Apple is trumpeting upgrades to its video podcasting tools for creators, and the podcast listening experience for users. The company is calling these new specifications “a transformative update.”
The key feature of this announcement enables high-resolution HLS video podcasts into creator/user experiences which Apple calls “best-in-class.”
Eddy Cue, Apple’s SVP of Services, framed the announcement in historical context: “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.”
One new feature on the listener side will allow easy and seamless switching between audio and video. Video can be streamed within the app or downloaded. HLS technology (HTTP protocol Live Streaming) is in play; Cue says that creators and users both benefit from the new stack: “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.”
Enabling high-def audio creation within Apple’s ecology is one thing; extending it outward to the much larger podcast ecology is another, and Apple emphatically emphasizes universality: “Creators distribute through participating hosting providers and ad networks, maintaining complete control of their content and monetization. Acast; ART19, an Amazon company; Triton’s Omny Studio; and SiriusXM, inclusive of SiriusXM Media, AdsWizz, and Simplecast, are supporting HLS video at launch, with additional providers to join in the future.”
Ads are content too, and Apple makes it clear that creators have control in that realm: “For the first time, creators can dynamically insert video ads — including host-read spots — unlocking access to the broader video advertising market while maintaining full creative control.
“The new feature is recognized and endorsed by major podcasting clients; the press release recognizes Goff Mattel (CEO, ART 10), Scott Walker (SiriusXM’s chief advertising revenue officer), and Sharon Taylor (Chief Revenue Officer, Triton Digital).
See the full, quote-rich announcement HERE