Google has announced the shutdown of its Google Podcasts app on June 23, 2024, directing users to transition to YouTube Music for their podcast listening needs.
Despite a high number of downloads, the app has struggled to compete with the popularity of other podcast platforms.
Transition to YouTube Music
Since its launch in 2018, Google Podcasts has been downloaded over 500 million times but has not met the company's expectations in terms of user engagement, especially when compared to other platforms.
Google's decision to consolidate podcast listening within YouTube Music is part of an effort to streamline its services and leverage YouTube's existing popularity as a podcast platform.
According to Edison Research, 23% of U.S. podcast listeners use YouTube as their primary platform weekly, overshadowing Google Podcasts, which only garners 4%.
Google plans to assist users in making a smooth transition from Google Podcasts to YouTube Music. The company has promised to support users during this transition by providing tools for easy migration and the ability to add podcast RSS feeds to their YouTube Music libraries, even for shows that are not currently on YouTube.
This is intended to make the switch smoother for users and to allow podcast creators to continue reaching their audiences, now with the added possibility of incorporating video formats.
Mixed Reactions from Users
The announcement has received a mixed response from the Google Podcasts user community.
Many users have expressed disappointment, citing the simplicity and user-friendly interface of Google Podcasts as key advantages over more ad-heavy platforms like YouTube Music.
