Apple, VIDEO & Nagging Concerns

I’m thinking a lot about Apple Podcasts these days.

And video.

Apple is now embracing video podcasts, and this move feels long overdue.

Like several years overdue.

I remember sitting in the cozy lobby at the Hotel Figueroa in downtown Los Angeles during the Evolutions conference several years ago. I was there to meet with Jake Shapiro and Ted Hosmann from Apple. At the center of our conversation? Video. Yes, video.

At that time, Westwood One had some major video podcasts in its line-up, including Ben Shapiro and Dan Bongino. So the crew from Cupertino wanted to hear how things were going.

Fast forward to today and Apple’s adoption of video feels like a Hail Mary pass; a last minute heave to win the game. I have iOS 26.4 on my phone and I get the public beta updates. I just got this message the other day about What’s New in Apple Podcasts.

When it comes to app usage, Apple has been trailing YouTube and Spotify badly. In a just released report, Edison Research found Apple a distant third. And Triton Digital revealed last month that Apple usage has steadily eroded over the last four years.

So will video help? Is video a game changer for Apple? Or a desperate play?

Too soon to say.

As a longtime Apple user, I look forward to seeing a robust rollout this Spring. If you want to read more, Apple has provided some useful information here.

Still, I have two nagging concerns.

Discoverability

How extensive is the editorial curation going to be? Will I find video podcasts easily? Will Apple create a special tier on the home page? Or a special tab? Will a podcast with video get flagged or promoted differently? Can I type in “video podcasts” and find a new show?

The Wealth Gap

I also worry Apple embracing video is going to widen the gap between the Have and Have Nots in podcasting. I know Apple says it is going to let creators keep “complete control” over their content and monetization. But publishing video is such a serious commitment. It requires lots of investment and significant resources to be done right. Most of my consulting work this past year focused on video and I saw too many podcasters - barely getting by revenue-wise - want to roll the dice on video. So I fear the rush to keep up will only push some podcasters into the poor house.

No hard evidence. Just a gut feeling.