A major update to Apple Podcasts will introduce full video podcast support this spring using the company’s HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) technology, the iPhone giant said Monday.
The update promises a seamless experience for both viewers and podcast creators, with new tools for monetization and content distribution that Apple said will set a new standard for the medium.
“By bringing a category-leading video experience to Apple Podcasts, we’re putting creators in full control of their content and how they build their businesses, while making it easier than ever for audiences to listen to or watch podcasts,” said Eddy Cue, Apple SVP of Services.
Apple adds video to Apple Podcasts
Apple introduced podcasts to listeners via iTunes in 2005, later switching to the Apple Podcasts in the form of an app as the medium grew in popularity. Now, as video podcasts become ever-more popular, the iPhone giant adds native video support with benefits for both users and creators.
What’s new for listeners
Inside the updated Apple Podcasts app, users will be able to switch between watching and listening to a show without interruption. That’s similar to the way listeners already toggle between audio-only and screen-on experiences today. Video episodes will support full-screen horizontal playback and can be downloaded for offline viewing. That makes it easy to catch up on video content during a commute or on a flight.
The HLS backbone behind the feature means the app will automatically adjust video quality based on the strength of your connection, whether you’re on Wi-Fi or a cellular network. Video episodes will also surface through the same personalized recommendations and editorial selections Apple Podcasts users already see in the New tab and Category pages.
The update is currently available for testing in beta versions of iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4 and visionOS 26.4. It will launch publicly this spring on iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision Pro, and via the Apple Podcasts web player at podcasts.apple.com.
A big moment for creators
Photo: Apple
For podcast creators, the update unlocks access to the much larger video advertising market. For the first time on Apple Podcasts, creators will be able to dynamically insert video ads, including host-read spots recorded on camera. That gives them a new revenue stream while keeping full creative control over their content.
Crucially, Apple will not charge hosting providers or creators for distribution. And that’s regardless of whether they use traditional RSS/MP3 or the new HLS video format. Apple says it will charge participating ad networks an impression-based fee for dynamic ad delivery later this year.
Creators can add video to an existing show without disrupting their current subscriber count or download metrics. So they can test video without starting from scratch. Distribution will flow through participating hosting providers at launch: Acast, ART19 (an Amazon company), Triton’s Omny Studio and SiriusXM (which includes SiriusXM Media, AdsWizz and Simplecast). Additional providers are expected to join in the future.
Apple adds video to Apple Podcasts: Why this matters
Apple first brought podcasting to a mainstream audience when it added the category to iTunes in 2005. And the dedicated Apple Podcasts app has been a central part of the landscape ever since. Today, users can get the app in more than 170 countries and regions. It offers millions of shows across hundreds of categories, plus features like Enhance Dialogue mode, playback speeds from 0.5x to 3x, automatic chapter creation, timed links and transcripts for over 125 million episodes in 13 languages.
The announcement comes as video podcasting grows sharply in popularity. Platforms like YouTube increasingly compete for podcast audiences. By adding native video support with HLS technology — and keeping the ecosystem open to existing hosting and ad infrastructure — Apple positions Apple Podcasts as a serious destination for video creators who want to reach audiences on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, CarPlay and Apple Vision Pro without giving up control of their content or revenue.
Podcast creators and hosting providers can find more information on how to enable HLS video and produce video episodes at podcasters.apple.com.
David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.
With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.
Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.
Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.
