Google dumps Google Podcasts, migrates to YouTube Music
As Google Podcasts prepares for its final bow, Google promises a smooth transition for its users.
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UPDATE 12/7/2023: Google has shared that Google Podcasts will stop working “as early as April 2024.” That means you’ve got until then to transfer your subscriptions to YouTube Music, and the company has shared a FAQ page detailing how to do that.
In an unexpected twist, Google has decided to pull the plug on its popular podcast platform, Google Podcasts.
According to a company blog post, the tech giant plans to discontinue Google Podcasts in 2024, shifting its focus towards making YouTube Music the new hub for podcasts.
Looking forward to 2024, we’ll be increasing our investment in the podcast experience on YouTube Music — making it a better overall destination for fans and podcasters alike with YouTube-only capabilities across community, discovery and audio/visual switching. Later in 2024, as part of this process, we’ll be discontinuing Google Podcasts. As part of this process, we’ll be helping Google Podcasts users move over to Podcasts in YouTube Music
This move may seem surprising to many, but for those closely following Google’s recent activities, the writing was on the wall.
Earlier this year, Google introduced the ability for users to listen to podcasts on YouTube Music, hinting at a potential consolidation.
As per The Verge, Google justifies this change by citing data from Edison, which indicates that about 23% of weekly podcast users in the US prefer YouTube as their go-to service, compared to a mere 4% for Google Podcasts.
The Transition Phase
As Google Podcasts prepares for its final bow, Google promises a smooth transition for its users. A simple migration tool will be provided to help users move their content to YouTube Music.
Moreover, YouTube Music will finally support subscriptions via RSS feeds, a feature that was notably absent before.
Google is also committed to ensuring that podcasts become globally available on YouTube Music by the end of 2023, as reported by 9to5Google.
RIP Google Podcasts
While it’s sad to bid adieu to Google Podcasts, the shift to YouTube Music could open up new opportunities. With its broad user base and robust features,
YouTube Music has the potential to provide a richer podcast experience.
Google’s decision to incorporate podcasts into its music-focused app could also signify a growing trend of multimedia integration in the digital space.
Google Podcasts’ journey may be ending, but its legacy will live on in YouTube Music.
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