Amazon’s podcast studio Wondery and Apple will partner up as part of a new premium podcast push.
Wondery, which produces podcasts like Dr. Death, Business Wars and The Shrink Next Door, will bring its Wondery+ subscription service to Apple Podcast Subscriptions, which is set to launch later this month. Wondery+ offers ad-free podcasts, with early access and exclusive episodes for subscribers.
The deal is good news for Apple users, some of whom were left wondering whether Wondery would continue to invest in the Apple ecosystem after being acquired by fellow tech giant Amazon earlier this year.
Apple reportedly was also in conversations with the podcast studio about an acquisition last year, with an expectation that the acquirer would use Wondery’s stable of podcast to bolster its own ecosystem (Amazon is in the middle of its own podcast push via Amazon Music).
The deal with Apple suggests that Amazon has no intention of restricting Wondery’s reach in the near future, and is instead getting the company’s podcasts in front of as many potential listeners as possible.
The launch of Wondery+ on Apple Podcast Subscriptions comes as the company releases another exclusive podcast on the service: The Vaping Fix, which chronicles the rise of vaping and Juul.
“We’re excited to join with Apple on the next chapter of podcasting and are encouraged by the opportunities this subscription offering opens up for the podcast industry as a whole,” said Jen Sargent, Wondery CEO. “Through this opportunity, we’ll be offering our listeners on Apple Podcasts easy access to Wondery+ while bringing them the same immersive listening experience they’ve grown to know and love.”
Wondery+ pricing will be the same on Apple Podcast subscriptions as it is elsewhere, at $4.99per month or $34.99 per year. Wondery’s free, ad-supported podcasts also remain available.
This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.
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