After continuing to build out its podcasting presence over the past few months, Google finally looks ready to roll out an app dedicated solely to podcasts.
According to a snippet of code spotted by 9to5Google, the latest version of the Google app has a hidden prompt asking users to “Get the Google Podcasts app.” Google built out a full podcast interface several months ago inside the app, which will likely be accessible via a home screen and app launcher shortcut. Longtime Android users might remember that Google used to have an app called Listen, its first attempt at a podcasts player. But the company shut down Listen in 2012. That same year, Apple debuted its own Podcasts app for iOS, which has proven to be hugely popular.
Google has already unveiled similar home screen shortcuts for other services like the Google Assistant or Google Lens in recent months. While these services technically live inside the Google app, the shortcuts turn them into services that essentially work like standalone products. The app should give Android owners a less cumbersome option to listen to podcasts on the go.