Apple Invests in Original Podcasts With the Potential to Adapt into TV+ Shows

Apple has stepped up its investment in original podcast content by signing an agreement with Pulitzer Prize-winning production company Futuro Studios, Bloomberg reports.

Podcasts Feature
The deal with Futuro Studios, maker of the criminal-justice series "Suave," stipulates that Apple will fund development and production of podcasts, and then have the first option to turn them into a film or TV show for its Apple TV+ service.

Apple has ramped up its podcast production output over the past couple of years, generating spinoffs of some of its original television and movie content, such as the "For All Mankind" podcast, but also seeking to purchase original podcast programs that could tie into future TV+ shows.

Apple has discussed similar arrangements with other podcast production studios and spent up to $10 million on the push so far, according to Bloomberg. Apple has already financed a handful of popular podcasts, including true crime series "Hooked" and "The Line," with several tied in some way to its TV shows.

Apple is said to be using the podcast investment strategy as a relatively risk-free method of gauging interest in the material to determine whether it could become the foundation for a video series. The approach means Apple avoids having to spend potentially significantly more money to acquire rights to an established podcast in order to turn it into original video programming.

Apple's low-key plans contrast with Spotify's high-spending strategy of acquiring already-popular podcasts and making them exclusive to its streaming service. Spotify has been making inroads in the podcasting market over the course of the last few years, ramping up its original podcast offerings and making major acquisitions, as well as scoring key deals such as the rights to the popular Joe Rogan Experience podcast.

Popular Stories

iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive a New Perk

Thursday March 20, 2025 12:01 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. The new perk is the ability to create invitations in the Apple Invites app for the iPhone, which launched in the App Store last month. In the Apple Invites app, iCloud+ subscribers can create invitations for any occasion, such as birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, and more. Anyone ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro teal 1

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Coming to These 8 U.S. States, But Rollout Remains Slow

Wednesday March 19, 2025 6:55 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. It has been three and a half years since Apple first announced the...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock

iOS 19 Coming in June With These New Features

Thursday March 20, 2025 2:04 pm PDT by
While the first iOS 19 beta is still more than two months away, there are already plenty of rumors about the upcoming software update. Below, we recap the key iOS 19 rumors so far. visionOS-Like Design In January, the YouTube channel Front Page Tech revealed a redesigned Camera app that is allegedly planned for iOS 19. According to Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser, the Camera app...
Windows Vista

Apple Might Be Having Its Windows Vista Moment, Says Analyst

Thursday March 20, 2025 6:52 am PDT by
Is Apple experiencing a "Vista-like drift into systemically poor execution?" That was a question posed by well-known technology analyst Benedict Evans, in a recent blog post covering Apple's innovation and execution, or seemingly lack thereof as of late. He is referring to Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system, which was widely criticized when it launched in 2007 due to software bugs,...
iPhone 17 Air Fanned Feature

First iPhone 17 Air Case Has Camera Bar, Camera Control Button Cutouts

Wednesday March 19, 2025 5:29 am PDT by
Serial leaker Sonny Dickson today shared an image of what he claims is a first look at a third-party case for Apple's iPhone 17 Air. "If you didn’t know an Air was coming, you'd swear it was a Google Pixel case," he said. Case manufacturers often obtain design specifications of upcoming iPhone models before their release by collaborating with Apple through official partnerships or...
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

Latest iPhone 17 Pro Dummies Highlight Apple's New Part-Glass Design

Thursday March 20, 2025 5:27 am PDT by
Seasoned leaker Sonny Dickson has shared more dummy models of Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 series, with the latest lot revealing a noticeable shift in Apple's iPhone Pro model design that goes beyond the much-talked-about new rear camera bar. Dickson points out that the iPhone 17 Pro dummy models feature an outlined area on the back, beginning just below the camera module and extending to the...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro Already Rumored to Have Five New Features

Tuesday March 18, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around a year and a half away from launching, there are already some early rumors about the devices. Below, we recap some key iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. Under-Screen Face ID In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a roadmap showing that iPhone 17 Pro models would feature under-display Face ID. In May 2024, however, Young said ...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock

iOS 19 and iOS 20 Must Include a Long List of Major Changes, EU Says

Wednesday March 19, 2025 10:26 am PDT by
The European Commission today announced a long list of changes that Apple is legally required to implement in future iOS 19 and iOS 20 updates. The announcement clarifies interoperability requirements that Apple is required to adhere to in the EU, under the Digital Markets Act, which has been fully enforced since March 2024. The changes will further open up the iPhone and its technologies to ...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Launch Now Just Months Away: Here's What We Know

Tuesday March 18, 2025 9:13 am PDT by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as excellent for...

Top Rated Comments

incoherent_1 Avatar
34 months ago

I hope this exclusivity **** being pulled by megacorps leads to a renaissance in piracy.
My personal favorite is subscribing to a content provider and not getting certain exclusive content they own because of inept region filtering.

For example, I subscribed to Prime to watch The Boys and it wasn't published as available in our region even though Amazon owns exclusive global distribution rights for it. :rolleyes:
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Expos of 1969 Avatar
34 months ago

We are some. But not as many as Spotifiers...
I think it's mostly because:
a - Spotify came first, and it was a really good product from the start.
b - The first iteration of AM was a disaster.

Personally I have used both, but AM is really good these days so I have used that the last couple of years (since they rebuilt it from scratch, I don't remember when).

Both products are excellent, if you ask me.
When living in Canada prior to moving to Europe I was not aware of Spotify. I used iTunes until 2018 and then started using Apple Music. I have used both Apple Music and paid Spotify (with some cancellations every so often) for the past three years or so.

It is extremely frustrating and really turns me off Apple that they can't be bothered to make it work smoothly on their own expensive hardware such as my M1 MacBook Air. It works better on my Samsung phone than on my Mac. Simply no excuse for that.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jamcgahey Avatar
34 months ago

When living in Canada prior to moving to Europe I was not aware of Spotify. I used iTunes until 2018 and then started using Apple Music. I have used both Apple Music and paid Spotify (with some cancellations every so often) for the past three years or so.

It is extremely frustrating and really turns me off Apple that they can't be bothered to make it work smoothly on their own expensive hardware such as my M1 MacBook Air. It works better on my Samsung phone than on my Mac. Simply no excuse for that.
This is my biggest gripe. Obviously Apple is a hardware company first, but they have always been known for producing incredible products. I just wish that sentiment was reflected in their software (outside of OS) as well.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarlJ Avatar
34 months ago

Not that I don’t agree with you, but people can be greedy too. If piracy is easy enough and the risks are low people will turn to it once they can’t justify the cost of legitimate sources anymore.
Yep, some people do that. And those people are bad people.

Heaven forfend the horror of the notion that they might go without their bingewatch of Game of Thrones or whatever.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
L92 Avatar
34 months ago
It's baffling how they can not figure out how to play content on their Podcast or Music app continuously between their own devices. With Spotify I can move to my Mac and pickup where I left off, or continue on my iPhone in an instance. That's not the case with Apple software, it doesn't sync instantly. That's the only reason I use Spotify, which is pricier somewhat, but it's just so much more convenient.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
svish Avatar
34 months ago
Hope to see more good quality shows on Apple TV+ with this deal.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)