Apple launches video podcast experience this spring

Apple is launching a new video podcast experience in the spring, introducing a feature that allows users to switch between watching and listening to shows directly within the Apple Podcasts app. To power this update, the application will begin using the company’s HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) video technology. The transition to this streaming standard represents a technical update for the platform, which has historically focused on audio delivery, and marks Apple’s latest effort to modernize its media services.

The expansion into video comes as the format gains significant traction. According to market research firm Edison Research, 51% of the U.S. population has consumed a video podcast, and 37% of the U.S. population consumes video podcasts on a monthly basis. This shift in consumer behavior has intensified competition among major digital media platforms. YouTube announced last year that it has more than 1 billion monthly active viewers of podcast content. Meanwhile, Spotify reported last November that it has half a million video podcasts, which nearly 400 million users have watched. Additionally, Netflix has partnered with iHeartMedia and Spotify to bring video podcasts to its streaming platform.

The introduction of these features represents Apple’s response to these shifting market dynamics. Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services, highlighted the historical context of the platform’s audio roots and its future direction. “Twenty years ago, Apple helped take podcasting mainstream by adding podcasts to iTunes, and more than a decade ago, we introduced the dedicated Apple Podcasts app. Today marks a defining milestone in that journey. By bringing a category-leading video experience to Apple Podcasts, we’re putting creators in full control of their content and how they build their businesses, while making it easier than ever for audiences to listen to or watch podcasts,” Cue said. While the official launch of the video experience is scheduled for this spring, users can begin testing the feature this week as part of the betas for iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, and visionOS 26.4.

Why it matters

By bringing an enhanced video podcast viewing experience to its app, Apple is aiming to keep users from turning to rival platforms to watch their favorite shows.