Facebook unveils Clubhouse competitor in new suite of audio tools

Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) unveiled details of a potential rival to audio-only chat app Clubhouse as part of a new package of features announced overnight. The social media giant said its new ‘Live Audio Rooms’, which will allow users to interact with groups and public figures in real-time and audio-only, are expected to be made available to all of the users of its app by the summer, while it also plans for the functionality to be rolled out in its Messenger app. READ: Clubhouse valued at US$4bn following funding round Other new features announced as part of the package include new audio recording and manipulation tools such as speech-to-text and voice morphing, as well as short-form audio “Soundbites” and podcast capabilities. With the booming popularity of Clubhouse, which launched last year and shot to the forefront of tech sector fame thanks to its use by a number of high profile figures including Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) boss Elon Musk, it seemed inevitable that competitors in Big Tech would seek to siphon off the fresh demand for audio capability towards their own platforms. Late last year, Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) launched a beta version of Spaces, its own Clubhouse equivalent, while Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) is also said to be developing similar Clubhouse-like capabilities through its LinkedIn social network.