Like Clubhouse, Dispo is a social media-type iPhone app that’s recently attracted plenty of attention. Clubhouse launched last year on iOS as an invite-only service and it still requires an invite today. However, while Dispo also relies on an invite system, and comes with a social element, it is vastly different to Clubhouse. For starters, while Clubhouse focuses on audio conversations, Dispo is all about photography.
Developed under the radar for some time now, Dispo is not exactly low profile. Dispo was founded by popular vlogger and YouTuber David Dobrik, also known for founding The Vlog Squad. Backed by a YouTuber with more than 18 million subscribers and millions of views per video, Dispo was attracting attention long before the app actually launched. In fact, the first ‘David’s Disposable’ version of the app was released more than one year ago and instantly proved to be a hit with followers.
More recently, David’s Disposable has returned to the iOS App Store branded as Dispo. The use of an invite system is not the only similarity to Clubhouse, as both apps are currently only available to download on iPhone. Also like Clubhouse, Dispo says it is currently working on an Android version, with the expectation it should become available to download through the Google Play Store sometime in 2021.
Dispo Is The App For Living In The Moment
While Clubhouse focuses entirely on audio conversations, Dispo’s emphasis is on images. However, this is not just another Instagram clone, as Dispo comes with a unique selling point in the form of a digital-age take on instant cameras. Once the app is downloaded, the user takes a photo using the phone’s camera, but they then have to wait for it to be ‘developed’ which can take up to 24 hours. Essentially, users take a photo now with the understanding it won’t be ‘ready to collect’ until 9 a.m. the next morning. At which point it is published in the user’s feed and visible to others.
That wait is not for no reason or a gimmick. Instead, the app offers users a way to capture the moment and continue to experience the moment in real time without getting sidetracked with uploading to Instagram or another social media service. Let alone, regularly checking in to see engagement and respond. A point highlighted in the app’s full “Dispo – Live in the Moment” name. Further adding to the ‘digital disposable camera experience,’ the screen also adopts a disposable camera interface and during the ‘still developing’ process, a filter is applied to the image to complete the instant camera look and feel. Ultimately, Dispo’s main goal seems to be on removing the current reliance on phones felt by many and getting the act of taking photos back to what matters, the photos.
