Google Podcasts to stop working from April 2: Know solution
What's the story
Google has officially announced that it will discontinue the Google Podcasts app on April 2, 2024, in the US.
The tech giant is notifying users about this upcoming change through in-app notifications and emails.
Despite reaching a milestone of 500 million downloads last year, only 4% of US listeners utilize the platform.
The Google Podcasts app will join the list of other phased-out Google apps, hardware, and software.
Migration
Users urged to migrate to YouTube Music
Google is encouraging users to transfer their existing podcast subscriptions to YouTube Music by April 2, 2024.
However, the deadline for completing this migration process extends until July 2024.
To facilitate this transition, Google has provided a step-by-step guide on how to move subscriptions from Google Podcasts to YouTube Music.
Google has cited higher engagement of podcast listeners on YouTube as a reason for the shift.
Process
Here's how you can move your podcasts to YouTube Music
Follow the steps listed here to move your Google Podcast subscriptions to YouTube Music.
Open the Google Podcasts app.
Tap on "Export subscriptions" located at the top of the screen.
Choose "Export" under the option labeled "Export to YouTube Music."
Open the YouTube Music app and select "Transfer." Tap on "Continue" to proceed.
After the transfer is complete, select "Go to Library" to view your subscriptions.
Content availability
Concerns over YouTube Music's podcast features
Not all podcasts currently available on Google Podcasts will be accessible on YouTube Music.
Users may encounter a "Content is unavailable" message next to their podcast subscription in such cases.
To address this, Google suggests saving missing podcasts to your library using the show's RSS feed link.
Some users may also express concerns over YouTube Music's lack of podcast-specific search and sorting filters.
The app lacks dedicated discovery and management features that are present in Google Podcasts.
Platform flexibility
Google Podcasts offers RSS feeds for other platforms
For those who prefer a different platform for their podcasts other than YouTube Music, Google Podcasts allows users to download the RSS feeds for their subscribed shows.
These can be uploaded to another service that supports the OPML file format.
This flexibility is intended to cater to users who wish to continue using a dedicated podcast app.