Apple's game changer: Apple is set to remove the 'subscribe' button from its podcasting app and invite listeners to 'follow' their favourite shows instead. This move could have grand repercussions on two levels. It could alleviate the reluctance of users who feared subscribing may cost them money, further fuelling podcast listening habits. It could also lay the groundwork for a separate paid-for subscription service for podcasts, which several sources – including Bloomberg – have previously reported to be under consideration by Apple.
Two million are better than one: Apple now has 2 million podcasts according to Podcast Industry Insights. That is a headline-grabbing figure in itself (although Spotify claimed to have 2.2 million last month) but perhaps the most stunning aspect of this data, provided courtesy of Daniel J Lewis, is that the total has doubled in just a year from 1 million in March 2020. The growth in podcasting – both in creation and consumption – continues to truly astound.