Twitter Buys Startup Vine: Considering its Own Video-Hosting Service?

  • Twitter is reportedly considering building its own video-hosting technology. This would allow Twitter users to upload video directly rather than using hosting services such as yFrog, TwitVid and Vodpod.
  • The company recently made a similar switch involving images. “Until recently, Twitter also delegated photo hosting to third-party services; Twitter moved that hosting in-house with the most recent app updates,” writes AllThingsD.
  • “This doesn’t mean Twitter expects users to start using its homegrown solution for the bulk of the videos people share of the service,” notes the article. “It still expects most people to post clips using links from sites like YouTube, Hulu and Vimeo.”
  • The switch could help Twitter refine its consistency and user experience in addition to offering more control while making tweets richer and more media-friendly.
  • The potential video initiative is not a done deal; however, a follow-up post from AllThingsD reports that Twitter has acquired New York-based, video-sharing startup Vine — in a deal that may or may not keep the three-man company as a standalone service.
  • The company, which has yet to launch publicly, specializes in very short video clips. According to its landing page, Vine is “the best way to capture and share video on your iPhone.”
  • “Vine allows for punctuated recording,” explains AllThingsD. “Grab a few quick snips of video, and Vine auto-generates a longer cut stitched from those shots. It’s a novel idea, and hones in on the sweet spot of our ever-dwindling attention spans.”

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