Photo credit: Apple

Apple is taking podcasting to the next level with a major update to Apple Podcasts, introducing full video support powered by its HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) technology. Rolling out this spring, the upgrade promises smoother playback, offline downloads, and new ways for creators to monetize their content.

Listeners can now switch seamlessly between audio and video within the app. Whether you start a podcast in audio on your commute or finish it in full-screen video at home, the experience is flexible and adaptive. HLS automatically adjusts video quality depending on internet speed, whether on Wi-Fi or cellular.

“Twenty years ago, Apple helped take podcasting mainstream by adding podcasts to iTunes, and more than a decade ago, we introduced the dedicated Apple Podcasts app,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services. “Today marks a defining milestone in that journey. By bringing a category-leading video experience to Apple Podcasts, we’re putting creators in full control of their content and how they build their businesses, while making it easier than ever for audiences to listen to or watch podcasts.”

Video episodes will blend into the existing Apple Podcasts ecosystem, appearing alongside personalized recommendations and editorial picks.

The update also expands monetization opportunities. Participating hosting providers and ad networks, including Acast, ART19, Triton Digital’s Omny Studio, and SiriusXM, will support HLS video. Podcasters can dynamically insert video ads, including host-read spots, giving them access to the growing video advertising market. Apple will not charge creators or hosting providers to distribute content, but later this year, participating ad networks will pay an impression-based fee for dynamic ad delivery in HLS video.

Industry leaders welcomed the move. “Apple Podcasts is synonymous with podcasting itself. Bringing video to the platform is a defining moment — expanding what’s possible for creators, advertisers, and the medium as a whole,” said Greg Glenday, CEO of Acast. Geoff Mattei, CEO of ART19, called video “the next chapter for podcasting,” while Scott Walker, SiriusXM’s chief advertising revenue officer, described it as a fresh opportunity for publishers and marketers.

HLS video is available for testing in beta versions of iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, and visionOS 26.4. The full rollout will reach iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision Pro, and web users later this spring.

Already available in over 170 countries, Apple Podcasts offers millions of shows, adjustable playback speeds, auto-generated chapters, transcripts across more than 125 million episodes, and premium subscriptions. With this update, podcasts are no longer just something you hear — they’re something you can watch too.