Forget TikTok. Audio-based Clubhouse is social media's next big thing
The next killer smartphone app has arrived — and it offers the
potential to transform how we communicate, share knowledge and even make new
friends.
I am talking about voice-and-audio-based social networking startup
Clubhouse. Its platform enables users to drop in and out of ephemeral chat
rooms and take part in a range of gatherings, from small
"water-cooler" type conversations to larger discussions featuring
expert panels, often attended by thousands of listeners. Since its launch last
March, Clubhouse has increasingly become a cultural phenomenon, attracting
politicians, celebrities and experts from all walks of life. With its success
and prominent backing, it may now be poised to upend the entire social media space.
Clubhouse's latest figures reveal how quickly it is growing.
During a weekly town hall event on Sunday, co-founder Paul Davison said the
app's weekly active user base had doubled to 2 million over the last couple of
weeks. He also announced the startup had raised another investment round led by
venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, adding it now has more than 180
investors. While he didn't offer any specifics, The Information reported on
Friday that Clubhouse was getting interest at a $1 billion valuation. If true,
that means the company's value has risen by a factor of 10 since its earlier
Series A round last May, also led by Andreessen Horowitz.
Something special is happening inside the Clubhouse community.
Call it the power of the voice — and it's what separates Clubhouse from other
platforms. A short back-and-forth live conversation, with its nuance and tone,
can build closer relationships more quickly than dozens of written posts and
text messages sent through more established social networks such as Facebook
and Twitter. Since I joined Clubhouse last summer, I met and became friends
with professors, filmmakers, artists, engineers and more from places all over
the world. It has been intoxicating listening to people's life stories and
absorbing their knowledge and experience, from learning how a streaming video
executive greenlights projects to getting expert political analysis on the
latest breaking news. It has easily become one of my favorite pastimes.
Budget News: unionbudget2021-2022
Comments
Post a Comment