YouTube Adds 3 Premium Podcast Features as Android Gets Rollout First
Updated
Updated · 9to5Google · May 28
YouTube Adds 3 Premium Podcast Features as Android Gets Rollout First
5 articles · Updated · 9to5Google · May 28
YouTube is rolling out three podcast tools for Premium subscribers: on-the-go mode, auto speed, and Ask Music recommendations, with Android getting the first wave.
On-the-go mode switches mobile podcast playback into an audio-first view with simpler controls and a static image, letting listeners keep their place without video running.
Auto speed dynamically speeds up slower speech and slows information-dense segments; it is already on Android and slated for iOS soon, while on-the-go mode reaches iOS in the coming months.
Ask Music now extends to podcasts in supported YouTube Music regions, letting users request recommendations by genre, mood, or similarity to shows they already hear.
The update targets a fast-growing audience: YouTube said Premium users watched more than 800 million hours of podcasts in April, part of a platform with about 1 billion monthly podcast users.
Can Spotify and Apple survive as YouTube leverages video to dominate the podcasting world?
Is YouTube’s AI creating a podcast paradise or just another filter bubble?
As AI optimizes podcasting, will it sacrifice human connection for pure efficiency?