Apple Podcasts Losing Market Share to YouTube and Spotify

Apple Podcasts, once the dominant platform for podcast listening, is experiencing a significant decline in popularity as competitors like YouTube and Spotify gain ground, according to a recent study by Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights.

4 Apple Podcasts Hero
"Podcast" is a portmanteau of "iPod" and "broadcast," indicating the format's indebtedness to Apple. However, the study reveals that the podcast landscape has changed dramatically since the company first popularized the medium in 2005 with the release of iTunes 4.9. YouTube is now the most popular platform for podcast consumption in the United States, with 31% of respondents reporting it as their primary choice. Spotify follows at 21%, while ‌Apple Podcasts‌ has dropped to third place with only 12% of the market share.

This is in stark contrast to Apple's position just a few years ago. In July 2019, 29% of weekly podcast listeners primarily used ‌Apple Podcasts‌. Several factors appear to be contributing to ‌Apple Podcasts‌' waning popularity. ‌Apple Podcasts‌ didn't generate direct revenue for the company until recently, when in 2021 it introduced podcast subscriptions, of which Apple takes a cut.

Additionally, ‌Apple Podcasts‌ was historically not available on Android or Windows devices, limiting its reach, although the launch earlier this week of an Apple Podcasts web app may go some way to mitigate this issue.

The rising popularity of video podcasts has also given platforms like YouTube a significant advantage, while ‌Apple Podcasts‌ has shown no willingness to push video at all. Indeed, it's unclear whether the company is working on any major updates or features to compete more effectively with the more visual take on the medium offered by YouTube and Spotify.

Despite the decline, ‌Apple Podcasts‌ still has the advantage of coming pre-installed on all Apple devices, giving it a large potential user base. However, Apple may need to rethink its strategy by emphasizing video podcast content, adding more monetization options for podcasters, and attracting new and younger listeners to the platform.

In iOS 18, Apple's Podcasts app now shows chapter segments of a podcast when you scrub through a currently playing episode, making it easier to browse through the audio content, but there are no major new podcast features in the latest version of Apple's mobile operating system.

Popular Stories

WWDC25 Live Coverage Feature 1

WWDC 2025 Apple Event Live Keynote Coverage: iOS 26, macOS Tahoe, and More

Monday June 9, 2025 9:00 am PDT by
Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) starts today with the traditional keynote kicking things off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. MacRumors is on hand for the event and we'll be sharing details and our thoughts throughout the day. We're expecting to see a number of software-related announcements led by a design revamp across Apple's platforms that will also see the numbering of all of...
maxresdefault

Everything Apple Announced at WWDC 2025 in 9 Minutes

Monday June 9, 2025 5:21 pm PDT by
At today's WWDC 2025 keynote event, Apple unveiled a new design that will inform the next decade of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS development, so needless to say, it was a busy day. Apple also unveiled a ton of new features for the iPhone, an overhauled Spotlight interface for the Mac, and a ton of updates that make the iPad more like a Mac than ever before. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel ...
liquid glass

Apple Announces All-New 'Liquid Glass' Software Redesign Across iOS 26 and More

Monday June 9, 2025 10:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced a complete redesign of all of its major software platforms called "Liquid Glass." Announced simultaneously for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOS, and CarPlay, Liquid Glass forms a new universal design language for the first time. At its WWDC 2025 keynote address, Apple's software chief Craig Federighi said "Apple Silicon has become dramatically more powerful...
iPadOS 26 Apple Newsroom

Apple Says iPadOS 26 is Compatible With These iPad Models

Monday June 9, 2025 11:22 am PDT by
Apple today announced that iPadOS 26 will be compatible with the iPad models listed below. iPadOS 26 features a new Liquid Glass design, a menu bar, improved app windowing, and more. iPadOS 26 supports the following iPad models:iPad Pro (M4) iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later) iPad Air (M2 and later) iPad Air (3rd generation and...
iPhone Car Key WWDC 2025

Apple Says These 13 Vehicle Brands Will Soon Offer iPhone Car Keys

Monday June 9, 2025 2:38 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. During its WWDC 2025 keynote today, Apple said that 13...
Apple WWDC25 iOS 26 hero 250609

Apple Announces iOS 26 With 'Liquid Glass' Design, Live Translation, Overhauled Phone App, and More

Monday June 9, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple at WWDC announced iOS 26, introducing a comprehensive visual redesign built around its new "Liquid Glass" concept, alongside expanded Apple Intelligence capabilities, updates to core communication apps, and more. Liquid Glass is a translucent material that reflects and refracts surroundings to create dynamic, responsive interface elements, according to Apple. The new design language...

Top Rated Comments

dominiongamma Avatar
11 months ago
When Apple barely touches its own apps, I cant say I’m shocked people using better apps in place to get podcast
Score: 45 Votes (Like | Disagree)
orev Avatar
11 months ago
The Apple Podcasts app has always been confusing to use. They need to fix the UX issues at minimum. I'm surprised it ever had significant market share given how much better other apps are like Overcast and Pocket Casts. They must have been relying on the "default app install" momentum for a long time.

Isn't a "video podcast" just a "video" at that point? Podcasts are things you want to listen to while doing other things like driving or chores. Once you're sitting down to watch a video, you're just watching a show at that point.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MilaM Avatar
11 months ago
Apple neglected the Podcasts app for too long. After years of battling with different bugs and inconsistencies I finally switched to Overcast and am very happy with it. There are other good alternatives off course.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
slomtbr Avatar
11 months ago
When I find a podcast, I want to listen to episodes oldest to newest.
Why can't the app also download oldest to newest? I have to download episodes manually, or give in.
Again, it's Apple telling me what I want to listen to.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CloneBB Avatar
11 months ago
I use the podcast app daily. It works fine and it is free.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jdawgnoonan Avatar
11 months ago
I will only use podcast apps listed on this index: https://podcastindex.org/apps . I do not intend to ever again use a podcasting system where the podcast feeds have a corporate gatekeeper. I do not need my corporate overlords protecting me from content. Spotify? Google? Apple? I am sure that they are functional systems with decent UIs. But I do not need thought police in my life.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)