You can officially say goodbye to Google Podcasts in 2024 – it’s YouTube Music from now on
In September, Google announced that it would be saying goodbye to its podcast service Google Podcasts, and now we have an official date for its demise. Google has confirmed that Google Podcasts will be shutting down in the US in April 2024 and is encouraging users to head to YouTube to listen to their favorite shows.
Launched in 2018, Google Podcasts was Google's third attempt at a podcast platform. Google Listen, powered by Google Reader, ran from 2009-2012, and Google Play Music offered podcasts from 2016 to 2020. Now Google plans to make YouTube Podcasts, which launched in 2022, the premier podcast service.
Google is keen to be a bigger player in the growing podcast market, and the decision to close Google Podcasts and focus on YouTube Podcasts is part of Google's strategy to invest more in YouTube as a streaming platform, making it a one-stop service for both music and podcasts that can compete with Spotify and Apple Music.
YouTube Podcasts can be found in the YouTube Music app and offer similar features to other podcast platforms. Podcasts are also available on the YouTube site in the form of a landing pagewhich allows you to watch podcast episodes and listen to the audio.
Google has yet to confirm if and when it will close Google Podcasts in other countries.
How to transfer your Google Podcasts account to YouTube Podcasts.
Google is making it easy for users who currently listen to podcasts through Google Podcasts to switch to YouTube Podcasts before the April 2024 change, with a online tool which allows you to smoothly transfer your subscription with one click.
According to 9to5Google, Google Podcasts will soon see an “Export Subscriptions” banner on the screen that they can also click to transfer their subscriptions to YouTube. Alternatively, subscribers can export Google Podcasts accounts as an OPML file if they want to switch to another podcast app.
US users have until June 2024 to migrate from Google Podcasts to YouTube Podcasts.