Apple to kill iTunes: why it makes no difference for podcasters

Apple to kill iTunes: why it makes no difference for podcasters

Listen · · 2.9 minutes to read

This article is at least a year old

Apple has been widely reported over the weekend - and here in Podnews for the last few months - to be “killing iTunes”. This refers to the desktop app on Mac and Windows computers.

This is likely to be announced at WWDC, their developers’ conference, this week. So, what does this mean for podcasting? NOTHING: because you’re on Apple Podcasts, not iTunes. In fact, Apple mailed us back in February 2018 reminding us to always say “Apple Podcasts”, not “iTunes”.

The amount of listening on desktop is very small in comparison to mobile; but even so, it’s expected that Apple will announce a bespoke podcast app for MacOS to replace iTunes. Indeed, here’s the icon for it.

  • Wild speculation: Apple Podcasts went on the web in April this year, so you can now listen to this fine podcast via Apple Podcasts on an Android, Windows or Linux device. However, there’s no front page for this experience yet: it just returns an unusual error. Is it moving to the web fully this week, with a proper front page and a method of subscribing (which there’s room for)?

  • Wilder speculation: In the Apple Podcasts page code, there is mention of requiresSubscription for episodes, and price:Free - is this a paid-subscription service, or just Apple using a modified version of the AudioObject schema? (It’s probably the latter - the iTunes API has always returned similar fields).

  • Get the free Podnews newsletter for more like this

    Get it free
  • Our editor wrote Podcasting: What Apple Should Do Next in March, recommending Apple adds paid-subscription services, an Android app, and proper, robust APIs. He wonders how many of these ideas will materialise.

Opinion

  • It’s time for a podcast creation tool from Apple, says 9to5mac:

    Apple has always been about empowering people to build great things. From iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, and Garageband, Apple has always been at the center of technology and liberal arts. It’s now time for Apple to simplify the podcast creation experience.

  • Nick Hilton writes about his first year running a podcast production company:

    The market is shaping up to be much less indie, much less counter cultural, much less innovative, going forward. … The money being invested into the podcasting industry is going to mean that there are lots more full-time podcast producers doing the rounds, but they’re going to be indentured to big, flush corporations.

Podcasts

Companies mentioned above:
Apple logoAppleApple Podcasts logoApple PodcastsPRX logoPRX

This page contains automated links to Apple Podcasts. We may receive a commission for purchases made.

Readers and supporters

Gold supporters

Silver supporters

Readers and supporters

Get a global view on podcasting and on-demand with our daily news briefing