TwitchTV unveils Android, iPad apps for e-sports streams on the go

TwitchTV is putting more effort into mobile distribution of its e-sports live streams, with the release of an Android app, as well as the rollout of a new universal iOS app that will provide a more optimized iPad viewing experience. The new apps are being released as Twitch TV tops more than 16 million unique visitors a month, thanks to partnerships with e-sports leagues like the Electronic Sports League (ESL), Day[9]TV, IGN Pro League (IPL), Major League Gaming (MLG) and North American Star League (NASL).

The new Android and iPad experiences come about six months after TwitchTV released its iPhone app. Back then, TwitchTV was pulling in about 10 million uniques per month. The amount of streaming on mobile devices is also pretty significant: According to TwitchTV VP of Marketing Matt DiPietro, about 23 percent of all viewing is on mobile devices. That’s a decent amount, considering viewers were watching either through the iPhone app or mobile web browsers on Android devices.

TwitchTV, of course, is the e-sports business that grew out of Justin.tv’s live-streaming platform. Using the open platform that it built to allow anyone to live stream, but then focusing it on a specific vertical with an engaged and highly monetizable audience, it’s been able to make some decent money. TwitchTV has grown by signing up large e-sports leagues, but has also nabbed about 1,200 partners since launching last June.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

  • What Amazon’s new Kindle line means for Apple, Netflix and online media
  • Q4 Wrap-up: SOPA and the future of digital content
  • Updated: Forecast: global mobile subscribers, 2010–2015



GigaOM