BitTorrent Now streaming app launches for Apple TV, iOS

BitTorrent Now, a new streaming app billed as "an artist-first, people-powered platform, focused on creativity and community rather than abundance," has launched for iOS devices and on Apple TV.

The new BitTorrent Now app is designed to help musicians and filmmakers publish their work to audiences of fans. The service includes content from The Onion, Super Deluxe and IIHEARTCOMIX as well as indie publishers.

"We're a rabbit hole of on-demand songs, stories, and more for fans looking for that next, best thing," the app says of itself in the App Store.

Viewers can browse curated music and video recommendations, follow trending tracks and artists and share items with friends.

The app is free, and content is generally supported by ads, although publishers can request that users login to view their work, or alternatively publish their material for a fee.

"We're dedicated to sharing the world's original, experimental, and straight-up brave stories in a way that gives these creators a sustainable future for their art," the app's developers state. "When you see advertising, we share that revenue in a fair and transparent way with our creative community. Directly support the artists who you want to succeed."

BitTorrent was originally known as a bandwidth-efficient, peer-to-peer file sharing service that was widely used to distribute material without regard for copyright. The BitTorrent Now app is designed to facilitate distribution of artists' work as a platform where sharing is performed from the originator, rather than among audience members.