An App to Listen to Podcasts Together: Why It’s Needed and How It Could Work
Imagine heading out for a walk with your partner or friend, or spending time at the park together. Instead of just chatting or listening to separate music, you could share the experience of a podcast, able to comment or laugh along without needing to stop the audio. While there are apps for music sharing, a dedicated app for listening to podcasts together would bring unique benefits.
The Use Cases for Shared Podcast Listening
Listening to podcasts together offers a way to enjoy shared interests on the go. For example:
Couples out walking their dog or spending time outdoors could enjoy stories or learn something new together without carrying a speaker.
Friends or family members could share the experience of an insightful talk or a comedy podcast, creating shared memories.
Remote listening would be useful too, for friends who want to stay connected by listening to the same podcast even when apart.
Technical Challenges and Opportunities
Creating an app for shared podcast listening poses a few technical challenges:
Bluetooth Limitations: While Bluetooth allows sharing audio on the same device, it doesn’t enable two-way communication between headphones, meaning listeners can’t talk over the podcast without pausing.
Real-Time Communication: To allow seamless conversation, the app would need to mix podcast audio with a live voice channel, balancing audio so listeners can chat without interrupting playback.
Sync and Control: Both listeners need a synced experience, allowing one person to pause or adjust the volume without disrupting the other.
Why Switchboard is Perfect for This Solution
Switchboard SDK makes it easy to build shared audio experiences, offering tools for real-time communication, audio mixing, and synchronization. The SDK enables developers to blend podcast audio with live voice channels seamlessly, allowing listeners to talk over the audio without lag or interference.
Synervoz already offers similar applications as white-label solutions, so developers can create customized versions tailored to different audiences and use cases, whether for friends, families, or even remote teams looking for casual learning breaks.
A shared podcast listening app could redefine how we spend time together—no longer bound by Bluetooth or cumbersome audio setups. With tools like Switchboard, creating these shared audio experiences can be done much faster and cheaper than ever before.