Apple Podcasts Subscriptions launch delayed to June; various improvements promised


Last month, during their Spring loaded event, Apple introduced a new service called Podcast Subscription. The service was designed to help creators on the platform with an alternative form of monetization and was supposed launch this month. However, Apple has reportedly pushed the launch to June as they are working on improving various aspects of the Podcast app.

Apple reportedly sent an email to the creators on Apple Podcasts, explaining that Podcasts Subscription will be delayed to the next month as they are working on improving the experience on the platform.

We’re writing to provide an update on the availability of Apple Podcasts Subscriptions and channels. We’ve been delighted by the response to last month’s announcement and it’s exciting to see the hundreds of new subscriptions and channels submitted from creators across the globe every day.

To ensure we are delivering the best experience for creators and listeners, Apple Podcasts Subscriptions and channels will now launch in June. We will communicate further updates on availability, and best practices to help you prepare your subscriptions and channels, through this newsletter.

Creators has reportedly been facing issues with the Apple Podcasts Connect and Apple Podcasts Directory, which has resulted in various problems such as slow updates of shows for listeners.

Along with this, Apple acknowledged the relatively weak response to the application design that came with iOS 14.5 and addressed a few of the changes in iOS 14.6. In the email, they said:

We’ve also heard from listeners and made adjustments based on their feedback with iOS 14.6, which was released on Monday. We will introduce additional enhancements to Library in the coming weeks.

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