Jawbone launches Drop, new app based on Playground.fm

Jawbone launches Drop, new app based on Playground.fm


Jawbone has launched a new app called Drop, which enables users to generate a playlist catered to their tastes with just one click.

Drop is based on functionality that was found on Playground.fm, a start-up acquihired by Jawbone in 2013 that is now offline.

The app analyses your favourite tracks on Spotify or Rdio and then allows your friends to add tracks to the playlist via Twitter.

Drop seems to have some significant hurdles ahead since first of all it requires the user to be a premium subscriber of Spotify or Rdio. Whilst the two services have a growing base of premium subscribers they still represent a tiny proportion of app users.

Second, one has to wonder how the process of your friends sending tracks your way via twitter would work. Would you be advertising the fact that you’re using drop and encouraging such suggestions? It seems like a bit of a convoluted way of getting around creating a playlist, which takes away from the app’s simplicity, although Jawbone deserves a nod for adding a social element to the app in the first place.

Undoubtedly Drop is a way for Jawbone to extend its branding beyond hardware and to familiarise people with the company. It remains to be seen whether its functionality will be enough for users to get excited and generate downloads.

(Andrea Leonelli)