Apple Podcasts+

Probability: Medium.

Two years ago, Apple made a big push into the service business with the announcement of Apple TV+, Apple News+, and Apple Arcade, and while these services have had varying levels of success, there’s no doubt that Apple doesn’t plan to stop there.

Not long after that, we began hearing about Apple working on its next potential service: Apple Podcasts+. Since then, it’s slowly been taking shape, and recent reports suggest it’s on track to launch this year.

Apple may have also telegraphed the move with a recent change in its Podcasts app, rebranding the old “Subscribe” buttons to “Follow.” While many believed this was intended to encourage more people to consume podcasts by making it clear that they were free, it also very obviously paves the way for a new button to handle paid podcast subscriptions. Although Apple Podcasts+ is expected to be a subscription service, it’s possible it might have an “à la carte” offering for certain premium podcasts as well.

Now an eleventh-hour tweet from Vox Media’s Peter Kafka reveals that Apple may indeed be preparing to launch Podcasts+ at tomorrow’s event.

What Could Be Coming: A paid podcast subscription service that would feature access to premium shows akin to what’s already found on Spotify, SiriusXM, and Amazon. No details on pricing, but it’s likely Apple will tag it around the $4.99/month range and hopefully find a way to bundle it into Apple One. A free trial will almost certainly be available.