Google Shutting Down Podcasts App, Transitioning Users to YouTube Music
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Google is shutting down its Podcasts app in the U.S. on April 2 and urging users to switch subscriptions over to YouTube Music.
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The Google Podcasts app has over 500 million installs globally and offered a simple interface for podcast streaming.
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The shutdown is part of Google's plan to centralize its audio services under YouTube Music, similar to the Google Play Music shutdown.
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Moving podcasts to YouTube Music helps Google become more competitive, especially as interest grows in video podcasts.
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After April 2, U.S. users will have until July 2024 to export subscriptions before completely losing app access. Google plans to discontinue the app globally in 2024.