Controversial iOS 17 iPhone software change blamed for a $9 million hole in podcast network’s half-year revenue
When Apple released iOS 17 in 2023 it brought with it an updated Podcasts app that changed the way it handled new podcast episode downloads — and it’s a change that one podcast network says is costing it cold, hard, cash.
According to podcast network Audioboom, the iOS 17 change has cost it $9 million in revenue for the six months ending June 2024, arguing that this was the reason behind a modest revenue growth of 7% to $34.1 million.
The change is one that has previously been problematic for podcasters and podcast companies thanks to the way it altered the way the Podcasts app deals with podcasts that iPhone and iPad owners resubscribe to.
Downloads fell to 94.8 million from 125.9 million a year ago
A Proactive report notes that Stuart Last, Audioboom’s chief executive, puts the blame for the company’s lower-than-expected revenue growth squarely at Apple’s door.
Before iOS 17, iPhone owners who resubscribed to a podcast would see all of the episodes that they missed be automatically downloaded. With iOS 17 or later, that behavior was changed — now, only new podcast episodes released after the user resubscribed are downloaded.
This change, predictably, impacts the revenue that podcasters and networks receive from ads because the number of episode downloads has fallen as a result.
“Due to the Apple changes, downloads dropped to 94.8 million in the second quarter from 125.9 million a year ago, though this was in line with the decline across the industry,” the report explains, citing Last.
As a result of the news, Audiboom’s share price fell 6%, again reflecting the impact a seemingly minor change can have on a company like Audioboom.
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