App Review: Twitch

The app that I have chosen to review is the Twitch App. Twitch is a stream app that allows individuals to stream a wide range of content. This content is primarily video games, but it does provide content related to other things such as cooking, comedy, and even art.  The image below is an example of an art progam that an individual is streaming while they are working on an art project.  

The twitch app is similar to the Youtube in that content creators provide entertainment that they can monetize if they achieve specific criteria of views. However, beyond providing a wide range of entertainment, Twitch’s app does not provide much in the way of utility.

The screen shot below is an example of a comedy program.

The design of the app is simple and easy to use. It allows for an individual to pick the type of content they wish to view. Once an individual makes their choice, a simple interactive screen appears which allows the user to interact with the content. The video tab allows individuals to pick the type of live content they wish to watch. The clips tab allows a person to preview content when content creators are not online. The info tab provides additional information about the content and the content creator.  One of the key features of the Twitch app is the chat.  This allows individuals the ability to interact with content creators. 

Some drawback to the app is that it is extremely resource hungry.  Streaming in Twitch takes much more data and processor resources than streaming on Netflix or even YouTube.  An individual can experience issues with latency on audio and visual aspect of the streams  if they are on a mobile device and have impaired services.    

A final point I would like to make is that the Twitch app is similar to the YouTube in that content creators provide entertainment that they can monetize if they achieve specific criteria of views.  Individuals can subscribe to content creators for $4.99, $9.99, and $24.99.  Content creators can also receive gifts and donations.  However, beyond providing a wide range of entertainment and a potential monitory, Twitch’s app does not provide much in the way of utility.   A significant amount of the emphasis of the app is on subscribing or related to donations which does detract from  content that is designed to be educational.