Apple Podcasts will assist episode artwork in iOS 17 replace

That is Scorching Pod, The Verge’s e-newsletter about podcasting and the audio business. Join here for extra.

Glad Tuesday! Received a super-packed problem of Scorching Pod at present for everybody. First off, I’ll check out Spotify’s chief public affairs officer’s prolonged new weblog put up about Apple’s App Retailer insurance policies. Additionally, Apple’s iOS 17 will deliver episode artwork to Apple Podcasts. What’s going to that imply for podcasters? 

Earlier than I hit the information, a few new developments. First off, Freakonomics Radio unveiled a brand new premium subscription at present referred to as Freakonomics Radio Plus. Members pays $4.99 per 30 days for numerous perks, together with ad-free episodes of each podcast within the Freakonomics Radio Community. This consists of Freakonomics Radio, No Silly Questions, Individuals I (Principally) Admire, The Economics of On a regular basis Issues, and The Freakonomics Radio Guide Membership.

Lastly, Semafor’s Max Tani posted on X (previously Twitter) that Sony Music is shedding workers in its world podcast division.

Particular person episode artwork will now be supported on Apple Podcasts as part of the iOS 17 update. Podcasters who connect a singular picture to every episode by way of their podcast’s RSS feed will see it displayed on Apple’s podcast participant. The episode artwork will seem all through Apple Podcasts, together with “Now Taking part in,” “Queue,” your machine’s lock display screen present pages, and “Up Subsequent.” Any time you ship a hyperlink to a person podcast episode on iMessage, electronic mail, or share it on social media, the episode artwork can be displayed within the hyperlink previews. For an excellent extra visually oriented expertise, podcasters can even connect chapter-specific artwork, which can be displayed at particular factors all through every episode. 

Based on Apple’s guidelines, creators are suggested to keep away from repeating the episode’s title of their episode artwork, maintain the “visible branding” distinct from the present and channel artwork, and use a colourful background that enables for white UI textual content to be seen. Creators can view Apple Podcasts’ templates for each episode artwork and chapter-specific artwork here. 

Whereas this can be a good improvement for podcasts that already create episode artwork (Spotify, YouTube, and numerous different podcast gamers already assist it), the replace possible received’t imply a lot for podcasts which have opted out of episode artwork solely. Producing new artwork for each episode takes further time and labor, and never each podcast finds it crucial. For instance, a lot of the podcasts within the Vox Media Podcast Community (disclosure: Scorching Pod is a part of Vox Media), equivalent to Right now, Defined, The Weeds, That is Love, and others, don’t embrace particular person episode artwork. Different podcasts will deploy it on a case-by-case foundation or to tell apart particular episodes — for instance, The Vergecast just lately rolled out new episode artwork for its mini-series on AI.

Creating customized artwork for particular person episodes could be a complicated course of — particularly since not all hosts and gamers adopted the identical normal. Whereas Spotify, Castbox, and Podcast Addict assist episode artwork by way of a podcast’s RSS feed, different gamers like Pocket Casts and Overcast will solely assist it if it’s embedded in an MP3 file.

Previous to Apple Podcasts, iTunes had the flexibility for podcasters to incorporate episode artwork. Alex Goldman, a former host of Reply All, recalled that whereas the podcast sometimes experimented with customized artwork, it “by no means appeared all that helpful” except it appeared as part of an iTunes banner, for instance. Apple’s tips for podcast artwork didn’t make life simpler for some creators. The Reply All workforce would submit artwork to Apple, solely to get rejected — typically even a number of instances. 

“It all the time ended up being too costly and never well worth the return on funding,” wrote Goldman in a direct message to Scorching Pod. 

However for different podcasts, particular person episode artwork is an important a part of their branding. Podcasts with extremely visible material, equivalent to these that concentrate on the humanities, could discover it simpler to provide you with new materials for each episode. One good instance is Vulture and Vox Media Podcast Community’s Switched on Pop, a pop music podcast that options customized illustrations of the musicians or music mentioned in every episode, from SZA to Taylor Swift to the music behind the film Barbie. 

For exhibits that do take the difficulty to create particular person episode artwork, an attention-grabbing picture is only one extra bit of data that may assist with podcast discoverability — together with present descriptions, episode titles, present notes, and different particulars. Though pictures like present artwork and episode artwork aren’t searchable on podcast gamers, they will draw a listener’s eyeballs and even complement the episode itself. 

Episode artwork is, in fact, a special sport on YouTube, the place a good thumbnail can wrack up hundreds of views. Most YouTube-focused podcasters consider episode artwork as an important a part of their publication course of slightly than simply an choice. Some even rent devoted thumbnail artists and dedicate time to A/B testing of thumbnails. Nathan Ragland, the host of the Post Modern Art Podcast (which options interviews with illustrators, animators, and different visible artists), will embrace a customized thumbnail for every visitor, usually by the artists themselves. Ragland both provides to fee the thumbnail from the visitor or (in the event that they don’t have the time) will fee one other artist to provide it. This thumbnail can even present up as episode artwork the place the podcast’s audio model is accessible, equivalent to on Spotify and (now) Apple Podcasts. 

Ragland in contrast a podcast’s episode artwork to YouTube thumbnails. “Generally the thumbnail grabs the viewers’s consideration and makes the individual wish to watch. Likewise, if the episode artwork exhibits off one thing or somebody an individual desires to know extra of, they might be extra inclined to hear in,” he wrote in a message to Scorching Pod. 

Spotify’s chief public affairs officer, Dustee Jenkins, offered a status update on the streaming service’s years-long battle for world regulatory motion in opposition to Apple’s restrictive App Retailer insurance policies — which started again in 2018. The Swedish firm has accused Apple of “choking competitors” by way of its 30 p.c tax on in-app transactions, which it says has particularly harmed its new audiobooks enterprise.

Whereas Jenkins acknowledged that “there was some momentum” within the European Union, extra progress was wanted worldwide. “Apple has continued to get pleasure from — and revenue from — the established order whereas every part else on this planet has seemingly superior ahead. Within the absence of significant authorities motion, Apple will get a free cross to do no matter it pleases and shoppers are paying the worth,” wrote Jenkins. 

Spotify’s years-long battle in opposition to Apple and time spent lobbying a number of governments have led to at least one large victory: the EU’s robust new Digital Markets Act regulation, which classifies Apple as a gatekeeper, would require the corporate to incorporate third-party app shops. The EU narrowed an investigation into Apple again in February, primarily dropping charges associated to Apple’s in-app cost system. However relying on how the DMA is enforced (which matches into impact in Might 2024), Apple’s in-app cost coverage could face one other roadblock.

Apple declined to supply a remark that could possibly be attributed to a named spokesperson.

Simply this summer season, a US appeals court docket ruled in Apple’s favor within the Epic lawsuit contesting these restrictions — with the caveat that builders must be allowed to hyperlink to exterior cost choices. There have been some rumblings of legislative motion within the UK and US. That features the chance {that a} invoice often called the Open Apps Markets Act within the US (which might require Apple and Google to permit competing app shops) could come earlier than a extra sympathetic Home panel, in response to Politico Professional. However the potential of the invoice’s passage by each homes of Congress nonetheless seems to be slim.