This is much likeSpotifys Play Button, only more powerful and focused.
And it may help Apple in its unexpected podcasting war.
The iTunes podcast directory is the de facto universal catalog of podcasts.
Its a fantastic resource that Apple has left alone for years.
And thats a very good thing.
What Is a Podcast, Really?
This might seem like a dumb question, but a podcast has quite a specific definition.
This means that Spotifys audio shows are not podcasts, even though Spotify calls them that.
Spotifys audio shows are not.
Confusingly, its still possible to listen to regular podcastsvia Spotifys web player.
Spotify is also intent on injecting advertising metrics into the podcast world.
Earlier this month,Spotify bought Megaphone, a company that inserts dynamic ads into podcasts.
Advertisers want to fill podcasts with as much tracking code as the web.
Theres even an option to generate a QR code.
When you click play, the audio is streamed directly from the podcasts source.
Whats the Point?
This seems like a small addition to the world of podcasting, but it could be huge.
Not only that, there hasnt really been a decent, universal podcast-embedding option until now.
Apples player has the chance to become the YouTube embed of audio.
Vimeo is great, but YouTube is where the viewers are.
Amazon isnt the only online store, but its the first one you check.
This could be the first shot in a war on Spotify, and thats good for all of us.
