'Hotline': Facebook launches public test of its live audio chat app to rival Clubhouse

Facebook’s experimental app development division, NPE Team, on April 7 launched its latest experiment, Hotline, into public beta testing. According to Verge, new Q&A platform borrows concepts from audio-only social network Clubhouse but with also dashes of live-streaming thrown in. website for new service is online w and allows sing-ins via Twitter, but it features only a waitlist and a tool for applying to host your own show. 

According to reports, Facebook has even created designs for a mobile version of app, however, those do t appear to be live at moment. Hotline, which is a website based application, could be described as a mashup of Instagram Live and Clubhouse, as it allows creators to speak to an audience who can n ask questions through eir text or audio. But unlike Clubhouse, creators can opt to turn ir cameras on for event, instead of being audio-only. 

Q&A component of Hotline involves hosts fielding questions from audience supplied via text, while audience members can n upvote which questions y want to be answered and n respond to ongoing conversation with emoji reactions. Hosts can also bring individuals from audience up onto virtual st in a bid to ask ir question live and potentially eng in a longer conversation. As per reports, Hotline events seem to be designed more like a cross between a radio show and a Twitch stream, where audience is asked to weigh in here and re but control of conversation remains firmly with host. 

Difference between Hotline & current social networks 

It is worth mentioning that Facebook’s latest project is led by Erik Hazzard, who joined Facebook when his app ‘tbh’, a platform for sending anymous compliments to friends, was acquired in 2017. Later, Facebook had shut ‘tbh’ down, despite Hazzard’s success attracting millions of users to platform. But w with Hotline, Hazzard is once again developing a product in Q&A . 

Hotline’s users’ interface will look familiar to anyone who has already used Clubhouse, Twitter s or any of audio-only social networks. However, re are also differences. For starters, app has users sign in with Twitter n verify ir identity via SMS. listeners’ section is also divided up between those who are just watching event, and those who are asking questions. users are presented with lists of questions that users have asked, which ors can upvote or downvote accordingly. 

(Im: Pixabay/Twitter)