Pocket Casts just made a big move for open podcasting by making its web player free to everyone. Previously locked behind a $4-per-month paywall, the popular podcast app, now owned by Automattic (the folks behind WordPress), is pushing back against what it sees as the increasing "walled garden" approach of platforms like Spotify. In a pointed blog post, Pocket Casts emphasized that podcasting “belongs to the people, not corporations” and criticized AI-driven discovery for promoting what benefits platforms rather than listeners. This shift not only reinforces the company's commitment to openness but also positions it as an alternative to Spotify’s more closed ecosystem, which has been heavily investing in exclusive content and video podcasts.

Key Points:

• Web Player is Now Free: Previously available only to paying subscribers, the Pocket Casts web player (along with Windows and Mac clients) is now accessible to everyone.
• Syncing & Customization for Account Holders: If you create an account, you can sync playback progress, manage your queue, bookmark episode moments, and save subscriptions and listening preferences.
• Direct Jab at Spotify: Pocket Casts criticized major platforms for locking podcasts behind proprietary formats, stating, “Podcasting is one of the last open corners of the internet, and we’re here to keep it that way.”
• AI-Free Content Discovery: The company also took a shot at AI-driven recommendations, arguing that discovery “should be organic, not algorithm-driven.”
• Spotify’s Shift Towards a Closed System: Spotify has spent billions acquiring exclusive podcasts and integrating podcast analytics and ads, leading to concerns about the openness of podcasting.
• Automattic’s Ownership Perspective: Pocket Casts’ parent company, Automattic, has been advocating for open content, though it has faced its own debates about openness in the courts.

With this move, Pocket Casts is doubling down on an open podcast ecosystem, positioning itself as a champion of accessible, non-corporate-controlled audio content. What do you think? Is this a win for podcast lovers, or just another platform battle in the growing podcast wars?
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