Like all companies, Facebook must expand its services or be relegated to history along with other one time monster internet successes like Yahoo and America On Line. This is why it acquired Instagram and WhatsApp early on. This is why it continues to offer new services. And now these services will include podcasts and a social audio experience.
Facebook says that it is building is a set of new audio creation tools which will be on a professional level of quality. However, the company also promises that they will be “intuitive and fun — like having a sound studio in your pocket.” They use in AI which Facebook says can make audio quality “magically great — even if you record on a busy street corner.” Users will also be able to use music from Facebook’s Sound Collection in the background of their stories to set the tone. They will also be able to mix audio tracks, a growing collection of sound effects, voice effects and filters.
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Excited to give you more ways to express yourself and connect with people using new audio features.
Consider it like having a sound studio in your pocket by being able to create audio clips, listen to podcasts and use Live Audio Rooms.https://t.co/cmV2Ybjgx5 pic.twitter.com/DVwVPwmXx1
— Facebook (@Facebook) April 19, 2021
As for podcasts, it seems like everybody and his uncle has one these days. Or at least, everyone likes to brag about starting their own podcast. So of course Facebook is now planning on adding podcasts too. The company points out that more than 170 million people are already connected to hundreds of thousands of podcast pages on Facebook, and more than 35 million people are members of fan groups around podcasts.
However, today Facebook users need to exit its app in order to listen to these episodes. But within the next few months the company says that people will be able to listen to podcasts directly on the Facebook app — both while using the app or when the app is backgrounded. It also says that it will help users easily find new podcasts and episodes based on their interests. Users will also be able to comment on them and recommend them to their friends. Podcast creators will be able to reach and connect with new listeners — all directly within the Facebook app.
Facebook is also testing Live Audio Rooms and expects it to be available to everyone on the Facebook app by the summer. As part of this initial rollout the company will also bring Live Audio Rooms to public figures so they can host conversations with other public figures, experts and fans. In addition to bringing this to Facebook, they also plan to release Live Audio Rooms on Messenger this summer so that people can hang out with friends, too.