Greenroom allows users to join live discussions or to host
their own.
Spotify launched Greenroom after acquiring Betty Labs, the
company behind the popular sports-focused audio platform Locker Room.
Along with podcasts, social audio has taken off over the
past year with the San Francisco-based Clubhouse leading the way.
Since December, Clubhouse has been downloaded over 18
million times, according to the site AppMagic.
Other tech giants have also jumped into the live audio
sector with Twitter launching Spaces in December and Facebook hosting Live Audio
Rooms.
Questions remain, however, over the ability of the various
platforms to monetize their content.
They will also have to compete with Discord, which has been
offering live audio since 2015 and has more than 140 million users although it
has been more focused on video game players.
Spotify has the advantage of already being an audio platform
through its focus on music and, more recently, podcasts.