Apple on Monday said it will introduce a new integrated video podcast experience on Apple Podcasts this spring, reflecting the growing shift toward video in the medium.
Video consumption is increasingly reshaping podcasting, with about 37 per cent of people aged 12 and older watching video podcasts each month, according to Edison Research.
The update brings Apple Podcasts closer in line with rivals such as Spotify, YouTube and Netflix, all of which have been expanding their focus on video podcast content.
“Twenty years ago, Apple helped take podcasting mainstream by adding podcasts to iTunes, and more than a decade ago, we introduced the dedicated Apple Podcasts app,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services, in a statement. “By bringing a category-leading video experience to Apple Podcasts, we’re putting creators in full control of their content and how they build their businesses, while making it easier than ever for audiences to listen to or watch podcasts.”
In the Apple Podcasts app, users can now switch effortlessly between watching and listening to shows within the same feed, enjoy picture-in-picture mode, and download video episodes for offline viewing.
Previously, although Apple Podcasts supported video through RSS since 2005, video feeds were separate from the audio versions of the same shows.
The update adds support for HLS (HTTP Live Streaming), a protocol developed by Apple that allows adaptive video playback and enhanced controls within the app.
With HLS, the platform also supports dynamic video ad insertion.
Creators using participating hosting providers and ad networks can now include video ads, including host-read spots—directly within their episodes.
Apple confirmed that creators and hosting providers will not be charged for distributing content, but ad networks participating in dynamic video ads via HLS will pay an impression-based fee.
The initial HLS-supporting podcast hosting partners include Acast, ART19, Omny Studio, and SiriusXM.
This comes as competitors ramp up their focus on video podcasts. Last year, YouTube reported over 1 billion monthly viewers of podcast content, while Spotify expanded its video podcast lineup and paid creators more than $100 million in the first quarter.
