As Twitter looks to make Spaces a bigger element of the in-app experience, it’s now rolling out a key update that could help to take it to the next level.

Today, Twitter has officially launched Spaces recording to selected hosts on iOS.

As you can see here, selected Spaces hosts will now be able to switch a toggle in the Space set-up process which will facilitate recording, giving them a new way to share and re-use Spaces audio, and maximize the value of the option.

Hosts will be able to download the audio of their Space, which they can then edit as a podcast, or as audio clips to help promote upcoming shows.

What’s more, the recordings won’t just extend to downloaded files, with previously aired Spaces that were recorded also being made available for people to tune in in-app.

That could greatly expand the value of Spaces, even if it does move beyond the original, ephemeral approach that saw audio social chats gain traction in the first place.

Amid the rise of Clubhouse, the fact that audio chats only existed in real-time was a key element of their appeal, as they were seen by some as a replacement for real-life catch ups, which are also not recorded for posterity. But the option to record facilitates more functionality, with broadcasters looking to build an audience now able to re-use and re-distribute their audio for broader coverage and connection.

That could be expanded even further if Twitter eventually allows hosts to save audio streams on their profiles, with, potentially, a new profile tab of audio content.

But even without that next level storage option, the capacity to get more value out of your Spaces chats is significant, and will increase the appeal of Spaces as more people get access to the option.

The only additional consideration will be around whether your guests want to be recorded, and how licensing of such could work. There may be some complications around re-using people’s audio without permission, but Twitter will no doubt also be working to add in alerts to let guests and listeners know which Spaces are being recorded, beyond the basic ‘Rec’ symbol flashing in the top left of screen.

Twitter’s putting a lot of emphasis on Spaces as a key connective tool, as it looks to build its audience and maximize engagement in the app. The platform has increased its development velocity, and rolled out a range of new features in recent months as it looks to expand usage, but thus far, most of them seem to have fallen short and not caught on with users in any major way.

Spaces is likely its best bet, and it’s looking to double-down on it with its dedicated Spaces tab and advanced discovery features, which could make it a more prominent in-app element.

Recordings are another key aspect, and it’ll be interesting to see how Spaces usage evolves as a result.