Spotify announced in May 2026 that it will adopt Apple’s HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) video technology, enabling Spotify-hosted podcast shows to distribute and monetize video content on Apple Podcasts without requiring creators to change their existing workflows.
HLS, which Apple recently introduced on Apple Podcasts, automatically adjusts video quality in real time based on a viewer’s network speed — whether on Wi-Fi or cellular data — reducing buffering and quality drops. Spotify plans to roll out these HLS upgrades later in 2026.
Alongside the HLS adoption, Spotify announced additional monetization options for creators, including direct sales and new partner integrations. The company also confirmed that creators using hosting providers Libsyn, Podigee, Audioboom, Audiomeans, and Podspace can now publish video podcasts directly on Spotify and earn revenue through the Spotify Partner Program — a feature already live following an earlier announcement this year.
Spotify has been expanding its video podcast offering since its initial launch of video podcasts in 2020, and earlier this year lowered the requirements for video monetization to broaden creator access. As of November 2025, nearly half a million shows had been listed on the platform and over 390 million users had streamed a video podcast on Spotify.
The move may allow podcast creators to reach audiences across both Spotify and Apple Podcasts from a single hosting setup, potentially reducing the technical barriers to cross-platform video distribution.
Source: TechCrunch