Clubhouse Outlines Plan for Next Stage of Android Roll Out

Yes, it might be behind the times already, and yes, with more audio social platforms being launched, the competition is rising for the app.

But Clubhouse still has a strong opportunity for growth, which it’s now looking to maximize with a broader Android rollout over the next week.

As outlined in this tweet, stemming from the app’s latest Town Hall meeting, Clubhouse is aiming to be fully accessible on Android by the end of the week, opening up the app to a lot more users.

Well, theoretically at least.

While Clubhouse, the app, will be made available on all Android devices, it will still only be accessible via an invite-only process. So while, technically, millions more people will be able to access the platform, only those who’ve been invited will actually be able to log in.

So yes, more access, but not entirely open, as such. At least, not yet.

Clubhouse’s invite-only approach has been both its biggest strength and biggest weakness, in that it’s fueled a level of exclusivity, and an air of FOMO around the app, boosting overall interest. But it’s also become a crutch, particularly as Twitter has accelerated the growth of its own Clubhouse-like Spaces tool.

With Spaces now available to all Twitter users with more than 600 followers, on iOS and Android, that’s stolen Clubhouse’s thunder somewhat, as Android users, and those on iOS, are becoming more used to tuning into audio rooms within an app that they already know, and are all able to access such equally, without requiring a specific invite.

That could be what’s seen Clubhouse’s download numbers slow, which are expected to now see a boost as Android users come into the fray.

But even so, it does seem that Twitter has blunted the app’s momentum somewhat – while Facebook has just launched the first stage of live testing for its Clubhouse-like audio social options.

So while it’s clearly a positive that Clubhouse is coming to more users, it’s difficult to measure the potential impacts, and benefits, of such.

Will Clubhouse see a resurgence now that Android users can log in – or will its invite-only approach negate those gains, and see the app’s numbers remain flat, as more users become further aligned to other, in-app audio social tools?

It’s too early to write Clubhouse off entirely, but the challenge before it is rising – and it likely needs to accelerate user access a lot faster to keep up with the competition.