Apple is discussing launching a new subscription-based podcast service, The Information reported here on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Last November, Apple released a Podcasts embeddable web player which allows anyone to generate embed codes for the over 1.5 million shows available. And, last September, amid a continued podcasting push, it became know that Apple had earlier in 2020 acquired Scout FM, a popular podcast app. Last January, Bloomberg News reported that Apple was working on the creation of original podcasts designed to promote programs on its Apple TV+ video streaming service.
More than half of all podcast listening occurs in Apple’s Podcasts app.
Tom Dotan and Jessica Toonkel for The Information:
Apple — long considered the sleeping giant in the podcast space — is waking up. The company, which runs the most widely used podcasting app in the industry, is discussing launching a new subscription service that would charge people to listen to podcasts, according to people familiar with the matter.
Such a service could pose a threat to Spotify, SiriusXM, Amazon and other big companies that have in the past couple of years swallowed up podcasting production firms in an effort to gain more control of the podcast ad market. By charging for individual podcasts, Apple could potentially offer podcast creators a chance to make more money, drawing them to its orbit and away from rivals.
First suggested in early February 2004 by journalist Ben Hammersley, “Podcast” is a combination of Apple’s “iPod” digital media player and “broadcast.”
MacDailyNews Take: A new podcast subscription service from Apple? Say “hello” to Podcasts+!
Nope, no more monthly rent for any digital service. No more being and nickled and dimed.
Another opportunity to control “disinformation”.
Who will you deplatform next, Apple?
Avoid the even further centralization and monopolization of information flow on the internet.
Agreed. this is bad for the internet and podcasts. I will not pay for a podcast service when I can listen to a free one with some add sponsorships that i can skip.
Sponsored by whom? The same companies that you won’t trust to not censor your podcasts?
Yeah, between ’s “curation” of content and paying yet again, no thanks.
I’ll keep my Overcast and free podcasts…
Why should I pay for ESPN when I can watch college bowl games for free? Maybe because I can’t. The content creators are all going to go with the distributor that will contract for the largest payments.
Great – a source of Communist Approved Propaganda sold by Apple. Can’t wait to DEPLATFORM that new service along with the APPLE BUNDLE, which I canceled this week.
Time to deplatform Tim Cook. Designed in California, made with slave labor in China, limited to pre-approved speech everywhere.
And opposed to allowing its resources to be used to disseminate an app that is being used by extremists to conspire against the peaceful constitutional transfer of power to the man who got 74 more electoral college votes (and 7 million more popular votes) than his opponent, when the developer has refused to fix the problem. Apple is not required to treat everybody alike. It can focus on the worst offenders to send a message to others. Providing the least oversight for conspiracists isn’t a bug for Parler; they have marketed it as a feature.
Seems reasonable. I am assuming that all complainers here are Rightwingers, and therefore rich (and Trumpsters even richer), can easily afford a measly monthly fee from Apple for excellent service.
Hard right Trumpsters like to nickel & dime others but, when they think that someone else is nickel & dining them as in this affordable subscription, they wail, shriek, get all militant like the White invaders of Capital Hill who held a grievance over being victimized by a reduction of their Constitutional right to beat up or shoot unarmed Black folks who are merely pushing for equal rights and just treatment.