Clubhouse launches direct messages feature 'Backchannel'

FILE PHOTO: Clubhouse app is seen on a smartphone in this illustration taken, July 13, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

(Reuters) - Social audio app Clubhouse launched a direct messaging feature on Wednesday called 'Backchannel' to allow one-to-one and group text chats.

The invite-only app, which saw explosive early growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, is now competing against a raft of tech companies from Facebook and Twitter to Spotify pushing out similar audio chat services.