Google is notifying Google Podcasts users about the impending shutdown of the service via email this Tuesday.
An email I recently received said, “I’m writing to let you know that starting April 2, 2024, you will no longer be able to listen to podcasts on Google Podcasts.” “You have until July 29, 2024 to migrate your podcast show subscriptions to YouTube Music or download your show subscription files and upload them to an app that supports import.”
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Google launched Google Podcasts as a standalone service in mid-2018, but the initial implementation (integrated into Google search results on the web) was a bit rough, with no support for offline downloads. However, Google has significantly improved its service. Downloads began in his May 2019, and various improvements have been made, including Google releasing his iPhone app in early 2020. Google then announced that it would add podcasts to YouTube Music in early 2023, following Spotify’s strategy. Then, in September, came the inevitable news that Google Podcasts was shutting down.
Starting in December 2023, Google will provide tools to move your shows from Google Podcasts to YouTube Music. But if you’re like me and prefer standalone podcast apps, the following services are probably right for you. pocket cast or similar. Google’s tools support exporting shows to OPML files that Pocket Cast and other podcast apps can import.
Well. I love the simple Google Podcasts interface so much that I would have used the service full time if it were only available on Sonos. (I suspect both companies were victims of an ongoing legal battle.) I wish there were more apps like that.
