After Spotify, Apple opens up to paid podcasts

Apple announced Tuesday the addition of an option that will allow podcasts to offer paid subscriptions, a turning point fifteen years after the launch of its listening platform which has largely contributed to the popularization of this exploding format.

The programs in themselves will remain, most often, accessible free of charge, but the authors of programs will be able to propose improved formulas with counterparts, such as "listening without advertising, access to additional contents", or to "exclusive or preview episodes," detailed a statement from the Californian group.

The new feature will be available from May

Apple is thus following the movement of patronage or donations, which offers many podcasts the possibility of soliciting their most loyal listeners to finance part of their production, in addition to advertising. "Now you can help your favorite animators to build their business model and contribute to their creativity," said Tim Cook, the boss of Apple, during a marketing event broadcast online to present new products. The new feature will be available from May in more than 170 countries. Each podcast producer will be able to determine the price of their subscription.

Asked by AFP, an Apple spokesperson said that, in the first year, podcast creators would receive 70% of the amount of subscriptions, Apple keeping the balance as a commission.

Once the subscriber has subscribed for one year, the share paid to creators will increase to 85%.

The music streaming giant Spotify had already announced in February a similar initiative, thus breaking with the dominant functioning, based essentially on advertising and total free access.

According to the specialized site Podcast Industry Insights, the number of podcasts has increased, in 11 months, from one to two million on the Apple Podcasts platform.