The Google Podcasts application, launched in 2018, has reached over 500 million downloads on Google Play. It offered an extensive podcast library, subscription management, offline playback, and integration with the Google ecosystem for personalized recommendations.
However, Google announced that it will be discontinued in September 2023, citing user data on greater engagement with podcasts on YouTube. The company plans to consolidate its audio services under one roof (YouTube Music).
While YouTube Music supports basic podcast playback, many Google Podcast users are expressing dissatisfaction with this move. YouTube Music’s music interface lacks dedicated podcast discovery, search filters, and simplified controls.
Currently, only US users face the April 2 deadline. However, an archived YouTube Music support page recommends a complete global shutdown of the podcast app by July 2024.
Source: Ferra
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