Apple Held Acquisition Talks With Podcast Network Wondery

Apple has held talks with podcast network Wondery about a potential acquisition, reports Bloomberg. Wondery is responsible for popular podcasts that include "Dirty John" and "Dr. Death," among others.

Apple Podcast Alternate
Wondery is looking for $300 to $400 million and has also held talks with Sony Music Entertainment and other companies, though Spotify is said to be "out of the running." At that price point, Bloomberg says that it would mark one of the largest deals in the podcasting market.

A deal is expected to be established in the coming months, but it's not yet clear if Apple will go through with the purchase as things are still in the discussion stage. Wondery has a monthly audience of more than eight million people, which would be a major score for Apple as it aims to ramp up its podcasting efforts.

A Wondery purchase would provide Apple with a library of original content along with a source for ideas that could eventually be turned into television shows. Wondery is already working on TV shows based on podcasts, including a WeWork series that's going to premiere on Apple TV+.

Rumors this year have suggested Apple is looking to buy exclusive original podcasts to better compete with Spotify's podcast offerings. Apple has specifically been seeking podcasts that could eventually be adapted into future TV+ content, and it plans to create podcasts that will augment its TV shows.

Apple competitor Spotify has been focusing heavily on podcasts and has purchased Gimlet Media, known for podcasts like "Reply All" and "Homecoming." Apple has long been a leader in the podcasting sphere thanks to the Podcasts app, which it has been improving in recent years, but Spotify has been making inroads in podcasting.

Apple has already purchased a couple of podcasting companies. In 2017, it bought Pop Up Archive to improve search, and in early 2020, it bought podcasting service Scout FM, designed to turn podcast shows into radio-style stations.

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iPhone 17 Air Colors Thumb 2

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air Rumored to Come in These 9 Colors

Friday July 11, 2025 12:30 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will be available in a total of nine color options, according to new information coming out of Asia. The iPhone 17 Air's expected color options. According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean blog Naver, accessory manufacturers are now producing camera protector rings for the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air in colors to match their...

Top Rated Comments

xxray Avatar
61 months ago
Is this the one time that competition isn’t good for the consumer? Podcasts were supposed to be free, cross-platform, easily accessible. Now, I’m going to have to keep switching apps depending on which app the podcast is located due to Apple and Spotify competing for ownership.

Sigh, I wish Spotify never started this.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alayal Avatar
61 months ago
I think Apple can do this because of the big pockets but the main focus should be on hardware, software and R&D which is are their core values.
It really bugs me they quit the Airport lineup while they expend billions in media content.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mattriff Avatar
61 months ago
Wondery makes great true-crime podcasts. I actually pay for Wondery+ to support them. I'd much rather see them with Apple than Spotify or SiriusXM (who has also been buying stuff up). I fear the Netflix-ization of podcasting, but models where you can listen for free with ads or as part of a subscription without aren't bad.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
q64ceo Avatar
61 months ago
Please, no. Wondery has excellent podcasts. I don't want to see them having to edit their future content to make it more Apple corporate friendly.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
61 months ago

I used to listen to the Business Wars podcast by Wondery. Each set of 4-5 episodes would focus on the history/dynamic of two competing companies in any given space. Marvel vs. DC, Nike vs. Adidas, Apple vs. Microsoft, McDonald's vs. Burger King, etc.

I really appreciated the more produced and polished format over podcasting's usual 2-5 dudes talking. I LOVE when podcasting does something different than that. More radio dramas and scripted shows and tightly produced radio documentaries please!

I also think that Apple's radio stations (AppleMusic 1, AppleMusic Hits, and AppleMusic Country) could use the addition of AppleTalk where they stream the best talk radio (podcasts) around the clock.
That is a good idea about AppleTalk. I like good talk radio.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iDento Avatar
61 months ago
So, if audiobooks are movies, this Wondery thing is the TV shows for the ears?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)