Google Podcasts gets a redesign and iOS rollout

The Google Podcast app is now available for iOS devices, and the web version of the app now supports subscriptions, the company announced Wednesday.

Google has also reorganized the app with a tabbed user interface that includes an Explore section where users are shown new show and episode recommendations related to their interests.

Why we care

Podcast discovery has been a challenge for content creators with most podcast apps showing only what’s available through that particular service. Google’s aim is to provide a comprehensive resource for podcast discovery, including paid content, and library management.

The addition of subscriptions to its web app lets users more easily switch between listening on their desktops and their mobile devices, something that iTunes and Spotify users have been able to do for a long time.

As Google’s podcast platform continues to expand, it’ll become even more important for publishers to manage their presence on search.

More on the news

• Google began introducing podcasts in search results in May 2019.
• The company made podcasts playable directly from the results page in August 2019.
• When users select an episode, they’ll also be presented with topics or people covered in that episode and can jump to associated Google search results.
• The “For you” section of the Explore tab recommends shows based on the listener’s interests and what is currently popular. Users can personalize these recommendations.