Google Podcasts, the popular podcasting app from tech giant Google, is set to shut down in 2024. The company announced that it will be discontinuing Google Podcasts and shifting its focus to YouTube Music.
A Shift Towards YouTube Music
Google has decided to make YouTube Music its primary podcasting app and service. As part of this transition, podcasts in YouTube Music will receive a number of updates, including full global availability before the end of 2023.
Migration Tools for Users
To ensure a smooth transition for users, Google plans to release a “simple migration tool” that will move existing subscriptions from Google Podcasts to YouTube Music. Additionally, users will have the ability to add podcasts via RSS feeds, including shows not currently hosted by YouTube.
What This Means for Podcasters
For podcasters, YouTube will allow for RSS uploads instead of requiring a video version. This move is expected to make the migration process from Google Podcasts to YouTube Music as simple and easy as possible.
A Commitment to Transparency
Google has committed to being transparent in communicating future changes with its users and podcasters. For now, nothing is changing and fans will continue to have access to YouTube, YouTube Music, and Google Podcasts.
In 2024, Google will be “increasing [its] 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”.
