Apple Podcasts goes video-first with HLS-enabled, cross-mode playback
Apple announced a spring rollout of an integrated video podcast experience within Apple Podcasts, enabling seamless switching between watching and listening from the same feed, picture-in-picture, and offline video downloads. The update uses HLS for adaptive video and dynamic ad insertion, with launch partners including Acast, ART19, Omny Studio and SiriusXM. The move highlights competition from YouTube, Spotify and Netflix in the growing video podcast space, and Apple says it will not charge creators for distribution but will collect impression-based fees from participating ad networks.