After years of ceding ground to YouTube and Spotify in the fast-growing video podcast arena, Apple is making its most decisive move yet to close the gap.

The company announced Monday that it will introduce “advanced video capabilities” to Apple Podcasts this spring, bringing a more robust, integrated video experience to iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision Pro and the web. The upgrade signals a strategic shift for the tech giant, which helped mainstream podcasting in the mid-2000s but has watched rivals seize leadership in video consumption.

Within the revamped Apple Podcasts app, users will be able to seamlessly toggle between listening and watching video-enabled shows. Episodes can be viewed in full-screen landscape mode and downloaded for offline viewing. Video content will also integrate with Apple’s existing discovery ecosystem, including personalized recommendations, editorial curation and category hubs.

While Apple has technically supported video podcasts since 2005, distribution relied on RSS feeds — often requiring separate listings for audio-only and video versions of the same show. The new system transitions to Apple’s HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol, enabling adaptive streaming that adjusts quality based on network conditions.

The shift to HLS also unlocks new monetization tools. For the first time, creators will be able to dynamically insert video ads — including host-read spots — into episodes. Apple confirmed it will begin charging participating ad networks an impression-based fee for dynamic video ad delivery later in 2026.

HLS video support is currently available in developer beta versions of iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4 and visionOS 26.4.

“Twenty years ago, Apple helped take podcasting mainstream by adding podcasts to iTunes,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services. “Today marks a defining milestone in that journey. By bringing a category-leading video experience to Apple Podcasts, we’re putting creators in full control of their content and how they build their businesses, while making it easier than ever for audiences to listen to or watch podcasts.”

Apple will distribute video podcasts through participating hosting providers and ad networks. Initial partners include Acast, Amazon’s ART19, Triton Digital’s Omny Studio (part of iHeartMedia), and SiriusXM’s SiriusXM Media, AdsWizz and Simplecast, with additional providers expected to join.

Notably, Apple will continue its longstanding policy of not charging hosting providers or creators for podcast distribution, whether via traditional RSS/MP3 feeds or HLS video. The monetization model instead focuses on ad network participation in dynamic video placements.

Industry partners framed the rollout as a natural evolution of the medium.

“Podcasting has evolved leaps and bounds over the past decade,” said Scott Walker, SiriusXM’s chief advertising revenue officer. “This innovation from Apple helps to keep the integrity of what makes the medium so special, while enhancing video and audio as the two formats continue to converge.”

ART19 CEO Geoff Mattei added, “Video is the next chapter for podcasting,” while Acast CEO Greg Glenday said the integration ensures creators and advertisers “don’t leave revenue or reach on the table.”

Apple Podcasts currently offers access to millions of shows across more than 170 countries and territories, including premium subscription options that allow creators to offer ad-free listening and exclusive content. With video now moving to the center of its strategy, Apple appears determined to reassert itself in a market it helped create — but no longer controls.