Apple’s Original Podcasts May Be Tie-Ins to Apple TV+ Shows

The Morning Show Credit: Apple
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As Apple continues to push into services, it’s perhaps not surprising that Podcasts, an idea that was effectively invented by Apple back in the days of the original iPod and iTunes, might be the company’s next frontier, especially as it looks to bundle and tie all of its services together as much as it can.

We’ve actually been hearing reports since last summer that Apple had plans to begin funding original podcasts in much the same way that it has bankrolled television productions for Apple TV+ and games for Apple Arcade, although details at the time were a bit sketchy as everything was said to be in the preliminary phases.

Last fall, however, Apple reportedly began hiring some high-profile podcasters, leading many to believe that it was building up a creative podcasting team with an aim toward actually starting to roll out its own original content for what could become an “Apple Podcasts+” type of service, although in true Apple fashion, it was hard to tell exactly what the company was up to.

However, now it looks like the company’s original podcasting efforts may be intended primarily to promote the content on its Apple TV+ service, at least in the first phase. According to sources speaking to Bloomberg, Apple has been approaching podcast producers since last summer to make pitches for audio programs that would have “some connection to its shows,” and has also reportedly discussed the idea of making podcasts with actual producers of its original series.

Apple TV+ Podcasts

At this point the report has no specific information on which of Apple’s shows may be inspiring podcasts, and it’s possible that these decisions haven’t even been made yet, and everyone is still tossing around ideas. However the goal would seem to be to use audio shows to market Apple’s increasing slate of original programs. This suggests that at this point, Apple isn’t yet interested in creating a “Podcasts+” type of subscription service so much as it wants to fund content that would help drive more interest in Apple TV+, and therefore encourage more subscribers to sign up for the service.

This isn’t entirely an original idea on Apple’s part, since Netflix has been releasing companion podcasts for its own original programming for a few years now, including ones that offer behind-the-scenes looks for shows like The Crown, Wormwood, and Stranger Things, so in some ways Apple is playing catch-up here, but it also has a dominant position to start from, since the vast majority of podcast listening still happens in Apple’s own Podcasts app, and Apple still maintains one of the definitive directories of publicly-available Podcasts within its iTunes services. This means Apple would have a huge leg up in promoting its own original podcasts, although it may also have to tread lightly in the current climate of ongoing antitrust allegations against big tech companies.

Considering the high-profile talent behind many of Apple’s shows, however, it’s easy to see how a set of original podcasts that featured interviews, commentaries, and inside looks could become quite popular without even needing a big push from Apple. For example, Ronald D. Moore likely has a lot to say about his production and vision behind For All Mankind, and as both lead actors and executive producers of The Morning Show, a podcast hosted by Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon would be a big draw as well.

At this point, however, nothing has been finalized, so there’s no word on when Apple TV+ related podcasts may begin rolling out, or whether Apple may even have other plans for its original podcasts that go beyond Apple TV+.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]

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