Smule

{{Short description|Mobile app developer}} {{Infobox company | name = Smule, Inc. | logo = Smule Logo - Lets Music Together.png | type = Private | predecessor = | successor = | defunct = | fate = | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = {{Unbulleted list|Jeff Smith <small>(CEO and co-founder)</small>|}} | industry = {{Unbulleted list|Mobile music apps|Computer software}} | genre = | products = "Sm.ule" app, "AutoRap", "Guitar!", "Ocarina 2, "Glee Karaoke", ''I Am T-Pain'', "Ocarina", "Magic Piano", "Magic Fiddle", ''Sonic Lighter'', ''Zephyr'', ''Leaf Trombone: World Stage'' | production = | services = | revenue = {{increase}} $101 Million (2017) | operating_income = | net_income = | aum = | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = 190 | parent = | divisions = | subsid = | footnotes = | intl = | caption = | foundation = Palo Alto, California, U.S. ({{Start date|2008}})<ref name="techcrunch" /> | founders = Jeff Smith and Ge Wang | location_city = Salt Lake City, Utah | location_country = U.S.<ref name="techcrunch" /> | location = | locations = | homepage = {{URL|smule.com}} }}

'''Smule''' is an American mobile app developer with headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.<ref>{{cite news|title=Smule's new iPhone app would like to teach the world to Sing|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/appsblog/2012/aug/08/smule-music-apps-sing|publisher=Guardian|accessdate=3 April 2013|location=London|first=Stuart|last=Dredge|date=8 August 2012}}</ref> The company specializes in developing social music-making and collaboration applications for iOS, Android, and Web.<ref name="techcrunch">{{cite web|title=Innovative iPhone Developer Smule Raises $3.9 Million|date=12 February 2009 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2009/02/12/innovative-iphone-developer-smule-raises-39-million/|publisher=TechCrunch|accessdate=3 April 2013}}</ref>

The company was founded in 2008 by Jeff Smith and Stanford assistant professor Ge Wang. "Music was the original social network before Instagram and Facebook," said Smith, the co-founder and CEO of Smule. Wang commented that the goal of the apps was to draw users in and "by the time they realize they're making music, 'it's too late — they're already having fun.'"<ref name ="TechCrunch2">{{cite web|title=Music Startup Smule Promises To Get More Social, Starting With Its New Karaoke App Sing|date=8 August 2012 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/08/08/smule-social-sing/|publisher=TechCrunch|accessdate=3 April 2013}}</ref> In December 2011, Smule acquired fellow music app developer Khush.<ref>{{cite web|title=Smule Acquires Khush To Further Boost Their Music Cred|date=December 2011 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/12/01/smule-acquires-khush-to-further-boost-their-music-cred/|publisher=Tech Crunch|accessdate=3 April 2013}}</ref> On July 31, 2013, Wang stepped down from his role at Smule to return to Stanford full-time.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://blog.smule.com/post/56994986198/dr-ge-wang | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324122232/https://blog.smule.com/post/56994986198/dr-ge-wang | url-status=dead | archive-date=March 24, 2016 | title=Dr. Ge Wang | accessdate=September 30, 2014 | author=Smith, Jeff}}</ref> Smule currently has 52 million monthly active users.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hirsch |first=Lauren |date=2017-05-08 |title=Music application Smule raises $54 million in Tencent-led round as it eyes IPO |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/markets/asia/music-application-smule-raises-54-million-in-tencent-led-round-as-it-eyes-ipo-idUSKBN1840ZN/ |access-date=2025-09-04 |work=Reuters |language=en-US}}</ref> Smule has raised $156.5 million to date, with Tencent leading their latest fundraising round. "We wanted to bring music back to its social roots," Smith said. "With mobile phones we make people more expressive and can we connect them to make them social together." The company raised $74 million in funding in 2018 from Tencent and Times Bridge, the VC wing of India media conglomerate The Times Group.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/17/smule-raises-20m-with-plans-to-expand-india-operations/|title=Smule raises $20M, with plans to expand India operations|work=TechCrunch|access-date=2018-10-17|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Apps developed== {| class="wikitable sortable" border="1" |- ! Name ! Release date |- | ''Guitar! by Smule'' | May 23, 2013 |- | ''Smule'' (formerly ''Sing! Karaoke'' or ''Sing!'')<ref>{{cite web|title='Sing!' Lets You Do Just That With Friends Around the World| website=iTunes | date=12 June 2023 |url=https://apps.apple.com/us/app/smule-sing-record-karaoke/id509993510}}</ref> | August 8, 2012 |- | ''AutoRap'' | July 17, 2012 |- | ''Magic Piano by Smule'' | May 4, 2011 |- | ''Magic Piano HD''<ref>{{cite news|title=Lang Lang Plays iPad at Concert|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/04/21/lang-lang-plays-ipad-at-concert/|publisher=WSJ|accessdate=3 April 2013}}</ref> | April 1, 2010 |- | ''LaDiDa'' | September 26, 2009 |- | ''Magic Guitar'' | December 15, 2011 |- | ''CineBeat'' | December 13, 2012 |- | ''Ocarina 2'' | June 19, 2012 |- | ''Songify'' | July 7, 2011 |- | ''MadPad'' | September 8, 2011 |- | ''Glee Karaoke'' | April 15, 2010 |- | ''I Am T-Pain (Auto-Tune)''<ref>{{cite news|title=Auto-Tune iPhone app 'I Am T-Pain' on sale|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/6139386/Auto-Tune-iPhone-app-I-Am-T-Pain-on-sale.html|publisher=Telegraph|accessdate=3 April 2013|location=London|first=Matthew|last=Moore|date=4 September 2009}}</ref> | September 2, 2009 |- | ''Beatstream'' | March 21, 2012 |- | ''Leaf Trombone: World Stage'' | April 15, 2009 |- | ''Magic Fiddle'' | November 10, 2010 |- | ''Ocarina''<ref>{{cite news|title=So Many iPhone Apps, So Little Time|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/technology/personaltech/05pogue-email.html?_r=0|work=New York Times|accessdate=3 April 2013|first=David|last=Pogue|date=5 February 2009}}</ref> | November 6, 2008 |- | ''Zephyr'' | December 29, 2008 |- | ''Sonic Vox '' | October 24, 2008 |- | ''Sonic Lighter '' | September 15, 2008 |- | ''Sonic Boom'' | October 18, 2008 |}

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links== *[https://www.cnet.com/news/smule-is-the-biggest-music-app-you-never-heard-of/ Smule may be the biggest music app you haven't heard of] *[https://duets.fm Duets.fm - A companion app for Smule]

Category:Video game companies established in 2008 Category:Video game companies based in Utah Category:Video game publishers Category:Video game development companies Category:2008 establishments in California Category:Privately held companies based in Utah Category:Companies based in Salt Lake City