Apple Brings Video to Apple Podcasts and Enables Dynamic Ads
Apple has announced a comprehensive video podcast experience for the Apple Podcasts app, rolling out in spring. The platform integrates the company’s proprietary HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) technology, enabling dynamic video ads in podcast episodes for the first time. Apple wants to catch up with Spotify and YouTube with this move. Users will be able to seamlessly switch between audio and video, play content in full screen, and download it for offline use. Adaptive streaming automatically adjusts image quality to match internet connection speed.
Dynamic video advertising without separate feeds
For creators, HLS video means above all flexibility: they can embed video ads dynamically, including host-read spots, without creating separate feed entries or additional subscriptions. Apple currently charges no fees to hosting providers or podcasters for distribution—neither for classic RSS/MP3 formats nor for HLS video. Over the course of the year, however, the company will introduce an impression-based fee from participating ad networks for delivering dynamic ads in HLS videos.
“Twenty years ago, Apple helped make podcasts accessible to a broad audience through their integration into iTunes, and more than a decade ago we launched the standalone Apple Podcasts app,” said Eddy Cue, Senior Vice President of Services at Apple. “Today marks a decisive milestone on this journey. By expanding Apple Podcasts with an industry-leading video experience, we give creators full control over their content and how they build their business.” At the same time, it’s easier than ever for viewers and listeners to consume podcasts.
Broad partner support at launch
At launch, hosting providers Acast, ART19 (by Amazon), Triton Digital with Omny Studio, and SiriusXM including SiriusXM Media, AdsWizz, and Simplecast support the new format. The new video feature is already available in beta versions of iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, and visionOS 26.4 for testing and will be available in spring for iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision Pro, and via Apple Podcasts on the web.
Video episodes are fully integrated into existing features—including personalized recommendations, editorial picks in the “New” tab, and curated category pages. Features like variable playback speeds (0.5x to 3x), automatically generated chapters and transcripts for over 125 million episodes in 13 languages remain intact.
Apple Podcasts available in over 170 countries
Apple Podcasts is available in more than 170 countries and regions and offers millions of shows across hundreds of categories. Listeners can support creators directly through premium subscriptions and receive exclusive content or ad-free access in return. With tighter integration of audio and video, Apple is positioning itself for the next stage of the medium’s evolution—one in which listening and viewing increasingly merge.
The move sets a new standard for video podcasts within a dedicated podcast app and strengthens Apple’s position in the growing market for video content. While platforms like Spotify and YouTube already rely on video, Apple sticks with its open approach: publishers retain control, the technology remains free for creators—only ad networks will pay going forward for delivering dynamic ads.
