Apple is upgrading its Podcasts app to let users "seamlessly" swap between audio and video podcasts using its HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) technology. While listening to a show, users will be able to switch to a horizontal video version of the podcast and download the video versions of a podcast for offline viewing. By giving users the option to quickly change between audio and video, Apple might be able to keep users from jumping to other platforms to watch episodes of their favorite shows.
Unsurprisingly called PodRoll Video Promos, the program enables podcasters to deliver short-form videos directly into Apple Podcasts feeds, where they appear as standalone promotional episodes. The company calls this "a significant opportunity for first movers to introduce video into an audio-first environment, giving creators the ability to engage audiences with standout promotional content." CEO Jason Cox evangelizes the product as accessing "one of the most valuable audiences in media, listeners already engaged with podcasts and long-form storytelling," skipping the need to evangelize podcasting generally.
