Audioboo announces new features and US launch

Audio recording and sharing platform Audioboo, which launched a new user interface yesterday, has announced several major developments.

It is planning a major investment round, opening offices in San Francisco and New York, and is building new 'pro' app aimed at journalists.

Since it launched in 2009, Audioboo has become widely used by reporters and news outlets for sharing audio, with the app allowing users to geolocate audio recordings, which are known as 'boos'. Stephen Fry's love of the platform, as well as the committed community of users, have helped to cement it as a popular tool for journalists.

Content and distribution partners which use the platform to share audio include BBC, CNBC, Sky News Radio and the Guardian.

A new-look site


The new-look Audioboo site

Yesterday Audioboo launched a new user interface and experience, with new features including a "trending element", Rob Proctor, the new chief executive of the platform explained at a press conference in London today.

Users can also create "boo boards" around a topic (such as comedy) on the new-look site, Proctor said.

The new chief executive also outlined major developments on the horizon. The company, which was started by founder Mark Rock who three months ago stepped aside from the role of chief executive and instead became president, is planning a $15 million investment in the first quarter of 2013.

Audioboo is planning "a big US launch" on 15 January, Proctor said. The company has made a "key hire", will open offices both on the West and East Coast, and has partnerships with a number of US outlets including WSJ.com, CNBC and the Huffington Post.

App for journalists

Developers at the platform, which is increasing by 100,000 new users a month, according to Proctor, said a pro app aimed at journalists will also be launched early in 2013.

The new pro app will be free to many professional journalists, Proctor told Journalism.co.uk, with features including in-app editing, and the ability to record longer clips of audio and the scheduling of audio posts.

Proctor said the app is expected to be released at the end of January or beginning of February.

Other developments include a new Android app and a "radically upgraded" iOS app. The firm has also released a Windows 8 app and RIM and Nokia apps are "in alpha".

In addition to a new focus on education, Audioboo is also planning an expansion into music, Proctor announced.

"Our heritage in spoken word", he said, but "music is the elephant in the room".

Audioboo plans a "different" approach than competitors in the space, Proctor said, explaining that the platform as a full PRS licence, meaning that it is financially contributing to music creators.

In explaining the major developments, Proctor said: "We are so much more than just a social network."

For background notes from the press conference see this link.

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