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Apple Developing Podcast Subscription Service to Better Compete With Spotify
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I hate to see the fracturing of podcast networks. I want to be able to listen to any podcast on the player of my choice. I have nothing against different companies providing feeds with their own embedded ads to make money, but I don't want to have to have subscriptions or even free memberships to 5 different podcast networks and have their associated apps on my phone.
Am I the only one without the attention span for podcasts or audio books? I tried it many times but after 5 minutes I always lost the plot with my mind drifting off 😅
Tragic how they continue to copy and attack others. How about hiring innovators?
Apple is considering launching a new subscription service that would be focused on podcasts, according to unnamed sources that spoke to The Information. The service would charge people to listen to podcasts.
By creating a paid podcasting service, Apple could potentially lure podcast creators with the promise of more money, stealing them away from other platforms like Spotify, SiriusXM, and Amazon.
Apple has long had a popular Podcasts app and has maintained a podcast distribution service on its Mac and iOS platforms, but Apple has not to date attempted to make money from it.
Over the course of the last couple of years, the podcast market has grown and Apple's rivals like Spotify have been snapping up major podcasting names, leading to consolidation in the industry. As The Information points out, Spotify has spent $800 million buying podcasting companies like Gimlet Media and The Ringer, as well as acquiring the rights to popular podcasts like The Joe Rogan Experience.
In the future, many podcasts may be exclusive to specific platforms and may also come with a subscription fee, and Apple could establish itself as one of the first companies to have a dedicated podcasting service.
Apple has been building out its podcast efforts in recent years. Rumors from Bloomberg have suggested Apple is working on original podcasts that will be exclusive to the podcasts app.
Apple plans to purchase original content and will also create audio spinoffs of existing movies and programs on Apple TV+. In the fall, Apple hired Jake Shapiro, a veteran radio executive, to head up a team working with podcast creators.
According to The Information, talks between Apple and production companies for a podcast service are taking place now, but it continues to be unclear if Apple will follow through and launch the service. If it does launch, it could be bundled with other services like Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and Apple News+ as part of the Apple One bundles that the company offers.
The possibility of a paid podcasting service was raised by Loup Ventures analysts earlier this month in a report that suggested Apple could be working on a range of new paid services including Podcasts+, Stocks+, and Mail+.
Article Link: Apple Developing Podcast Subscription Service to Better Compete With Spotify
I doubt it. Creators probably would see only 5% after all the fees and scraping off the top. And then you're right back into the old cable/satTv model, where you pay every month and the money has to be shared between your favorite content providers and the ones you don't like.
You're better off to just send it straight to them individually in Patreon donations. If it's getting out of hand for you, then maybe you need to cull the herd, so to speak. Only donate to the best of the best.
Altruism is nice and noble and all, but it doesn't really encourage high quality as effectively as a straight up competition does.
It sounds like you simply haven't found the right content yet. Nothing wrong with that, but don't let it kill the medium for you. Personally, I prefer podcasts where two people do short 2-10 min discussions about a topic and then move on. The longer more immersive content is harder for me to podcast, even though I can watch them on YouTube for hours.
Are there topics you are interested in and what have you tried already?
Maybe they should focus on getting their existing podcasting app to function properly. It still can’t progress from part 1 to part 2 of a podcast automatically, instead jumping to part 1 of the next episode. I’ve reported this bug with every update but it has yet to be corrected.
I am sure there are some people who listen to hours of podcasts a day, but there is only two that I listen to every single episode and together they average 3 to 5 podcasts a month.
I would expect Apple to give 100% of the money to the creators because they can write it off as advertising costs for their platform. But you are right, if they took a 15 to 30% off the top I wouldn't change what I am doing.
Hi, I think that's due to a naming convention/sorting issue in the app. I don't think it would be that difficult to fix, but Apple STILL can't even find time to fix important things such as Siri.
That sounds like the podcaster doesn't understand that each file is an episode. Episode 1 part 2 is really just episode 2.
I'm about tapped out on streaming subs of all types. Actually might cut back on a few. I will never feel the need to pay for a podcast subscription.
I could see them buying up vox media, getting their hands on shows like pivot. Maybe also partnering with the likes of the New York Times. May go the way of news + though with publishers pulling out and going there own way.
Not for me. There are dozens if not hundreds of fantastic free podcasts out there. If some of them move to a subscription model, I’ll continue to listen to the ones that don’t.
I honestly doubt the podcasts I listen to would fall under their subscription service so I believe I’d be ok.
But even with the podcast app (IMO) being a no frills easy one to use, if they put everything behind a paywall then I’d just move over to another app.
But even with the podcast app (IMO) being a no frills easy one to use, if they put everything behind a paywall then I’d just move over to another app.
And yet Citi just released a report that says they believe Spotify's recent buying spree into the audio space isn't paying off.
www.cnbc.com
Apple made a serious push in regards to audio about a year ago. They hired tons of radio people away from Sirius/XM, Fox Radio and several radio stations in NYC.
Spotify's big bet on podcasts is failing, Citi says
Analysts are looking for Spotify to show its podcast investments were worth it.
Apple made a serious push in regards to audio about a year ago. They hired tons of radio people away from Sirius/XM, Fox Radio and several radio stations in NYC.
Nope. There's no podcast that I need to have that I'd pay for it. Ad-funded podcasts are fine with me. I've actually discovered several good services that way and gotten a discount for using their promo code. One podcast that I prefer the most I voluntarily fund $1/ep on Patreon. It's available for free, but I choose to support them.
That being said, if any podcasts that I listen to go the way of subscription-only, I'd just drop them. There's way too much content available these days to be paying for podcasts.
Spent $800 million but according to Citi it hasn't really benefited Spotify in any meaningful way
Spotify's big bet on podcasts is failing, Citi says
Analysts are looking for Spotify to show its podcast investments were worth it.
Subscription services and apps are the second biggest revenue stream for Apple after the iPhone now, it's at that stage where the only reason Apple makes hardware is to funnel you into their subscription services.
2005 was the start of audio and video podcasts excitement. 15 years later the big guys figured out how to upset us including Apple. Once they told us it would stay free but here we go.
New original podcasts are fine by me if they want to stay on one platform, but this reminds me now of streaming services. First movies, then music and now podcasts. Hope the existing podcasters can compete still and not lose their advertising dollars to these new original podcasts from Spotify, Amazon and now Apple.
New original podcasts are fine by me if they want to stay on one platform, but this reminds me now of streaming services. First movies, then music and now podcasts. Hope the existing podcasters can compete still and not lose their advertising dollars to these new original podcasts from Spotify, Amazon and now Apple.