Apple is set to launch a new video podcast experience within its Apple Podcasts app this spring, introducing a feature that allows users to seamlessly switch between watching and listening to their favorite shows. This enhancement will leverage Apple’s HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) video technology, enabling users to access a horizontal view of podcasts and download videos for offline viewing.
The move comes as video podcast consumption is on the rise, with a recent report from Edison Research indicating that over half of the U.S. population has engaged with video podcasts, and a significant percentage consume them monthly.
By enhancing its video podcast capabilities, Apple aims to compete more effectively with platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and Netflix, all of which have embraced video podcasting. YouTube boasts over 1 billion monthly active viewers of podcast content, while Spotify offers half a million video podcasts that have been viewed by nearly 400 million users. Netflix has also entered the video podcast space through partnerships with iHeartMedia and Spotify.
The new video podcast feature will be available for testing this week through betas for iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, and visionOS 26.4, with an official launch scheduled for the spring.
Source: TechCrunch