Clubhouse DM Text Chat: New Feature Announced

Clubhouse Briefly Tests a "Backchannel" Feature

A select group of Clubhouse users experienced a fleeting glimpse of a new feature within the application. This UI element, termed “backchannel,” appeared and then vanished quickly last week. It sparked considerable discussion among users anticipating expanded connectivity options.

Development of a Text Chat Function

The “backchannel” screen, initially devoid of any interactive elements like a text input field, suggests that the company is actively developing a text chat capability. This aligns with previous statements made by Clubhouse CEO Paul Davison during a company-wide meeting.

Davison articulated the need for such a feature, noting the prevalence of direct message (DM) conversations among users. He emphasized the desire for users to cultivate stronger relationships and engage in more diverse interactions.

“…. I think that there are so many people who do DM backchannels all the time, so many people who want to deepen friendships and relationships with people and do all sorts of other stuff — I think this is something that we should have,” Davison stated.

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Challenges and Uncertainties

The Clubhouse co-founder acknowledged that implementing this feature to effectively serve the app’s specific needs would be a complex undertaking. He indicated that its release wouldn’t be immediate.

Furthermore, Davison refrained from specifying whether the app would incorporate traditional one-on-one DMs or a more communal group text chat option.

Clubhouse's Response

When questioned about the “backchannel” feature, Clubhouse did not deny the possibility of an upcoming messaging feature. However, the company offered a deliberately ambiguous response.

“As part of our product building process, Clubhouse regularly explores and tests potential features,” a spokesperson communicated to TechCrunch. “These functions sometimes become part of the app, sometimes they don’t.”

Comparison to Greenroom

Spotify’s Greenroom, a competing live audio platform, already provides a live text chatroom accessible through a swipe gesture. This offers a level of functionality currently absent in Clubhouse.

Based on the initial appearance of the Clubhouse “backchannel” feature, it also appears to be accessible via a swipe-based interaction, though this is subject to modification during development.