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There have been many services killed by Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) in recent years (think Google+, Project Loon, Hangouts, Stadia, etc.) and the latest one is now joining the tech cemetery. Google Podcasts is coming to an end on Tuesday, with users being told to switch their subscriptions to the newly integrated YouTube Music. It’s big news for a service that has garnered 500M downloads since its launch in 2018, allowing users to host, discover and listen to podcasts for free.
Behind the decision: YouTube is one of the most frequently visited sites on the web and Google (GOOG) (GOOGL) hopes to capitalize on traffic there to boost its podcast base. It’ll also help the tech giant invest all of its podcasting money into one platform, with YouTube offering better brand awareness amid the growing popularity of video podcasts. In addition, YouTube Music features a premium version, which might be incorporated into the podcast experience as inflation-conscious consumers get subscription fatigue for multiple services.
The one-stop shop will be Google’s (GOOG) (GOOGL) fourth iteration of a podcast platform as it looks to turn up the heat on Spotify (NYSE:SPOT) and Apple Podcasts (NASDAQ:AAPL). There was Google Listen which shut down in 2012, and was replaced with Google Play Music, before Google Podcasts took over for the past six years. After today, users in the U.S. will no longer have the ability to stream on Google Podcasts, but can migrate their subscriptions until June, giving extra time for those who may have missed the announcement.
Seeking Alpha podcasts: Episodes of Wall Street Breakfast had been available on Google Podcasts. You can also find them on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and the Seeking Alpha website. The daily show has a morning edition (Wall Street Breakfast) and an afternoon program (Wall Street Lunch), as well as a new Sunday special (Wall Street Brunch).
