Kelvin Bowoto
Google is shutting down its Podcasts app in the U.S. in a matter of days. The company has begun warning the app’s users that they will need to migrate their subscriptions to YouTube Music by April 2 to follow and stream their favorite shows going forward. Users who don’t make the move immediately will still have additional time to migrate, but will no longer be able to stream from the Podcasts app directly after this date.
For almost half a decade, the Google Podcasts app, which has been installed on over 500 million Android devices worldwide, has provided a simple and streamlined interface for discovering, following, and listening to podcasts, as well as capabilities for adding podcasts via RSS feed. Unfortunately for podcast enthusiasts, the internet giant announced in September that it would begin to phase out the app in early 2024 as part of a larger move to concentrate its audio services under YouTube.
In 2020, YouTube Music used a similar transition plan to shift music listeners away from Google Play Music, which was shut down the same year. However, the Google Podcasts app remained maintained for many years because YouTube Music was not ready to accept podcasts until recently. YouTube Music was ready to offer podcasts globally by the end of 2023, and they were also able to post their RSS feeds in February.
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The decision to move podcasting to YouTube might help Google become a greater player in the field, not just by merging efforts and narrowing its focus, but also because interest in video podcasts, which are already popular on YouTube, is growing. Spotify, for example, signed an agreement with Universal Music Group (UMG) this week to deliver video podcasts to its streaming app customers in the United States, following the announcement of video podcast tests in 11 other areas around the world in March.
Bleeping Computer was the first to notice the shutdown date for Google Podcasts in the United States, and a support page on Google’s website confirmed that users in the United States will be able to use the Podcasts app until the end of March 2024. For those who miss the in-app pop-ups, Google will give customers more time to keep their subscriptions by allowing them to use the app’s export option until July 2024.
Google did not immediately react to a request for comment but did answer after publication, stating that while it was still “tracking towards” the April 2 deadline for the United States, it had not yet revealed a timeframe for the rest of the world.
According to past announcements, the aim is to cease Google Podcasts globally in 2024.
Techrectory with Agency Report.
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