Clubhouse, the audio chat app that exploded in popularity last year, is finally out of beta and available for anyone to join. Ever since its debut in April 2020, Clubhouse has been reserved for people with an invite. Existing members could invite their friends/family to join, with that system gradually allowing more people into the service without completely opening the floodgates.
Thanks to the events that transpired throughout last year, Clubhouse spiked as the new app to download. It hit the top charts on the App Store, everyone was talking about it on other social media sites, and it spawned countless clones that tried to mimic its success. From Twitter Spaces, Spotify Greenroom, Facebook Live Audio Rooms, and more, everyone has attempted to replicate the Clubhouse formula on other platforms. There's also an argument to be made that the invite system further contributed to Clubhouse's buzz. Everyone likes to be a part of something exclusive, and by only allowing select people in, that further ramped up the desire to join.
16 months after Clubhouse first hit the scene, the social audio app is making a big change. In addition to a new (and very retro) logo, Clubhouse is also out of beta. That means anyone can download and sign up for the app – no invite required. While that does take away the exclusive appeal, it's also a necessity considering how many competitors Clubhouse is now going up against. If Clubhouse wants people chatting on its app instead of Twitter, Facebook, or something else, not blocking them with a required invite is the right call. In a blog post announcing the news, Clubhouse founders Paul Davison and Rohan Seth say, "Everyone in the world should have access to meaningful conversations. And the best rooms on Clubhouse are the ones where you meet people from far outside your social circle, with very different views and lived experiences, who change your perspective on the world."
For anyone that's joining Clubhouse for the first time, getting started is fairly simple. After downloading the app for Android or iOS, tap the 'Welcome in' button at the bottom of the screen, enter a phone number, and follow the on-screen instructions for creating an account. Once on the Clubhouse home page, there are a few things to take note of. At the bottom of the screen is the 'Start a room' button. Tapping this allows someone to create their own room where they can start talking with people that join. The button to the left shows online contacts, where the paper airplane button on the right houses the Backchannel section for sending DMs to other users.
Above all of that is the main feed for Clubhouse. This shows a list of chat rooms that are currently open, with Clubhouse tailoring these based on someone's personal interests. A room can be joined just by tapping on it, and upon joining, all the listeners' mics are muted by default. Users can choose to sit back and listen to the conversation, or tap the hand icon to let the host know they want a chance to speak. Unlike most social media apps, the idea behind Clubhouse is to create genuine conversations instead of fighting with a keyboard.
Now that Clubhouse is out of beta and ready for the masses, it'll be interesting to see how many people join and stick with the app over the coming months. The overall experience of using Clubhouse is still quite good, but when it's competing against Twitter and Facebook — both of which have essentially built Clubhouse into their own apps — the uphill battle for Clubhouse is undeniable.
Source: Clubhouse
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