Apple hopping on the Podcast bandwagon
For those not in the know, Podcasting has only recently emerged and is similar in concept to blogging. Podcasts are simply MP3 format audio files that contain pretty much anything from audio reports from a random geek’s bedroom to comedies to full blown radio shows, the really great part is that with just a small piece of software you can keep track of the latest Podcasts from your chosen sources in the same way as blog feeds.
Despite the name obviously implying Apple’s iPod, these can then be synchronised with any digital music player you want. Now Apple wants to make sure that its devices are at the forefront of this new type of media by implementing changes to iTunes software to download and organise Podcasts into categories.
Speaking at the Wall Street Journal D Conference where he showed off Apple’s forthcoming release of iTunes 4.9. Apple CEO Steve Jobs promised Podcast support in the latest version of iTunes which will allow users to download and subscribe to pre-recorded audio content.
Jobs said the software is slated for released within the next 60 days and that all Podcast feeds and subscriptions will be free. Apple is also to release a tool that will allow any Podcast creator to upload their content to the company’s music store. Not exactly ground breaking but it can only do the Podcasting community, which is still in a relative infancy, some good by having a mega-corporation throw its weight behind them in an attempt to drum some more sales.
