Apple Podcasts Losing Market Share to YouTube and Spotify

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

"while ‌Apple Podcasts‌ has shown no willingness to push video at all."

Back in the day, Apple used to actively push video podcasts.

Had they leaned into that, perhaps YT wouldn't have such a grip on the video space.

The advantage Youtube has is that they host the video, it removes a lot of the overhead. Apple requires a separate RSS feed for video I think so that requires the creator to pay hosting or self host.

I listen to several podcasts that put the video out on Youtube and a few upload the video to Spotify but not Apple.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

Podcast producers have always had the option to use third party hosting services for the audio streams of their feeds. Sometimes that was for convenience of not having their own server host the files. Other times it was to same money or to make money on dynamically inserted ads. This goes way back. the article you linked to shows that Apple has integrated this feature into some of the podcast production tools that they provide. Podcast creators can use this service or do their own deal with third-party hosts. In either case, the only privacy compromise is around your IP address and that is a pretty low grade identify that is relatively easy to mask, if it really matters to you.

I guess, I would prefer the option to give them nothing at all.

 

[slomtbr]

There are actually settings where you can change for each podcast that allows you to listen from oldest to newest. It has to be set for each podcast though I think, which is probably the better way to do it.

Listen to oldest to newest - but not download oldest to newest.

 

[bn-7bc]

As others have mentioned isnt the point of a podcast that is audio, so you can do other things while listening? Never saw the appeal of watching people talk to each other when their words are the only important thing.

I agree, for most bodcasts I don't see what video would add, there are exceptions tho, bodcasts wich deal with economics forvexample, there seing graphs could be very helpful beond that you are right, what does video really add that makes the extra bandwidth worth it, eond mayby the comment section on yr, but shurly apple potcasts and /or others could add a backend for comments

 

[bn-7bc]

YouTube and Spotify have a lot of free content. Apple Music not so much

Thank you for reminding me that spotify has a ****** add based tie,
r, no possibility to skip more than n sings you don 't like/hour , no own playlists. No thanks. Ps I've had spotify premium for ever so haven't really payed attention to the ad supported tier, so if I'm wrong about my description off iit bleases feel free ro correct me, in fact I'll be happy if you do

 

[Tagbert]

I agree, for most bodcasts I don't see what video would add, there are exceptions tho, bodcasts wich deal with economics forvexample, there seing graphs could be very helpful beond that you are right, what does video really add that makes the extra bandwidth worth it, eond mayby the comment section on yr, but shurly apple potcasts and /or others could add a backend for comments

Those podcasts really should provide the images as chapter images or links in the episode notes section. Too many podcast publishers don’t bother with note or chapters or other features that would help their listeners. They just do the basics and assume that is good enough.

 

[bn-7bc]

I don't like this change in direction where many podcasts are going to Youtube and leaving audio behind. I appreciate some being both, but you listen to podcasts while doing other things like going for a walk, the Gym, or working in the yard. You can't do those things watching on Youtube. Also, you know the adage of You have a face for radio. Why would I want to watch a show unless there is charts or something which makes it so you have to watch the show. I hope we don't start leaving the audio format behind.

An interesting question is: beyond very limited cases ( example graphs in a podcast on economics) what does video really add to a podcast

 

[headlessmike]

An interesting question is: beyond very limited cases ( example graphs in a podcast on economics) what does video really add to a podcast

It depends on the podcast. I listen only to the audio, but I know many like seeing the hosts/guests while they speak. In that case the video version doesn't add much beyond seeing the faces behind the voices. As far as I can tell, this is the main reason.

In other cases they might be talking about specific items or events and show images or video clips that go with the topic. I listen to several podcasts that do so on occasion. They always do their best to make the content an audio-first format, but many listers also like to see what's going on without have to click on links in show notes etc.

 

[wanha]

I thought the local ads were some kind of thing from the podcaster. I didn't even think it could be coming from Apple. Hmmm.

Most of the ads do come from the podcaster. When I listened to a local US sports radio podcast on Overcast from Finland, I received Finnish ads which made me look into it.

Turns out there are these podcasting hosting services that when you go to download a podcast, they quickly wrap it with ads for your location based on your IP address) and then you get that ass a download.

In other words, you get a personalized podcast file that you then download.

Finally, I'd be cautious in jumping to the conclusion that it's Apple.

A quick web search only brought up results from 2023 that Apple is considering adding ads to their own original long-form podcasts.

 

[somnolentsurfer]

I started using Apple Podcasts because it automatically migrated all my subscriptions over from iTunes. I still have a backlog that will take at the very least many more months to catch up with, so I’m not even going to think about moving until that’s done. But it sure would help if Apple could at least get the basics right. Get syncing between devices and handoff to HomePod to work properly, don’t suddenly mark hundreds of random old episodes as unplayed again every few months, include an option by default to just play all my unplayed episodes of all podcasts in release order.

 

[ButtMcManus]

As much as I hate to admit it, but Spotify is like Google to me. If I could replace them, I would.
Apple Music is just convoluted and backwards. Podcasts app is antiquated in design. And watching a podcast is useless for drivers.

But YouTube is not a great podcast app. It is awful. No seasons, playlists are a joke, and content rules make it impossible to curse, talk about adult topics and have to converse as if a child is always in the room which is just counter intuitive because in my life we put kids to bed and then talk or just tell them to get lost adults are talking,

and God forbid you have a political opinion that isn't Western European/American Academic Liberal which is not Labour or conservative liberal such as Catholic Church, Youtube ce sont une bande de canards, et c'est un jeu de mots en français et en anglais en une phrase en français. ducks.....rhymes with ducks.....canard.....connard.

 

[MacFarmer]

No surprise. The podcast app is terrible to use. So bad that I can't use it anymore. I have moved to overcast since then. Which is not great, but not terrible either..

 

[Edd70]

I want to use the Podcast app but I’ve tried twice (with years in between attempts) and couldn’t stand the interface. I’ve used Downcast for years, never tried other podcast apps. Downcast just makes sense with its layout. Apple’s approach here mystifies me.