Pinterest quietly launches a livestreaming app for video creators

Pinterest on Monday launched a new app aimed at making it easier for creators to livestream to its platform. The new Pinterest TV Studio app for iOS and Android will allow select creators to go live on Pinterest as well as use multiple devices in order to achieve different camera angles, the app’s description states.

The company didn’t announce the app’s debut — perhaps because it’s not broadly available to all creators at this time. Instead, upon first launch, creators have to enter in a code or scan a barcode that Pinterest provides in order to gain access to the livestreaming tools the app provides.

However, the addition of a dedicated livestreaming app is another example of how Pinterest is rethinking its place in the broader social media landscape, where TikTok’s rise has pushed other platforms to adopt a video-first focus. Today, major social players including Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and YouTube have a TikTok-like short video feature available, and most offer features for creating live video content.

Pinterest, meanwhile, has been working on its own video efforts with the launch of Idea Pins, a sort of video-first mashup of both TikTok-stye short-form video content and tappable Stories. The company during its earnings last week said it’s seen over 25% growth in the save rate of Idea Pins quarter over quarter. And Pinterest users who follow multiple video creators on the site tend to visit Pinterest more often than those who do not, the company shared.

Meanwhile, Pinterest last November also announced the launch of Pinterest TV — a series of live, shoppable videos from creators focused on food, home, fashion, beauty, DIY and more. The shows air live, then later become available for on-demand viewing. The platform was initially only available to select, hand-picked creators at the time of launch, including folks like Christian Siriano, Monica Suriyage, Tom Daley, Manny MUA, Robyn Schall and others. It had earlier in the year tested livestreamed events inside the Pinterest app with top creators.

According to data from Sensor Tower, the brand-new Pinterest TV Studio app has been live on the App Store and Google Play since May 2, 2022. It has not seen enough downloads to rank the app on any app store charts and the firm isn’t able to estimate the total downloads at this time.

However, the app is available in several markets outside the U.S., including Canada, Australia, the U.K. and Germany — signaling a potential global expansion of Pinterest TV efforts.

Pinterest confirmed the launch with a statement but said it didn’t have more to share about the app at this time.

“With more Creators developing innovative programming with Pinterest TV on the Platform, we’re continuously experimenting with new ways to help Creators bring their ideas to life,” a spokesperson said.