Apple is bringing video to paid podcast subscriptions, giving creators another place to sell episodes and bonus content that would otherwise go to YouTube, Patreon, or another subscription service.
The upcoming expansion of Apple Podcasts Subscriptions will let creators offer exclusive video episodes, ad-free viewing, early access, and bonus content to paying subscribers.
It’s a notable change for an app still primarily associated with audio. Video has become a much bigger part of podcasting, but much of that growth has happened outside traditional podcast apps, particularly on YouTube.
Apple now wants some of that premium video content inside Podcasts.
Your podcast subscription can include video
Creators will be able to bundle video into the subscriptions they already offer through Apple Podcasts rather than creating a separate product for viewers.
That could be particularly useful for shows that already record video versions of their podcasts. A creator could continue publishing free episodes elsewhere while reserving extended interviews, early episodes or other video material for paying subscribers.
Apple says the feature will be available in more than 170 countries and regions and work across Apple devices and the web.
The company is also working with podcast hosting providers to support the new format, with more details about participating services coming over the next several months.
Whether creators embrace it is another question. Many audio-first podcasts have little reason to start producing video simply because Apple now supports it.
Shows that already have a substantial video operation, meanwhile, may have spent years building audiences on YouTube and other platforms.
Apple still has to compete with YouTube
YouTube isn’t simply another app where people happen to watch podcasts. For many shows, it’s where viewers discover them in the first place.
That makes Apple’s proposition different. Podcasts Subscriptions puts video behind a recurring payment, while YouTube gives creators access to a huge free audience alongside advertising and other monetization options.
Apple doesn’t necessarily have to replace YouTube for the feature to work. A creator could use YouTube for free episodes and discovery while using Apple Podcasts for premium video, much as paid podcast subscriptions already coexist with free audio feeds.
Podcasting grew largely as a free medium, and paid subscriptions have gradually added exclusive episodes, early access, and ad-free listening on top of that.
Video gives creators something more substantial to put behind the paywall, but it also gives listeners another reason to decide whether a particular show is worth another monthly charge.
Apple hasn’t announced when video subscriptions will launch or how video will appear in the Podcasts app. More information about hosting support and participating providers is expected in the coming months.
