Android users have been patiently waiting for podcasts to come to Goggle Play Music since the company first announced the feature last October. And now it seems like it is finally launch time.
Google Play Music will reportedly launch podcasts on its platform on April 18.
The release date was revealed by NPR in an email newsletter sent to its subscribers.
"Google will launch podcasts on Android and other platforms next Monday, April 18, inside of Google Play Music, a streaming service similar to Apple Music," the email reads. "Please note: this information is embargoed and should not be shared or promoted externally until Monday. NPR has worked with Google to ensure that public radio is represented in the Google Play environment. Learn more about adding your station's podcasts to this new platform."
Oops. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to have sent that email. But NPR isn't the only one to share news that podcasts are about to launch on the music platform. Podcaster Bill Simmons tweeted earlier in April that his show will be available on Google Play when podcasts launch on the platform "later this month."
While it looks like April 18 is reportedly the launch date, keep in mind that Google did not make the announcement.
Still, there's a good chance that users will finally be able to listen to and discover new shows really soon. When it launches, users will be able to find a podcast based on their interest, current mood, or what they are doing.
Podcasters and networks already on board include Tim Ferriss, Earwolf, HBO, HowStuffWorks, and Radiotopia.
Podcasts are also able to add their own shows via a self-service portal to further add to the line-up of content available on Google Music. Of course the company has to first approve the submission, but creators just have to send Google a link to their RSS feed.
Google has been testing the interface for its podcast section for some time now, with even some users reporting seeing it live in the Android app. Let's hope we can start subscribing and listening on Monday.
Source: Android Police
