Facebook’s internal research and development group, New Product Experimentation (NPE) has launched its next experimental application, called BARS. This is the NPE Team’s second launch in the music space following its recent public debut of the music video app ‘Collab’.
BARS makes it possible for certain content creators to create and share their raps using professionally created beats. Collab focuses on making online music, BARS is instead aimed at budding rappers who are looking to create and share their videos. Audio production tools are usually complicated, expensive, and difficult to use. But BARS provides many professionally-created beats and people can write lyrics and record their short clips. BARS auto-suggests the rhymes when you are writing, and it also provides a variety of audio and visual filters. The video clip in the BARS app can be up to 60 seconds in length and can be stored in the system or shared out on different social media platforms. Despite the focus on music and rap, in particular, the new app in a way can be seen as yet another attempt by Facebook to develop the TikTok competitor in this content category.
Like NPE’s previous apps, the COVID-19 played a role in the creation of BARS. The pandemic restricted access to live music and places where rappers could experiment and share their work. The increasing cost of recording studios and recording equipment and limitations on movement because of the global pandemic has created the need for apps like BARS which can help the users to continue with their content creation and share it on already established music sharing apps.
Facebook has launched 12 apps over the last 18 months with each experiment aiming to find new ways to increase user engagement and solidify Facebook’s offerings. Some of these apps have already been shut down, but the company is still supporting the most, which seems that it is expecting some signs of success from different options.
