Squad, an app that allows users to video-chat and screen-share with groups of friends in a more "fun" way than Zoom, has been acquired by Twitter, and the Squad app will have its sunset on Saturday, December 12.
As The Verge reports, Twitter appears to be looking for new ways to give people to video-broadcast, with rumors abounding that Periscope is likely to have its sunset soon. Twitter’s VP of product, Ilya Brown said in a tweet that the Squad team brings "a deep understanding of how people participate in interactive audio and video conversations" to Twitter. And the acquisition will allow Twitter to "bring new ways for people to interact, express themselves, and join in the public conversation."
What the acquisition will amount to on Twitter remains to be seen. On its website, Squad CEO Esther Crawford only says, "We are excited to share that Squad has been acquired by Twitter! We are so grateful for all our customers around the world and are excited to build the future on Twitter."
Users of Squad have been notified that the app is shutting down tomorrow, but that's about all we know here.
The news comes the same week that Facebook was sued by 48 states' attorneys general along with the FTC over its apparent anti-competitive behavior, most notably with its acquisitions of two competitors, Instagram and WhatsApp.