What is Clubhouse, the application that attracts so much attention?

Launched less than a year ago, the Clubhouse audio app has already caught the attention of bigwigs in the tech industry and even China, but what is Clubhouse?

Available for iPhone only, the app lets you start or listen to recordings on a wide variety of topics, from technology to sports, parenting, black literature, health, etc. There are no text messages, photos or videos – just profile pictures of people and their to vote.

Calls can be anything from a phone call to a conference or an interview. It’s free and there are no ads, at least not now.

How to enter?

Currently, the only way to get an invite is to get one from someone already in the clubhouse as it is still in beta. You can also download the app and sign up for a waiting list.

Its exclusivity is part of its current appeal. Its appearance has grown through the star power of its first members, such as the rap star Drake, the actor Jared Leto, the actress Tiffany Haddish and influential tech figures such as the capitalist Marc Andreessen and the CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey.

Once inside, you can import your Twitter profile or start from scratch and then follow people or “clubs” on a wide variety of topics.

Who made the clubhouse?

It was created by the Silicon Valley businessman Paul DavisonThe app debuted in March, just as many had to remain locked up by the pandemic.

Why is it drawing attention now?

The main reason is probably that Elon Musk Y Mark Zuckerberg, the CEOs of Tesla and Facebook, respectively, recently appeared in Clubhouse.

When two tech icons with a combined net worth of $ 280 billion choose to use the same app to get their message across a few days apart, people notice.

In his Jan. 31 appearance, Musk discussed travels to Mars with his rocket company Space X, about cryptocurrencies, artificial intelligence, and the pandemic. Zuckerberg spoke on February 4 and sparked curiosity about the app.

What happened in China?

Thousands of Chinese users have started using the app in recent months, drawn to limitless discussions with people abroad, particularly on democracy, Taiwan and other sensitive topics.

The app was removed from Apple Inc.’s store in China in mid-December, but Chinese users lost access to the clubhouse on Monday, along with thousands of other websites and social media apps blocked by the party.