- Canon has launched a new app aimed at livestreamers
- It lets you control multiple iPhones and iPads from a single app
- Extra effects like graphics and overlays need a monthly subscription
An increasing number of people enjoy creating livestreamed video content, whether that’s hosting cookery lessons, teaching classes to students, unboxing the latest tech goodies, or something else. Doing that can be fiddly, though, especially if it’s just you and you’re trying to work with multiple camera angles at once.
To help, Canon has just launched a new app that it thinks will alleviate some of that hassle and offer a simpler alternative to the likes of OBS (Open Broadcaster Software). Called Live Switcher Mobile, the app for iPhone and iPad lets you manage several aspects of livestreamed content on the go, without needing other apps or equipment.
For example, Live Switcher Mobile lets you set a timer before the stream’s feed automatically switches to a different camera. Canon’s announcement says this helps content creators to create interesting shots “even when they are working alone and cannot manually operate multiple devices.”
If you want to add text or graphics to your stream, you can do that too with Canon’s app, and it will also display comments from viewers and let you directly interact with them. And if you want to stream your device’s screen – say, the game you’re playing on your iPad – and layer the feed from a second camera on top of your gameplay footage, you can do that too.
The full version isn’t cheap
Livestreamed content has steadily grown in popularity over the last few years, but the barrier to entry has sometimes been high due to the need to have several cameras on the go if you want to shoot content at different angles. As well as that, it can be a fiddly affair as you try to manage all the different wires and connections that are part of your setup. And that’s without even working out which of the best streaming apps you should be using.
The idea with Live Switcher Mobile is that it simplifies the whole process. It’s definitely not a high-end solution – professional video creators will probably want to look elsewhere – but it could be a decent option if you’re just getting started, are working with a tight budget, or want to stick to using iPhones and iPads.
Right now, Live Switcher Mobile only supports video feeds from iPhones and iPads running at least iOS 16 or iPadOS 16, making it a decent option if you already own these devices and don’t want to buy expensive camera equipment to supplement your livestreams. Canon says that the app will also support digital cameras (including its own, of course) in the future.
Live Switcher Mobile is free to download and use from Apple’s App Store, although some features (such as most graphics) require a fee. Paying the subscription also hides ads and Canon’s watermark, allows zooming and image overlays, and more. According to the app’s App Store page, a one-month subscription costs a fairly hefty $17.99 (around £15 / AU$29), but you can trial the features for free for one month.
