Apple’s podcast subscription service won’t be coming out this month like Apple originally intended. In an email to podcasts obtained, the company has announced that it’s pushing back subscriptions’ and channels’ release date to June to ensure it’s “delivering the best experience for creators and listeners.” It sounds like Apple is still ironing out the kinks behind the scenes, but it didn’t elaborate on what it still has to fix.
In the email sent on May 28, Apple said it has fixed the “disruptions” that presented problems. “We’ve also heard from listeners and made adjustments based on their feedback with iOS 14.6, which was released on Monday. We will introduce additional enhancements to Library in the coming weeks.”
Apple’s new Podcast Subscriptions service will allow users to sign up for freemium or paid podcast shows as posted by creators. Subscribers will also gain access to extra perks like early access to episodes or an ad-free listening experience. Podcasts Subscriptions will launch in 170 countries with initial partners including Pushkin Industries and NPR.
The service will allow podcast creators to charge for their content. Last month, Apple said that it would keep 30 percent commission for the first year of a subscription but drop commissions to 15 percent thereafter. Some of the issues listed in the email were creators being unable to log in to Apple’s Podcast Connect portal or seeing a delay in the availability of new episodes.
Here’s the full email Apple sent out to podcasters:
“We’re writing to provide an update on the availability of Apple Podcasts Subscriptions and channels. We’ve been delighted by the response to last month’s announcement and it’s exciting to see the hundreds of new subscriptions and channels submitted from creators across the globe every day.
To ensure we are delivering the best experience for creators and listeners, Apple Podcasts Subscriptions and channels will now launch in June. We will communicate further updates on availability, and best practices to help you prepare your subscriptions and channels, through this newsletter.”
