Google to discontinue Google Podcasts in 2024 in favor of Podcasts on YouTube Music

Google has revealed in a YouTube blog post that it will discontinue Google Podcasts in 2024. This announcement follows the earlier decision by YouTube Music to incorporate podcasts into their platform for US-based listeners. Google's plan is to expand the availability of Podcasts on YouTube Music on a global scale before the end of 2024.

In a bid to facilitate a smooth transition for Google Podcasts users, Google will provide a migration tool to move to Podcasts on YouTube Music. Additionally, Google will allow users to export their podcasts to an OPML file. This file can then be uploaded to any app that supports OPML import.

According to research from Edison, 23% of weekly podcast users in the US frequently use YouTube as their primary service. This is in stark contrast to just 4% for Google Podcasts.