What Apple Podcasts has done in the "host app" wars is really dropping the ball. Apple literally invented Podcasting, which used to be their world, exclusively tied to the Apple brand. But, for some reason, they never invested in their app or allocated funds towards building an exclusive roster. In the early days, Apple had EVERYONE, including Bill Simmons, Joe Rogan, and all the other heavy hitters of that time. Spotify noticed Apple's negligence regarding the booming world of podcasts. First, they got Rogan and paid him over $200 million for exclusive content. Then, they purchased Bill Simmons' entire Podcast Network, the Ringer. Just about 40 Podcasts. For now, The Ringer is still available on Apple and hasn't become exclusive. But what will Apple do when these podcasts eventually leave their platform?
I believe Apple made a big mistake by not investing in their creators early on, and Tim Cook should bear some responsibility for this oversight. Personally, I never had the desire to switch to Spotify, especially considering that I already use Apple products exclusively. But I was compelled to do so due to the availability of The Ringer and, to some extent, the presence of Rogan. The Ringer was still accessible on Apple, but navigating through it was annoying. Spotify gives time stamps for each segment of The Ringer Podcasts, allowing me to skip directly to the specific interview or segment I want to hear. Despite this nice little touch, I’m still not a huge fan of Spotify, because now they’re hammering me with ads, my penalty for not switching to Spotify Music and staying with Apple Music.
I wish Apple had locked up individuals like Simmons and Rogan with relatively inexpensive contracts early on and made substantial investments in them. Apple should have allowed Android users to download their app. They missed out on this opportunity, and now Spotify, and Amazon, with numerous advertisements, are going to be dominating the market. These competitors are significantly encroaching on Apple Music too, as many individuals are switching to Spotify Music to avoid the advertisements in their podcasts.
This is how kingdoms fall
Ok end rant