Facebook's live videos can now be twice as long
Facebook is making more improvements to its live broadcasts.
The company's livestreaming platform, Facebook Live, will now support fullscreen broadcasts as well as a new "video-only" mode that hides comments and reactions while you watch. Facebook will also allow broadcasts to last up to four hours -- double the two-hour limit it previously had.
All of the changes are starting to roll out now, though it may take a few weeks before they are available to everyone on all platforms.
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Fullscreen video will be a welcome improvement to broadcasters and viewers alike, as the update will mean that you no longer have to watch videos on your phone with the white comments box stuck underneath. The update will add support for fullscreen videos in landscape and portrait mode on iOS and portrait on Android (Facebook says landscape support will be coming to Android later this year.)
Similarly, the "video-only" mode will allow users to watch live video streams while hiding the comments and reactions that appear on top of the video content. Broadcasters and viewers can toggle the mode on or off by swiping left or right across the video while they are recording or watching.
Finally, Facebook is doubling the maximum length live broadcasts can be. Previously, videos were limited to two hours, but now can be up to four.
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Topics Facebook Social Media
Karissa was Mashable's Senior Tech Reporter, and is based in San Francisco. She covers social media platforms, Silicon Valley, and the many ways technology is changing our lives. Her work has also appeared in Wired, Macworld, Popular Mechanics, and The Wirecutter. In her free time, she enjoys snowboarding and watching too many cat videos on Instagram. Follow her on Twitter @karissabe.
