After years of increased competition from Spotify, Apple today announced its own expansion in podcast subscriptions. At the company’s spring event this afternoon, Apple unveiled plans for a podcast subscription service that would allow listeners to unlock “additional benefits,” such as unannounced listening, early access to episodes, and the ability to support favorite creators. The service will be available as part of the recently updated Apple Podcasts application, which also includes free podcasts.
The announcement of the new service, Apple Podcasts Subscriptions, comes shortly after an industry report suggested that listeners of Spotify podcasts would be leading Apple for the first time in 2021.
Apple CEO Tim Cook briefly introduced the subscription to today’s launch of the event, noting that it was “the biggest change to Apple Podcasts since its inception.”
Cook also mentioned that the Apple Podcasts application has been updated, with recently redesigned show pages and episodes that make it easier to listen, watch and share podcasts. The app will also include a new “Channels” feature that allows you to find shows from your favorite creators and receive recommendations. This area will include both free and paid channels, which provide benefits for paid subscribers.
The channels themselves are groups of shows organized by the creators, with “unique titles, descriptions and works of art,” says Apple.
Image credits: Apple
The app will also include a “Smart Play” button that helps listeners automatically start episodic shows from the last episode and serialized shows from the beginning of each series, says Apple. Other new features allow users to save individual episodes for offline playback, an improved search tab for quick access to Top Charts, and an updated Apple Podcasts Connect dashboard for podcasts. The dashboard allows creators to edit the metadata of their shows, schedule and manage show availability, organize shows in channels, manage multiple users and roles, and track how well their shows are performing through new performance metrics and tools viewing.
Apple said the new service will be available in May for listeners in more than 170 countries and regions.
In a press release, Apple said the first premium subscriptions will come from “independent voices and premier studios,” including Tenderfoot TV, Pushkin Industries, Radiotopia from PRX and QCODE, as well as major brands such as NPR, Los Angeles Times, The Athletic, Sony Music Entertainment and others.
“Fifteen years ago, Apple took over the mass podcasts, giving creators an open premiere platform to inform, entertain and inspire hundreds of millions of listeners around the world,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of software. and Internet services, in a press release. . “Today, Apple Podcasts is the best place for listeners to discover and enjoy millions of great shows, and we’re proud to lead the next podcast chapter with Apple Podcasts Subscriptions. We are excited to present this powerful new platform to creators around the world and look forward to hearing what they do with it. ”
Image credits: Apple
Apple’s plans for a podcast subscription service were previously taken over by The Wall Street Journal, which said the company is preparing to add a paid subscription option to its product, as well as Peter Kafka of Vox Media, who said he believes Apple will introduce a paid subscription system product podcast subscription to today’s event. There were also clues found in iOS 14.5 beta, which showed a redesigned Podcasts app with an account button on the Listen Now tab. MacRumors reported that broadcast notifications have been moved here and suggested that paid subscription management may also be found in this new area in the future.
The move to enter the subscription podcast space follows years of significant investment from competitors Apple Podcasts and Apple Music, Spotify, also critically acclaimed Apple.
In February, Spotify mentioned that it tripled the number of podcasts on its platform, from year to year, to 2.2 million. She has also forged a variety of exclusive offerings over the years with big names such as Joe Rogan, Kim Kardashian, DC Comics, Michelle Obama and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, among others. And it has acquired podcast startups, advertising technology and studios, including hosting and advertising company Megaphone, creative tools from Anchor, content producers such as Gimlet, The Ringer and Parcast.
Recently, Spotify announced plans for its own podcast subscriptions through an Anchor feature and invested in live sound through the purchase of the live chat app Locker Room by Betty Labs. Spotify said it will share subscription revenue with podcast creators, who will keep most of their revenue.
What podcasters need to know:
- We understand from people familiar with the Apple Podcast Subscriptions product that Apple will not dictate the terms that podcast creators offer as part of their subscription. It’s an open market where I can choose whether a subscription offers unannounced listening, bonus episodes, access to archive content, or anything else.
- The shows can be completely free, paid or “freemium”, where there is a mixture of free content that anyone can access, with the possibility of upgrading to a paid subscription.
- Prices start at about $ 0.49 per month in the US (apparently not the App Store!) But the creators can set their own prices.
- Apple takes over 30% of revenue in the first year, then reduces its discount to 15% in the second year – as with streaming services and other subscription products.
- Podcasts can share their shows anywhere, they don’t have to be exclusively for Apple Podcasts. This probably means that podcasts can offer paid content on other platforms, such as Spotify, to increase their revenue.
- Apple is not selling podcast ads at this time. Creators keep 100% of advertising revenue.
- Creators will not have access to listeners’ personal data, such as Apple IDs and their associated emails. Podcast analysis provides anonymized aggregate information.
- However, they will be able to follow new values such as “the most involved listeners” and “top cities”, which could help them adapt their podcast to the biggest fans or plan their next live show.
- Subscriptions can be either for individual shows or for groups of shows, called channels. For example, Luminary’s paid podcast subscription service is a “channel.” Podcast networks can also be channels such as Radiotopia.
- Channels can also be free, paid or freemium, as can individual shows. And they can also define their availability at the country level and local prices.
- Subscription content is uploaded via Apple Podcasts Connect, not RSS.
