Google is going to shut down its Podcasts app in the United States as the announcement has been made. Now, the users have to shift to YouTube Music along with their subscriptions to enjoy the podcasting. The tech giant has taken this move as part of its next growth strategy to expand its services and centralize its audio services only under a single platform. YouTube Music, one of the most popular apps developed by the company is gaining immense importance in recent years and will now offer an additional advantage to the users.
Announcement
Google has announced the details regarding the shutting down of the Podcasts app on its support page and Bleeping Computer has reported it for the very first time. The details mentioned on the page clearly state that US users will be unable to access the Podcasts app by the end of March 2024. Thus, the users must migrate their subscriptions before the deadline to ensure using the podcast services in another amazing Google app, YouTube Music. It will make it more easy for the tech giant to manage its audio services and take them to an advanced level.
Google Podcasts app has more than 500 million Android users globally who are using the potential of this application because of its simple interface. However, the company announced in September 2023 that it would shut down the app, and the current decision is the practical representation of that strategy.
Migration Strategy
While the Podcasts app has taken the world by storm because of its simplicity in allowing users to listen to their favorite podcasts on their Android devices, YouTube Music launched this feature in December 2023. Google has already declared the end of the Podcasts app and the integration of podcast features in the Music app has further confirmed the centralization strategy of the tech giant.
Google is now compelling its users to move to YouTube Music quite readily. As per the announcement, the Podcasts app will officially be banned in the US on April 2, 2024. Therefore, users have to shift their subscriptions toward the new application to continue using the services. However, the users who will miss the in-app notifications can still access their accounts by the end of July 2024. It will ease the export function for podcast enthusiasts.
Future Prospects
The shutting down of the Podcasts app is a part of the strategy of Google to centralize its services and make them more accessible for users. Moreover, the shifting of podcast features to the YouTube Music app will increase the audience base and popularity of this app. Besides sharpening its focus on audio services, video podcasting will also become a breeze. As YouTube has recently introduced video podcast capabilities to US users, the decision to shut down the Podcasts app will further open the doors to new success.
