Apple has confirmed that podcasts will be its next subscription offer. The company adds paid subscriptions to its Podcasts app so podcasts can charge listeners directly for content. The new feature will be added to the Podcasts app in May and will be available in 170 regions and countries.
Each podcast creator will be able to set their own prices, as well as what is included in the subscription. For example, paid subscribers can receive shows without ads, exclusive bonus content, or early access to new episodes. Podcast creators can also offer free trials and episode trials to attract new subscribers.
In addition to subscriptions, Apple will launch a redesigned Podcasts app with its upcoming iOS 14.5 update. The latest version of the application will come with a new “channels” feature, which will recommend “groups of shows organized by creators with unique titles, descriptions and works of art.” Some channels will be free, while others will be paid. Apple says the channels will make it easier for listeners to discover new shows and allow podcasts to offer additional benefits to subscribers.
Apple
The updated app also has improved search features and redesigned landing pages for each show and episode. Apple has also made it easier for listeners to jump into new shows with a new “Smart Play” button. “The new Smart Play button helps listeners automatically start episode episodes from the last episode and serialized shows from the beginning of each series,” Apple explains.
Apple’s move to paid podcasts comes as competition heats up in the audio space. Facebook has announced several new social audio features, including a collaboration with Spotify to make podcasts available directly in its app. Apple has also experienced its own internal podcasts. Longtime Beats1 DJ Zane Lowe has hosted a series of interviews with artists since 2019. Earlier this month, the company released an accompanying podcast to promote its Apple TV + documentary on true crime. The line.
Apple
Subscriptions could give Apple a significant advantage over its competitors. Until now, podcast creators have had to rely on external platforms such as Patreon to provide paid benefits to listeners. But by bringing subscriptions to its own podcasting platform, Apple is making this process much easier for show-runners. Along with the subscriptions, Apple also offers a new service for podcast creators with the Apple Podcasters program of 19.99 USD / year. The program will give podcasts access to analysis, episode management tools and other features to help creators manage their shows.
Of course, as with the App Store, access to subscriptions also requires creators to accept Apple commissions. According to the Apple Podcasters Program Agreement posted by the Twitter and podcaster user Matt Medeiros, Apple will get a 30% discount on podcast subscriptions for the first year and a 15% discount for each year thereafter, in addition to the $ 19.99 annual fee. This fee structure is similar to the model used for App Store subscriptions. But it may raise eyebrows among the podcasting community, where paid subscriptions are less common. Apple’s commissions have also been a source of controversy in the developer community in recent years, and the focus of antitrust analysis on the company.
Updated with details about Apple’s commission structure.
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