Clubhouse for Android still months away

Social media app Clubhouse relies on audio only to make personal connections. Clubhouse users might not get to see each other engaging in conversation, but they certainly can hear what their group is talking about. Right now, the app is available only for iOS and iPadOS users through the App Store. Back in late January, Clubhouse said in a blog post that it would soon begin work on its Android app. But during the company's weekly Townhall event on Sunday, Clubhouse founder Paul Davison gave us a time frame for the appearance of an Android version of the Clubhouse app.

According to TechCrunch, Davison said that Clubhouse was working "really hard" to bring the app to Android, but also noted that it might take a "couple of months" for that to happen. That means we could see Clubhouse for Android launch sometime in the second quarter or early in the third quarter. Considering that Google's open source mobile operating system has roughly 85% of the global handset market, the earlier that Clubhouse has its Android app up and running, the better it will be for Clubhouse. The company mentioned that it just hired its first Android engineer.

Android users who want an audio-only social app can turn to Twitter Spaces which just launched its Android service earlier this month. For the time being, Android users can only talk and join a chat that has already been created. They won't be able to create their own Space for the moment although this could change as soon as next month. Twitter says that it plans on opening up Spaces to the general public in April giving it an advantage over Clubhouse when it comes to Android.

Another change that Davison discussed on Sunday was the eventual removal of Clubhouse's invitation only requirement. This could be done "in the coming months," the app's founder said, because there are "so many incredible creators not yet on Clubhouse, who have an audience elsewhere." He went on to say that "it’s going to be really important that we just open up to everyone. Android’s going to be really important. Localization is obviously going to be very important." Changes being made to the app could include minor changes to the Activity feed, giving users more control over their push notifications, and a list that would open when the app is launched with a personalized list of rooms that Clubhouse suggests a subscriber visit.

 

Meanwhile, bad actors are taking advantage of Clubhouse's popularity and iOS only status by tricking Android users into loading their malicious apps onto their phones. This has allowed these bad guys to spread the BlackRock malware that can steal users' login information for over 450 online services including Twitter, Facebook, and Amazon. It is easy to be ripped off if you search for an Android version of Clubhouse. Creeps using slightly different icons than the one used on the legit iOS app are trying to make money off of those who aren't terribly familiar with the app.

During Sunday's Townhall, Davison warned everyone not to install fake Clubhouse apps on Android saying that "it could be harmful." He added that "It is certainly not the real Clubhouse. Same thing with PC. There’s no PC app for Clubhouse." A desktop version of Clubhouse is not high on the company's to-do list according to the company's founder.

Also announced last Sunday were plans that could allow creators to monetize their events through subscriptions, direct payments, brand sponsorships, and paid events. Creators will also be given tools to track memberships, listeners, and other data, but when all of these tools will be made available is unclear.