‘The time has come’ users cry as Google announces popular app will close in weeks

A GOOGLE app used by millions of people worldwide will shut down in a matter of weeks.

Users were warned of the closure months in advance, with the US version of the app vanishing at the beginning of April.

Alamy

The move to axe Google Podcasts forms part of efforts to turn YouTube into an all-in-one destination for podcasts, music and video[/caption]

Google Podcasts, which launched back in June 2018 on Android, is set to shut down for everyone else outside of the US in June.

“The time has come,” one disappointed user wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

“Google Podcasts is starting to shut down to me.

“I don’t like Spotify, any podcast player recommendations? Best if it works for both web and mobile.”

In September last year, the tech giant announced it would be retiring Google Podcasts in favour of YouTube Music sometime in 2024.

Google has said it will help podcast creators with the switch, so users will likely still have access to the familiar titles they’ve grown to love.

But that’s only if they move on to Google-owned YouTube Music instead.

‘Better when they’re separate’

The move to axe Google Podcasts forms part of efforts to turn YouTube into an all-in-one destination for podcasts, music and video.

It also follows the death knell for Google Play Music, which was shut down in December 2020.

“Maybe the Android ecosystem would be more popular if Google stopped making you move your stuff to different apps,” one user tweeted earlier this month.

Shortly after the September announcement, another user wrote: “I don’t care if I sound like a grandpa. Why does every music service so desperately want me to listen to podcasts in their app?

“I don’t want to use my music app for podcasts. I want them separate. It’s better when they are separate.”

A third user added: “We loved Google Play Music, it was converted to YouTube Music.

“Now Google Podcast supports background play (No subscription needed). We’ll be forced to subscribe to YouTube Music.”

While Google has offered up YouTube Music as an alternative, users are contemplating moving over to Apple and Spotify’s podcast offerings.