2/ Audio hits different. Listening to someone’s voice, live and unedited, is personal—the opposite of highlight-reel social media or the highly-produced, one-way nature of most podcasts. The swell of a concert, a baby’s laugh, the roar of a stadium crowd.
3/ The draw of audio over other formats is obvious to any podcast devotee: the lean-back, hands-free ease of it. That means audio apps don’t compete with a vast array of startups; they compete with doing dishes, driving, etc. The competitive landscape is akin to mobile 10y ago.
4/ What’s the future of audio? Video offers a glimpse. Today, “video” spans YouTube clips, Zoom conferences, Snapchat stories, Twitch streaming, TikTok dances, embedded collab tools, messaging apps, & more Audio will be similarly sprawling, with endless product combinations.
5/ In particular, I’m excited about platforms that harness UGC, live conversations, & new social interactions Fueled by AirPod ubiquity, podcasts, & smart speakers, audio is at the intersection of behavioral & technological change. The next phase of social? Listen closely 👂
Follow @andrewchen
» NextBigWhat’s #Threadmill brings you curated wisdom from Twitter threads on product, life and growth.