What you need to know
- Spotify has acquired Betty Labs and its live sports audio app Locker Room.
- The app is set to get a rebrand with a new focus beyond sports.
- Spotify says anyone will be able to host conversations, and that it might just integrate all the features into Spotify one day.
Spotify has acquired Betty Labs and its live audio app Locker Room, and says it has plans to rebrand and maybe even integrate the service into its music streaming app.
As reported by The Verge:
Spotify has invested heavily in prerecorded podcast content, and now, the company is looking to host live audio conversations. The platform announced today that it's acquiring Betty Labs, the company behind the live sports audio app Locker Room. Spotify didn't disclose how much it spent on the purchase.As a result of the acquisition, Locker Room will stay live in the App Store but will be rebranded with a different name in the future on iOS and, eventually, Android with a broader focus on music, culture, and sports content. Spotify says it sees live audio as ideal for creators who want to connect with audiences in real time, whether that's to premiere an album, host a question and answer session, or possibly even perform.
Speaking to the outlet Spotify's R&D chief Gustav Söderström confirmed the company would let anyone host conversations, putting Locker Room (and the rebranded version) squarely in the path of services like Clubhouses and Twitter Spaces. The two apps as it stands will remain separate, but Söderström said in the future "maybe we'll integrate some of these features, or all of these features in the future", as well as experimenting with new ways to monetize the service.
The acquisition may also help to seamlessly complement Spotify's podcast service, with the option to upload conversations as podcasts already available on Spaces and Clubhouse.
