Apple has experimented with a small selection of original podcasts so far, including companion show For All Mankind and true crime series The Line. Still, rumors persist that Apple has bigger ambitions in this area - Podcasts+?
The rumor that Apple wants to introduce a new subscription in the podcast area is not new. Now believes Peter Kafka of Vox Media also predicted that Apple will announce a new podcast subscription service as part of the "Spring Loaded" event. So far, all of Apple's original podcasts are offered for free and can be listened to in any podcast app. A paid premium service, perhaps called Podcasts+, would include a catalog of Apple-exclusive shows within the Apple Podcasts app, similar to how Apple TV+ makes TV shows and movies available only within the Apple TV application.
“Spring Loaded” event: Podcasts+ could become part of Apple One
Spotify has already successfully expanded its business beyond music streaming to exclusive podcast originals. Spotify offers shows from big-name artists like Joe Rogan, Michelle Obama, Bill Simmons, and more. In late 2019, Apple poached key podcast executives from National Geographic and NPR to drive its own premium podcasts division. Updates to the Podcasts app in iOS 14.5—including a significant UI refresh and new library management features—are another indication that Apple plans to expand its involvement in podcasts. So if Apple Podcasts+ does indeed come out, the service will surely be integrated into Apple One as well. (Photo by Postmodern Studio / Bigstockphoto)
