Facebook is so much more than just a social networking service nowadays, supporting live video streaming for the past year or so, Craigslist-rivaling Marketplace features recently, and even Messenger payments through bots. Not to mention that regardless of Mark Zuckerberg’s opposition to the concept of world-changing “fake news”, FB is definitely influencing its member’s views on key political events and figures.

The latest tool added to the social media website and its Android and iOS-dedicated apps for Facebook Live experience improvement is way less momentous than all the aforementioned functions and resources. But it’s yet another small step towards achieving total control over a user’s online habits.

Starting “early next year”, publishers and “normal” people will be able to natively broadcast audio-only content on Facebook if they so choose or are forced by weak connectivity circumstances to stay away from demanding video transmissions.

Live Audio enters a “few weeks” of testing with “several partners”, including BBC World Service, LBC, Harper Collins, and authors Adam Grant and Brit Bennett, the format then being set to become “more broadly available” in 2017.

Radio podcast, interview or book reading listeners will discover audio content in their News Feeds, where questions, reactions and easy sharing are strongly encouraged. Android users have a lot to look forward to off the bat, getting the exclusive skill of listening to a Live Audio broadcast even upon exiting the Facebook app or locking their phones. Meanwhile, folks on iOS need to keep FB always fired up.

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