2 weeks ago
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Spotify has announced that its podcasting platforms — Spotify for Creators and Megaphone — are adopting Apple's exertion for video streaming, HTTP Live Streaming (HLS). Apple shared successful February that it was adding support for HLS to its ain Apple Podcasts app pinch nan merchandise of iOS 26.4, truthful Spotify hopping aboard intends that formerly Spotify-exclusive video podcasts tin beryllium distributed to Apple's app.
Apple created nan HTTP Live Streaming protocol years agone to make video streaming easier connected devices for illustration nan iPhone. Switching to nan modular besides offers cardinal benefits to video podcasts, arsenic Apple already outlined successful its ain announcement. Podcasts distributed pinch HLS tin move backmost and distant betwixt video and audio-only streams and connection offline downloads. Critical for anyone trying to make money from their show, HLS besides supports move advertisement insertion.
HLS is proprietary tech that's developed by Apple, which intends it's people not unfastened successful nan aforesaid measurement RSS is, and it could ore powerfulness successful nan podcast manufacture successful a measurement it wasn't before. That imaginable antagonistic comes pinch a positive: it's mostly convenient for users erstwhile large companies each work together to usage nan aforesaid standard. Microsoft, Google, Twitch and much usage HLS. Adding Spotify to that database is not needfully a bad thing.
Spotify doesn't person an charismatic timeline for erstwhile Spotify for Creators and Megaphone will instrumentality HLS, but did corroborate that audio-only RSS podcast feeds will beryllium disposable for anyone listening done an app that doesn't support it. Spotify is besides opening up who tin administer to Spotify via its Distribution API, which is now officially supported by podcast hosting platforms Audioboom, Audiomeans, Podigee, Podspace and Libsyn. Supporting nan API allows platforms to administer video contented to Spotify, usage nan company's video monetization programs and position its video analytics. Whether they'll connection each of Spotify's features is up to them. The institution says "API partners tin take which of these features they'd for illustration to support successful their platforms."
