Facebook is now rolling out its Clubhouse competitor in the US, dubbed Live Audio Rooms, along with exclusive podcasts that are now available on the platform.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS:
- Facebook debuts Live Audio Rooms, its Clubhouse rival
- Currently, only US public figures can create rooms
- Facebook also unveiled its first podcast offerings
- These features are available to all US users
Facebook launching Live Audio Rooms in the US
Found in Facebook’s mainland iOS app, the Live Audio Rooms feature is limited to verified public figures in the US and certain groups who are currently the only ones that can start hosting rooms via the iOS app. Some of the launch names include musicians like TOKiMONSTA, D Smoke and Kehlani), media figures like Joe Budden and DeRay Mckesson, as well as athletes such as Russell Wilson and Omareloff.
Anyone can join from both iOS and Android.
The feature supports up to fifty people speaking at once, an unlimited number of listeners and live captioning. By comparison, Clubhouse limits the number of people in a room who can speak at the same time and doesn’t support captions yet.
To request to join the conversation, simply hit a raise-hand button. When a follower/friend joins a room, you’ll receive a notification.
The Verge has more:
Within groups, admins can control who’s allowed to create a room: moderators, group members or other admins. Public group chats will be accessible both in and outside the group, but private group chats will be restricted to members. Additionally, hosts can also select a nonprofit or fundraiser to support during their conversation with a button to directly donate showing up on the chat.
Facebook also rolled out podcasts in the US.
Facebook now lets all US users listen to podcasts
Aside from Live Audio Rooms, the social network today also launched another audio product, exclusive podcasts. This feature, like Live Audio Rooms, is currently limited to the US market.
Facebook recently reached out to select podcast creators via email to inform them of the impending launch. New podcast episodes appear in the News Feed and a new “Podcasts” tab within the mobile app. A built-in player lets you listen to podcasts even with the phone locked.
Listeners can react to a show, as well as post comments, bookmark an episode or share their favorite shows. The company is also working on the ability to share short 1-minute aid snippets from their favorite shows. This and other new features will launch on Facebook Podcasts later this summer, including automatic captioning.
Listeners may be able to share 1-minute snippets.
An initial set of US podcast partners includes these names:
- Joe Budden of “The Joe Budden Podcast”
- Nicaila Matthews Okome of “Side Hustle Pro”
- Keltie Knight, Becca Tobin and Jac Vanek of “The LadyGang”
- Jess Hilarious of “Carefully Reckless” from The Black Effect Podcast Network and iHeartRadio
Additional podcast creators will come to Facebook later this summer.