I don't think you realise how many more people would click a simple button inside the podcast app and subsribe to the podcast producer with one click all in the same app rather than do the effort to go to their patreon page and deal with a bunch of external stuff.
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Apple Will Keep 15 to 30% Cut of Podcast Subscriptions
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I hate ads and would gladly pay a bit to dont have it, but i use spotify for music and it has all podcasts i want listen to sso included and ads free so dont need apples version
You know that's never going to happen. Every payment processor charges something. Heck even handling cash has a cost.
I hate ads and would gladly pay a bit to dont have it, but i use spotify for music and it has all podcasts i want listen to sso included and ads free so dont need apples version
I don't mind ads in my tech podcasts... usually they are for something I might actually be interested in.
But the mattress ads were a little much at one point. I already bought a Casper mattress.
Luckily it's easy to skip ads using the buttons on my car steering wheel... or double tapping my AirPods!
If it's not a "must" they won't.
And the ones who does this freely, are somehow emotionally attached to the podcast, an other way with few more clicks is not a show stopper. For these ones using Patreon, or using other ways of money transfer, or simply by supporting them over buying merchandising stuff, is not a issue at all. That way it goes at least 100% to the creator, which the listener cares about,
The problem with this model is that the subscription will require the use of the Podcasts app, which is poor in comparison to Overcast or Pocket Cast. I'll give the new design a look, but it would have to be much improved to get me to switch from Overcast.
I’ll support them on whichever platform they offer that is most convenient to me. If it’s Patreon, then so be it. If it’s both, I’ll choose Apple.
They aren’t held hostage like App Store developers are. The creator can make their own decision.
So this is on a per-podcast basis? And each creator can charge what they wish?
Yes, creators can charge what they want ($0.50/mo min.) and decide what gets put behind a paywall (extra content, early access, sponsor-free, just sub-to-support with no extra perks) all within the Apple podcast app.
Currently podcasts are free I believe.
After this subscription service launches, will it be paid only? If this is the case, it’s sad as everything seems to be moving towards a subscription model and feel like podcasts just got killed by Apple switching to a subscription service.
After this subscription service launches, will it be paid only? If this is the case, it’s sad as everything seems to be moving towards a subscription model and feel like podcasts just got killed by Apple switching to a subscription service.
Ofcourse not, it's fully up to the podcast creator what they put behind a pay-wall. Most free podcast creators currently use Patreon where you can pledge to show your support and get some perks like early access or ad-free listening. As an alternative to Patreon the creators could have a new revenue stream where they put those perks behind a pay-wall inside the podcast app.
I'll imagine that Apple will be seeking to create a platform for podcast creators, and it's something to get behind. Although the press release suggests the it's Premium Subscription to start with. Here are the three tiers I could see:
1. Free (ad supported). Apple offer the hosting platform and people can sign up and create a podcast feed (eg Audioboom, Acast, and Wondery - now owned by Amazon Music). They would be monetising the fact that they have a legacy lead in podcast discovery thanks to iTunes and have a free Podcast App as well as directory that people use. Ads will be inserted by Apple inline with the audio so creators don't have to edit them in and they'll be able to do in-house .
2. Premium. Not free but but behind a paywall that perhaps become available to Apple One or Apple Music subscribers. Podcast creators get payments as though they were Apple Music artists (eg fractions of a penny per stream).
3. Premium Subscription. This is Apple's Patreon challenger which they are offering up front with Apple Podcast Subscriptions - they take their percentage of a monthly subscription in return for ad free content from the creator.
The killer app here is that Apple don't have to make it just for audio podcasts but could perhaps take on video podcasts - so in theory why couldn't Youtubers (eg iJustine) put a version of their videos on this service? Perhaps these versions are cut so that author read ads are not included for example (like the ubiquitous Squarespace).
I really do hope Apple make a go at this. They have a history of letting things slide badly if they don't make the required level of profit. They have a host of creators and offer all the tools they need to make podcasts.
By the looks of the press release, they'll be starting with podcasts from The Athletic. If this is the case listeners who don't already subscribe to The Athletic could avoid the betting ads.
1. Free (ad supported). Apple offer the hosting platform and people can sign up and create a podcast feed (eg Audioboom, Acast, and Wondery - now owned by Amazon Music). They would be monetising the fact that they have a legacy lead in podcast discovery thanks to iTunes and have a free Podcast App as well as directory that people use. Ads will be inserted by Apple inline with the audio so creators don't have to edit them in and they'll be able to do in-house .
2. Premium. Not free but but behind a paywall that perhaps become available to Apple One or Apple Music subscribers. Podcast creators get payments as though they were Apple Music artists (eg fractions of a penny per stream).
3. Premium Subscription. This is Apple's Patreon challenger which they are offering up front with Apple Podcast Subscriptions - they take their percentage of a monthly subscription in return for ad free content from the creator.
The killer app here is that Apple don't have to make it just for audio podcasts but could perhaps take on video podcasts - so in theory why couldn't Youtubers (eg iJustine) put a version of their videos on this service? Perhaps these versions are cut so that author read ads are not included for example (like the ubiquitous Squarespace).
I really do hope Apple make a go at this. They have a history of letting things slide badly if they don't make the required level of profit. They have a host of creators and offer all the tools they need to make podcasts.
By the looks of the press release, they'll be starting with podcasts from The Athletic. If this is the case listeners who don't already subscribe to The Athletic could avoid the betting ads.
I don't think any of the podcasts I listen to will be going subscription-only.
So I'm not expecting any of mine to be "killed"
What is really interesting is they are advertising The Athletic app pretty hard right there. I listen to that No Dunks podcast directly on The Athletic app because I'm already a subscriber to there and they take out the Ads if you listen directly on The Athletic App rather than on the Podcasts app through Apple.
I’m still confused. Is the content you pay for exclusive to Apple? Meaning the only place you can listen to it is Apple’s podcast app? Why would that be good for creators? I wonder how many people even use Apple’s podcast app when 3rd party apps are much better.
No, it's not exclusive to Apple. It opens another revenue stream for podcast creators. Apple decides nothing here, everything is up to the creators themself.
For example: if I create my own free, ad-supported podcast relying on Patreon donations where I give early access to an ad-free version of my podcast then I can now decide to easily charge people for an ad-free version and early access all inside the Apple Podcast app.
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Currently podcasts are ad supported, and most podcasts don't offer a paid ad-free version. I'd be happy if more podcasts decide to create ad-free streams for a small fee because of this feature.
Exactly this. It was a huge hassle for some smaller podcasts to do this because of how Patreon's podcast stream works.
Positive: it give podcasters a low-friction way to collect revenue from listeners
Negative: listeners must use Apple's Podcast App
It'll be interesting to see how this shakes out.
Do we know if Apple's Podcast App is the most-used in the world? Are we all the weirdos for using alternatives like PocketCasts, OverCast, etc?
Negative: listeners must use Apple's Podcast App
It'll be interesting to see how this shakes out.
Do we know if Apple's Podcast App is the most-used in the world? Are we all the weirdos for using alternatives like PocketCasts, OverCast, etc?
The creators have to pay 19,99 dollars to enter in podcast of payment, and Apple will take 30% the first year, and 15% from the second, and has not said anything of how much will have to pay the user...
What will encourage those who are in Patreon (I do not know how it goes) or for example Ivoox, here in Spain, where many have to each person could donate between 1 and 10 euros voluntarily each month and goes directly to the creators , (obviating the 10 euros per month of subscription to IVoox and already distributed by them) to leave there and choose Apple Podcast? that incidentally, I do not know if this app for android, so they lose audience reach too.
Not counting similar platforms like Ivoox in other European countries, This Apple Podcast subscription might make sense in the USA, UK, Canada or Australia, but in other European countries, I don't know how they will fare.
What will encourage those who are in Patreon (I do not know how it goes) or for example Ivoox, here in Spain, where many have to each person could donate between 1 and 10 euros voluntarily each month and goes directly to the creators , (obviating the 10 euros per month of subscription to IVoox and already distributed by them) to leave there and choose Apple Podcast? that incidentally, I do not know if this app for android, so they lose audience reach too.
Not counting similar platforms like Ivoox in other European countries, This Apple Podcast subscription might make sense in the USA, UK, Canada or Australia, but in other European countries, I don't know how they will fare.
