Anchor expands Record With Friends to make remote podcasting easier across devices

Admit it, even if you’ve never thought about starting a podcast in your life, these last few weeks of isolation have made you consider the possibility. One of the least-harmful knock-on effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is undoubtedly going to be the launch of A LOT of podcasts. People are bored, stuck at home and hungry to talk and listen to fellow humans.

How I (remotely) podcast

I wrote a big, long piece about my own experiences, shifting from in-person to online and adopting a live video element.

While I moved beyond the Anchor stage a number of years ago, the app offers a lot for those taking their first step into the brave new world of podcasting. Today, the Spotify-owned platform announced that it will be expanding its Record With Friends remote podcasting feature by way of a 2.0 update.

The latest version of the app, which is presently in beta, provides a simple link for up to four users to join in a conversation. It’s available across a range of different devices accessible via browser. Users start a conversation on their desktop or mobile device via the Anchor app and click the “Invite” button.

Your mileage — and sound quality — will vary, of course, but anything that lowers the barrier to entry in the current situation is probably a net positive.