is set to discontinue its
Podcasts app
and service, and is encouraging users to transfer their subscriptions to
YouTube Music
by April 2, 2024. From this date, users based in the United STates will no longer be able to stream
podcasts
from the
Google Podcasts
app, but they will have until July to export their subscriptions.
The Google Podcasts app, which has been installed over 500 million times on
Android
devices globally, provided a simple interface for discovering, following, and listening to podcasts.
However, as part of Google's plan to centralise its audio services under YouTube, the company announced in September 2023 that it would start winding down the Podcasts app in early 2024.
Google is currently sending in-app notifications to US users, informing them of the April 2 deadline and recommending they export their subscriptions to YouTube Music. The company has said that migrating podcasts to YouTube aligns with user behaviour and preferences, as data indicates higher engagement of podcast listeners on YouTube compared to the Podcasts app.
While YouTube Music provides basic podcast listening functionality, some Google Podcasts users find it lacking in features compared to the dedicated app. YouTube Music may be seen as too bloated for users who prefer a streamlined podcast listening experience since it lacks podcast-specific search and sorting filters, as well as the dedicated discovery and management features found in Google Podcasts.
Google Podcasts allows users who prefer an alternative platform to download the
RSS feeds
for their subscribed shows and upload them to another service that supports the OPML file format. This option provides flexibility for those who wish to continue using a dedicated podcast app.
Although the April 2 deadline only applies to US users, Google plans to discontinue the Podcasts app and service worldwide throughout 2024. As the company moves forward with this transition, users globally will need to adapt to the new podcasting landscape within the Google ecosystem.
The move to consolidate podcasting efforts under YouTube could help Google become a bigger player in the space, particularly as interest in video podcasts continues to grow. This step is similar to the company's strategy in 2020, when it moved music listeners from Google Play Music to YouTube Music ahead of the shutdown.
English (US) ·