Today we’re announcing the Switchboard Editor — a visual, node-based environment for designing and prototyping real-time audio systems using modular audio graphs. Think of it as a control surface for orchestrating audio pathways from a microphone (or another source such as a live stream or video call) through certain audio processes (e.g. speech-to-text, voice changers, LLMs, effects chains and other DSP or AI models) and eventually to outputs (e.g. your speakers/headphones or a VoIP room, among other things) — without hard‑coding every connection.

If you’ve seen the demo videos on our Editor page, you’ve already caught a glimpse of what’s possible. The reason the Editor is launching in limited preview is strategic, not cautious.

We’re choosing to build this product in public, while highlighting a constraint that every ambitious platform eventually faces: synchronizing rapid innovation with production-grade reliability across platforms.

Why the Editor is in Beta
(and why that’s a good thing)

The Switchboard Platform spans:

• The Editor (visual design and orchestration layer)

• The SDK (production deployment layer for real apps)

• A growing ecosystem of nodes, templates, and example apps

Trying to move these in perfect lockstep — where every new node immediately becomes production-ready across iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux, web, and embedded — was dramatically slowing the pace at which we could innovate and keep up with the latest models as they come available. For a small, focused team, in the fast moving world of AI, that trade-off is unjustifiable.

Originally we’d hoped to launch the Editor as an extension to the SDK, making it easier to use by developers, and allowing for easier collaboration with non-developers on their team. However, for the reasons above, we’re temporarily decoupling the Editor from the SDK:

• The Editor becomes a sandbox for exploration, ideation, and demand discovery.

• The SDK remains a hardened foundation for real-world deployments.

This separation lets us iterate faster, test more ideas, and learn directly from usage — without compromising the reliability required by serious production systems.

What this enables

• Faster creation of new nodes and experimental features

• High-velocity demo prototyping (for ourselves and upon request)

• Real-world signal on which use cases actually matter

• Focused hardening of high-demand nodes and pipelines

In short: we optimize for learning velocity now, not premature completeness.

Access Model

To support this approach:

• The SDK remains open with a free tier for developers

• The Editor is gated behind a sign-up and demo request

• Early next year (2026) we’ll begin limited releases with strategic partners

This allows us to work hands-on with a focused cohort of advanced users — co-designing the future of the platform with those building at the frontier of audio-first products.

Building in Public

Our demo videos aren’t just marketing assets — they’re market probes representative of use cases that we can help customers address now. Each illustrates a potential market segment and directional focus. By releasing these videos early, we’ll observe:

• Which nodes and use cases attract the most attention

• Which pipelines generate real integration requests

• How teams of developers and non-developers gravitate toward using Switchboard together

From there, we’ll prioritize:

• Which nodes to productionize first

• Which example apps to polish

• Which use cases deserve deep investment

This data informs our roadmap far more precisely than internal speculation ever could.

Two Products, Distinct Value – Shared DNA

For now, think of Switchboard as two tightly related surfaces:

Switchboard SDK

• For developers shipping production systems (in new or existing projects)

• A smaller number of hardened use cases

• Optimized for stability and performance

Switchboard Editor

• For rapid design and iteration of new use cases

• High-velocity, visually driven

• Focused on exploration, comparisons, experimentation, and innovation

They overlap. They inform each other. And when the timing is right, they can recouple — stronger, clearer, and driven by real-world demand.

The upside — and the trade-offs

Pros

• Accelerated product–market fit discovery

• Reduced technical debt from premature scaling

• Stronger real-world alignment

• Faster innovation cycles

• More focused use-case validation

Cons

• Not all nodes immediately deployable on all platforms

• Limited early access

• Requires deliberate communication and expectation setting

• Potential short-term friction for eager users

We consider this trade favorable, and can help address the cons through Switchboard Labs.

What Happens Next

Over the coming months you’ll see:

• More Editor demo videos exploring new nodes and pipelines

• Deeper developer-focused SDK enhancements

• Early access collaborations with strategic partners

• A roadmap shaped directly by market demand

If you want early access to the Editor or would like to explore use cases with us, visit the Editor page and request a demo or join the limited preview list.

We’re building Switchboard as a platform for the next generation of audio-first products — and we’re choosing the path that maximizes both speed and signal.

We will continue to share our plans and look forward to chatting with likeminded partners.

Thanks!