There is yet another experimental app out from Facebook’s NPE team, this time for music lovers and creators. And by the way, do not expect anything new, since it is once again a xerox of a rival social media platform. Named ‘Collab’, the app lets users collaborate with each other simultaneously, to create music together. Initially, the app lets you collaborate on Music, but will later expand functionality to video as well.
The app comes within a day of releasing of ‘CatchUp’, an audio calling app that Facebook NPE released yesterday.
Collabs — the name that Facebook has given to the app’s output — are three independent videos that are playing in sync. With the app, you can create your own arrangement by adding in your own recording or by swiping and discovering an arrangement to complete your composition. The best part is, there is absolutely no musical experience that is required.
But hey, doesn’t all of that sound familiar? It does, because there are a few apps already doing something similar. One of the more popular ones is called “Smule”, an app you may have heard of recently, by the virtue of the company’s aggressive marketing campaign. Smule works pretty much the same way as Collabs. But then, you can’t be surprised, considering Facebook has off late made it a habit of sorts to take features from lesser known rivals and stitch them up together to develop a brand new platform.
CatchUp, that was announced yesterday wasn’t also something new in its entirety. However, what it does offer uniquely, is the ability to quickly make those audio calls with a neat and clean interface. But then, one more app on the phone? Worth it? Not so sure.
Facebook’s NPE team has been working over clock to release experimental apps, even if they have bugs. A possible reason could be the fact that most people are staying indoors due to COVID-19 shelter-at-home orders, thus making it the right time to get them to use a new social media platform. “We still have plenty of work left to polish the experience (disclaimer: there may be bugs and if you find an issue, please report it).”, said Brittany Mennuti, Product Head at Facebook NPE.
As of now, Collab is only available through a ‘waitlist’. If you are too eager, you can sign up for the same here. Facebook will be opening up invites in batches, starting with folks in the US and Canada.
