Google Podcasts Shuts Down! Is YouTube Music Replacing it?

Google Podcasts is a popular podcast-listening app. It is a free and easy-to-use app and has a wide range of features. It is available on Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, ChromeOS, and the web. Users can subscribe to podcasts, download episodes, and even custom playlists.

For many podcast enthusiasts, April 2nd, 2024, marked the end of an era. Google Podcasts, a popular platform for discovering and listening to podcasts, officially shut down. This move by Google reflects their strategy to centralize audio services under the umbrella of YouTube Music.

Google announced on September 26, 2023, that the Podcasts app will retire in 2024. The company will focus on YouTube Music as its central platform for both music and podcasts. 

Google’s reasoning centres around streamlining its audio offerings. By integrating podcasts into YouTube Music, they hope to create a one-stop shop for all things audio, encompassing music and spoken-word content. This approach isn’t entirely new – in 2020, Google transitioned music listeners from Google Play Music to YouTube Music with a similar strategy.

Why did Google Podcasts shut down?

To focus on YouTube Music

Google is investing a lot in YouTube Music. It has a large user base already making it the most widely used podcast listening app in the world. Google can give viewers a better listening experience for all of their audio content by bringing podcasts to YouTube Music.

To streamline its podcast offerings

Google offers various podcast apps and services such as Google Podcasts, YouTube Music, and Google Assistant. Google will be able to make it easy for customers to search and access their favourite podcasts by combining its podcast services into a single app.

To improve the podcast experience for users

Google promises to make the change from Google Podcasts to YouTube Music as easy as possible. Users may transfer subscribers, playlists, and listening history to YouTube Music. Additionally, Google will also assist podcast producers in transferring their podcasts to YouTube Music.

Additionally, Google Podcasts were facing tough competition from other podcast apps like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Google will be able to compete better in the podcasting market by combining podcast services in one app. It will be beneficial for Google as it will have to focus its resources on a single app.

Will YouTube Music get Podcasts?

Podcasts are already present in YouTube Music since April 2023. It first started in the United States and then gradually became available to users in other countries.

To find podcasts on YouTube Music follow these steps

1. Go to the Explore tab.
2. Click on Podcasts.
3. Browse podcasts by category, or search for specific shows. You can also subscribe to podcasts and create playlists.

After the Google announcement, YouTube Music is expected to become even more important for podcast listeners in the future.

The transition for Google Podcasts users isn’t entirely seamless. Some features, like RSS feed integration for niche podcasts, might not be immediately available in YouTube Music. However, Google has promised to continuously improve the podcast experience within YouTube Music, addressing missing features and incorporating user feedback.

For those who haven’t made the switch yet, there’s still time. Google has facilitated the process by allowing users to export their podcast subscriptions from Google Podcasts. YouTube Music also offers podcast discovery tools and personalized recommendations to help users navigate the vast world of podcasts.

The demise of Google Podcasts signifies a shift in the audio landscape. Let’s see whether YouTube Music can successfully cater to both music lovers and podcast aficionados, till then stay connected with Oreonow.

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