Amazon's live streaming service Twitch tests vertical video streams

Livestreaming service Twitch by Amazon, who recently announced plans to move into the vertical video space, has begun initial alpha tests with a few streamers.

The feature, once fully rolled out, would make Twitch more competitive with other popular vertical video services like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.

According to findings from market intelligence provider AppSensa, the Amazon-owned livestreaming platform announced it has begun testing a new vertical video feed on its mobile app, marking a significant departure from its traditional horizontal livestream layout.

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Dubbed the “Discovery Feed,” the new feature allows users to scroll through a personalized stream of short, full-screen videos, both live and pre-recorded.

The test is currently available to a small group of users and includes both vertical live broadcasts and clip-style highlights. The clips will be auto-cropped using AI to fit the vertical format, though creators can also manually edit or upload vertical versions.

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AppSensa also noted that the current implementation includes permission handling for both the camera and microphone access, as is required by mobile platforms, indicating the app will be used for the livestreams.

Vertical videos have become increasingly popular for businesses due to the rise of mobile devices and social media platforms that are designed for vertical content consumption, such as Instagram Stories, Snapchat, and TikTok.