Facebook apes Clubhouse app with new audio tools
Facebook has announced plans to launch new audio products and features in an aggressive move to take on competitors including Twitter and Clubhouse, an invitation-only audio platform that has generated significant buzz.
Mark Zuckerberg made the announcement in an interview with Casey Newton, a former tech reporter for the Verge who now runs his own newsletter, saying the social media network had plans in the coming months to launch features including short-form audio clips called “Soundbites”, as well as live audio rooms. The CEO said there would soon be a way for users to discover and play podcasts on Facebook as well.
The new features closely resemble those of Clubhouse, an audio app that has grown substantially since it was launched with much fanfare a year ago. The platform, which remains invitation-only, allows users to tune into audio rooms to listen to speeches, talks and conversations, much like an audioonly conference.
The rapid growth of the app has demonstrated the potential of audio chat services, particularly as people stayed at home during the Covid-19 pandemic – a potential Facebook is hoping to tap, Zuckerberg said.
“Audio as a medium just allows for longer-form discussions and exploring ideas,” he said. “You can get into topics that frankly are a lot harder to with other mediums. And audio, I think, is just a lot more accessible because you can multitask while listening.”
The feature launched by Facebook that most resembles both Clubhouse and the new Twitter feature “Spaces” is its live audio rooms, a product that will let groups of people listen to and interact with speakers on a virtual “stage”. Twitter’s “Spaces” works similarly, as a live audio-only chat room, and is expected to go live in April.
In the interview, Zuckerberg fired shots at competitors including Twitter and Apple as Facebook joined a host of companies that have announced audio features in recent months. In particular Zuckerberg criticized Apple for its policy of taking up to 30% of profit made by apps in its app store.
“If the tax on these things were lower, I think it would allow the economy to grow faster,” he said.
Zuckerberg has grown increasingly critical of his tech competitors as Facebook and others face potential regulation. Still the company’s introduction of products that so closely resemble those of competitors may hurt the company – Zuckerberg has been questioned in antitrust hearings recently for copying or attempting to acquire competitors. In the interview on Monday, he attempted to address these concerns preemptively, citing times when Facebook products were replicated.
“When a new medium comes along, it can be adapted to a lot of ideas,” he said. “I think feeds were like this initially when we built newsfeed in 2006 – since then almost every social product has a newsfeed, but it is never the same thing – it takes the shape and feel of the context that it is in.”
As part of the announcements, Zuckerberg also said Facebook was working with Spotify to make sharing content easier for musicians and listeners.
The New York Times first reported the company’s plans to make audio features in December 2020.
Reuters contributed to this report