Clubhouse, the social media app, had seen a rapid rise in popularity during the days of the Covid-19 pandemic. The app was based on the concept of audio and became famous because of its ability to host conversations based on the style of podcasts. This would often involve new ideas, networking, and professional development.
However, the hype did not continue for long. In April 2023, Rohan Seth and Paul Davison, the founders of Clubhouse had to make a “difficult” decision. They decided to decrease the size of the team working on the app by over half the numbers. In a statement to its employees released during the culling, the founders had explained that the product required evolution to find its suitable identity in the world, and as such, this needed a time for change.
Clubhouse’s New Addition
After about 5 months since the decision to scale back, Clubhouse is officially staging a return. Its new appearance takes it closer to a traditional app for messaging than what it was originally, as per the claims of the founders. Its biggest update, “Chats”, is a chat forum that only allows voice communications that can be accessed by users and their social circle.
There are a few intricacies involved. For example, voice chats for groups can be accessible to “friends-of-friends” or “friends only”. No longer are they anonymous chat rooms catering to enormous communities. Furthermore, the Clubhouse group chat is noticeably more personal and colorful than that found on WhatsApp, which may entice users to it.
Clubhouse will still feature the original live rooms feature. However, the app is seemingly making a shift to a social setup that is far more intimate. Its priorities have seemingly moved from communities to personal chats and prioritizing friends.
