Facebook announced a new focus on audio services across its products. This includes new ways to record audio messages and share them across the social network and integration of podcasts. The company also launched a Clubhouse-like feature called Live Audio Rooms, which is expected to roll out by this summer to all Facebook users.
To make it easier for everyone to record audio, the company is investing in an audio creation tool directly inside the Facebook app. This builds on audio technologies such as speech-to-text and voice morphing, with advances in AI such as background noise reduction. Music from Facebook’s Sound Collection will be available to add to the user's voice as well as sound effects, filters and mixing tools.
The tools will help create Soundbites, a new short form of audio clips, similar to the Reels short video service introduced earlier by Instagram. Testing of Soundbites will roll out over the next few months with a small number of creators before making it available to everyone. Examples include comedian Drew Lynch sharing his short rants and food reviews in ASMR; Lolo Spencer, an accessibility advocate, reciting daily affirmations and her favorite inspirational quotes; Tobe Nwigwe, an entrepreneur sharing his “convos with Tobe” about fatherhood and being a first-generation Nigerian American; Molly Burke, a motivational speaker who is blind recording stories about overcoming adversity; and Josh Sundquist, an author and comedian, using voice effects to augment his impersonations and storytelling.
Background podcasts
Building on the growing popularity of podcasts during the pandemic, Facebook is also making it easier to listen to the long audio recordings in the background while browsing the social network. According to the company, 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.
So they don't leave the app to listen to the podcasts, Facebook is integrating a listening feature directly in the social network in the coming months. This will be available both while using the app or when the app is backgrounded. The social network will also help discover and recommend podcasts based on the user's interests.
Groups gets audio
The last feature coming this summer is Live Audio Rooms, where users can meet in a dedicated space for a conversation. Live Audio Rooms will start testing in the Groups feature, which is used by 1.8 billion every month on Facebook. Public figures also will be invited to host conversations with other public figures, experts and fans on the site, in order to create a forum for discussion without being on camera. Live Audio Rooms also will be available on Messenger.
Captions will be available on all these audio experiences to make them more accessible. To monetise the services, fans of Live Audio Rooms will be able to make donations, and later the organisers of rooms can charge fees or subscriptions.
To support the start of Soundbites, the company's also introducing an Audio Creator Fund to finance the first creators and get early feedback on the new product.
