Google has decided to shut down its Google Podcasts app by April 2024, marking the end of its third attempt at a dedicated podcast platform. This move comes as the tech giant shifts its focus towards YouTube Music, aiming to consolidate podcasts entirely within this platform. YouTube Podcasts, introduced in 2022, will take center stage as Google phases out its standalone podcasting app.

The decision to discontinue Google Podcasts was initially announced in September. At first, podcast support on YouTube Music was limited to the US, Canada, and Latin America. However, Google expressed its intention to expand podcast availability globally on YouTube Music by the close of 2023.

To assist users during this transition, Google pledged to develop a tool that would facilitate the smooth transfer of podcast subscriptions from Google Podcasts to YouTube Music or other platforms. Although the release dates for this migration tool and the shutdown of the app were initially undisclosed, Google has now clarified these timelines.

According to a recent blog post by Google, users will retain access to Google Podcasts until March 2024, after which the app will officially retire in April. However, users will have until July 2024 to migrate or export their podcast subscriptions to alternative platforms.

The migration process from Google Podcasts to YouTube Podcasts will be simple, requiring only a single click to transfer subscriptions. Users who prefer leaving the Google ecosystem will also have until August 2024 to export their podcast subscriptions as an OPML file. Additionally, a forthcoming tool aims to simplify the process for users looking to move their subscriptions to YouTube Music or other apps, offering step-by-step instructions.

Google emphasizes that for podcasts not available on YouTube, listeners can directly add shows to their YouTube Music library using the podcast's RSS feed. This change signifies Google's intent to consolidate its podcasting efforts within YouTube Music and streamline the podcast listening experience for its users.

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