It doesn’t quite turn Instagram into Clubhouse, but it’s hard not to look at the update through the lens of the meteoric rise of audio-centric platforms like Clubhouse and Twitter’s Spaces. Who’d have thought that glorified conference calls would be the next big thing? Granted, maybe this update has nothing to do with Clubhouse. At its core, it’s a very simple tweak. I mean, it’s a livestream with the video turned off. But it’s hard not to look at the litany of audio-focused updates to the Facebook umbrella without thinking the company is trying to capitalize on social media’s newfound penchant for voice-based communication. On the other hand, Instagram balances out the update by allowing you to mute your audio and do video-only streams. Useful just in case you happen to be streaming from a bathroom, I suppose. Via Engadget
