BitTorrent has unveiled its first dedicated app, named BitTorrent Live, and it will be launching for the Apple TV.
BitTorrent Live will be powered by BitTorrent's patented live streaming protocol, which allows a large number of viewers to watch live streaming programs with latency below 10 seconds and without the need of other technology.
BitTorrent, which has been developing its own live-streaming technology for years, will be featuring free content in BitTorrent Live from over a dozen channels. The channels are not big names in the industry, but the company is promising that additional content in the form of subscriptions, advertisement supported channels and pay-per-view programs will be coming to the app soon.
The channels that will be included with BitTorrent Live upon launch are AWE (formerly known as WealthTV), Clubbing TV, FAST&FUN, Fightbox, Filmbox Arthouse, Heroes TV, Newsmax, NUsicTV, OANN, One World Sports, OpenNews TV, Pursuit Channel and TWiT.
The biggest news about BitTorrent Live, however, is not the channels that come with the app, but rather the technology behind it. As torrents are able to spread the load of downloads of large files over a high number of users, BitTorrent Live's technology transforms each viewer of a live stream into a broadcaster, reducing the lag that is often associated with live videos. The lag issue is experienced because, in the current technology used for live streams, a growing number of viewers requires bigger and more expensive content distribution networks (CDN).
According to BitTorrent Live VP of Media Erik Schwartz, the company could eventually strike deals with big names in the media industry such as AMC and HBO. However, there is no rush to do so, with the app to focus mostly on content that would benefit from live streaming such as events, sports and news.
The launch of BitTorrent Live for the Apple TV is expected this week, with a version for the iOS and Android to come in June.
