Apple Takes on YouTube, Netflix, and Spotify With New Video Podcast

Apple is launching a transformative video podcast experience in its Podcasts app to rival YouTube, Spotify, and Netflix by enabling seamless audio-video switching, offline downloads, and dynamic ad insertion for creators.​

New Features Unveiled

The update integrates video directly into existing podcast feeds, allowing users to toggle effortlessly between listening and watching episodes within the Apple Podcasts app.

Picture-in-picture mode, full-screen horizontal viewing, and offline video downloads enhance accessibility across iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision Pro, and the web.

Beta testing is already underway in iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, and visionOS 26.4 developer previews.

Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services, emphasized the platform’s evolution: “Twenty years ago, Apple helped take podcasting mainstream by adding podcasts to iTunes, and more than a decade ago, we introduced the dedicated Apple Podcasts app.”

This move aims to empower creators with full control over content and monetization while simplifying discovery through personalized recommendations and editorial curation.​

Apple’s Competitive Landscape

Video podcasts now attract 37% of people over age 12 monthly, per Edison Research, prompting rivals to invest heavily.

YouTube reports over 1 billion monthly podcast viewers, Spotify expanded video in 2021 and paid podcasters more than $100 million in Q1 last year, and Netflix recently launched originals like “The Pete Davidson Show” via a Spotify deal.

Apple’s prior video support via RSS since 2005 required separate feeds for audio and video versions, limiting integration.

The shift to its proprietary HLS protocol enables adaptive bitrate streaming for varying network conditions and introduces dynamic video ad insertion, including host-read spots, without charging creators or hosts; only ad networks pay impression-based fees.

Monetization and Partnerships

Participating platforms at launch include Acast, Amazon-owned ART19, Triton’s Omny Studio, and SiriusXM, facilitating video ad revenue streams.

This taps into a burgeoning video ad market, positioning Apple to recapture creator loyalty amid competitors’ dominance.

Apple’s Services segment, encompassing Podcasts, generated $30 billion last quarter, though specific revenue breakdowns remain undisclosed.​

Apple’s Strategic Timing

Announced February 16, 2026, the rollout addresses Apple’s lag in video podcasting, where Spotify pioneered broad support in 2021, and YouTube solidified its lead by March 2025.

Critics note Apple as “slow off the mark,” but HLS promises superior quality and creator tools.

The update coincides with broader AI efforts, following January’s Q.ai acquisition for audio-focused tools, potentially signaling future enhancements.

This positions Apple Podcasts to reclaim ground in a video-driven ecosystem, blending its audio heritage with modern multimedia demands.

Creators gain revenue parity, users flexibility, and Apple a renewed edge in the $30 billion Services powerhouse.

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