Apple delays Podcast subscriptions until June

Apple is delaying the launch of its next Podcast subscriptions until June, the company announced in an email sent to creators on Friday (via 9to5Mac). The service was previously scheduled to launch this month.

Apple podcast subscriptions will allow people to subscribe to participating podcasts for additional benefits like ad-free listening or early access to episodes. In April, Apple said that subscriptions would launch in 170 countries and that initial partners include Pushkin Industries and NPR.

The modified release occurs when some creators using Apple Podcasts have recently encountered some issues, such as not logging into Apple's Podcast Connect portal or seeing a delay in the availability of new episodes. In its email sent Friday, Apple said it had fixed the problem of "outages".

The new subscriptions were scheduled to be available to users by May, and pricing for each subscription was to be set by creators and billed monthly by default or annually. In addition, Apple announced that it would offer its Podcasters program to creators for Rs 1,799 per year (price for Indian podcasters), and creators can enroll in the Apple Podcasters Program through Apple Podcasts Connect. And subscribers would be able to share their subscriptions with family and friends, as their plan allowed.

Apple said they would delay the launch until next month to "ensure" that they deliver "the best experience for creators and listeners".