a friend to add, which will split your screen vertically. Everything else about live Instagram videos — hearts, comments, and the option to save it to your story afterward — works pretty much the same.

The new addition makes sense, given that Facebook, which owns Instagram, rolled out a similar feature to Facebook Live back in May. Given the self-perpetuating, ouroboros-like nature of the world of social video applications, it seems likely that Snapchat will presumably have copied the feature to its app by the end of the week.

Instagram is testing the feature with a small number of users for now, and it will be rolling it out to everyone over the next few months.