Apple Podcasts turned 19 the other day. Google Podcasts might have finally died, while Spotify hit a milestone, Buzzsprout got spiffed up and the New York Times considers a paywall.
Yeah, that's a lot. Let's break it down.
June 28, 2005- a new feature for iTunes 4.9 pops up... we know it today as Apple Podcasts. Happy birthday, fruit-flavored RSS feed!
Buzzsprout users (including PodcastVideos.com) saw a new suit last week, as the hosting platform revamped their color scheme and fonts. It's a sharp look, and the cosmetic refresh doesn't seem to have changed any of the navigation or functionality users already know.
Spotify, riding a 70 percent year-over-year increase in creators utilizing video, now hosts a quarter-million video podcasts, the company said in late June. Go video!
There's still an avenue to install Google Podcasts via GooglePlay, although the service now appears unavailable internationally. It's been slowly fading out since the US service hit the chopping block last month, but as certain functions remained available well after announced deadlines, it's become a bit of a zombie joke in the podcasting community.
The Daily from the New York Times may move behind a paywall, at least for older episodes, as the publisher looks to drive more subscriber revenue. Other NYT podcasts may transition to a similar format. The Economist is planning a similar move for October, moving older posts from flagship show The Intelligence and most series-based programs, to a subscription model.
