ABSTRACT
Async Audio
Radio once dominated the global soundscape. In its wake, we've been on a quest for an audio medium of comparable influence.
Today's non-music audio landscape encompasses audiobooks, podcasts, traditional radio, live chats (like Clubhouse), voice messages, and phone calls. The former trio represents professionally produced content, while the latter are more casual, often unscripted and primarily for private interactions.
The allure of this concept lies in harnessing the simplicity of amateur tools to craft professional-grade content. Clubhouse appeared poised to bridge this gap effectively. However, it might have overlooked the inherent challenges of live content: prolonged sessions, inconsistent quality due to subpar contributions, and the fluctuating volume of content during prime times.
Shifting from Clubhouse's emphasis on live interactions to an asynchronous format has merits. This transition to curated sessions ensures that meaningful conversations take precedence. Asynchronous content also simplifies distribution and consumption processes.
In the following I’ll explain the impact of a switch from live to async on the product.
Posted on September 6 2023 by
This piece refers to the following themes
SIGNALS
Decoding Audio's New Wave
Though initially hailed as revolutionary, Clubhouse couldn't sustain its hype. Its struggles, mirrored by platforms like Twitter Spaces, underscore the challenges of live audio networking.
The world of podcasts has become a fortress, heavily professionalized and often akin to legacy businesses. This sophistication makes entry daunting, underscored by the fact that most people remain mere listeners rather than creators.
Currently, phone and voice interactions predominantly occupy private spheres. There lies something in pivoting them to public domains.
Drawing a parallel to the transformational shift Twitter brought to blogging, the proposed concept could herald a new era for podcasts – the age of micro-podcasting.
Once an omnipresent medium, radio has seen its dominion diminish, transitioning from universal relevance to the fringes. But is this truly its swan song?
FEATURES
A creator passionate about a subject initiates the topic, establishing the ground rules for the discussion, such as participant selection and record time limits. Their inaugural voice message sets the stage.
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Participants join the conversation, recording and submitting their voice messages, reminiscent in simplicity to traditional voice messaging. Conciseness is encouraged, reminiscent of a 120-character limit.
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Creators play a pivotal role in ensuring the discussion remains progressive, maintains quality, and retains a seamless feel. They actively curate replies, pruning unnecessary distractions.
FEATURES
Just as text-based online discussions expand with every contribution, these voice sessions grow richer, unveiling fresh perspectives—sans spam, hate, or disruptive comments.
FEATURES
Users are presented with a feed of trending sessions and topics tailored to their interests. These are played sequentially, similar to a music playlist. Popularity is gauged through playback durations and skips, sidestepping the traditional "likes."
FEATURES
The inbuilt player facilitates smooth transitions between sessions and even individual contributions within them. This feature empowers users to bypass less compelling parts or revisit captivating segments.
FEATURES
Content remains transient, disappearing 48 hours post-initiation, adding a sense of urgency and freshness to the platform.
FEATURES
Even content not approved by the curator can be listened to.
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As users stumble upon intriguing topics in the app's discovery sections, they can conveniently add these to their listening queue. Future sessions can be heralded and "pre-booked", with the option to even listen to unapproved contributions.