A new app called AmpMe promises to make this happen, essentially daisy-chaining an unlimited number of smartphones so that they can all stream the same song at the same time.
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Once the host hits play on either a phone or tablet, friends are invited to join with a four-digit party code. It also allows iOS and Android phones to play the same music together.
There aren’t so many phone out there with loud enough speakers, and we often have to resort to various accessories in order to keep the party fueled. Mr. Archambault is personally invested in AmpMe and the company is backed by angel investors from California and Montreal. From there, additional users can join by simply downloading the app and entering in the “party” passcode. Rather than rely on Bluetooth or Wi-Fi technology to connect devices together, AmpMe uses a server-centric proprietary audio fingerprinting technology to create flawless synchronization and works with your regular data plan or Wi-Fi network.
The host is the only one that gets to choose the music, and one of the big drawbacks of AmpMe at launch is that the app only works with SoundCloud. Note that these tests were performed on some of the newest mobile devices available, including an iPad Air 2, iPhone 6 Plus, and Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+. Even when the sound was synced perfectly, it was still easy to tell that I was listening to a bunch of phone and tablet speakers.
‘It’s a awful experience, but sometimes it’s all you have when the party starts’.
The real challenge for the company would be to play songs without any latency between phones, and according to demonstrations, it seems as though it has achieved that. Syncing then starts automatically. Have a look at the video below to see the app in action.
That’s why we created AmpMe: to synchronize sound from various devices so you can amplify your musical experience with friends. Right now, it only works with SoundCloud due to its free nature although founder Martin-Luc Archambault said they’re working to add more streaming platforms to the mix. If it’s the latter, you might wind up better off throwing your phone in a bowl.
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You can download AmpMe on the App Store and through Google Play.
