Apple plans original podcasts to promote Apple TV+ shows

Apple TV+ original series Little America

Apple is looking to follow the likes of Netflix and HBO by producing podcasts to promote its original shows, reports Bloomberg.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the iPhone maker sent podcast producers a request for pitches in Summer 2019 for podcasts related to its Apple TV+ series. Other sources also said that Apple has also discussed producing podcasts in conjunction with the shows’ makers.

While Apple is a name synonymous with podcasts, it has yet to seriously invest in creating original shows. Bloomberg similarly reported in 2019 that the company was looking at funding original and exclusive podcasts, though that speculation has yet to materialise in anything concrete.

Companion podcasts have become increasingly important for broadcasters and streaming companies as they seek to add prestige to their premiere television and further capture the zeitgeist.

For historical dramas like HBO’s Chernobyl and Netflix’s The Crown, a podcast serves as a means for the producers and actors to demonstrate attention that went into recreating the period setting and further adding factual context for audiences. Other shows like HBO’s Watchmen have podcasts discussing the show’s events and fueling speculation about future plot twists, while Netflix even made a foray into scripted podcasting as a universe-expanding tool for teen zombie comedy show Daybreak.