[theguycalledtom]

Yep, podcasts will remain niche if there is no built in support with a home screen app. Just as smartphone apps were niche until apple added the app store on the home screen.

Now if a podcaster wants to tweet "check out my podcast" with a link, they have to preface it by saying "make sure you already have a podcast app installed". A lot of friction for users unfamiliar with the medium.

Of course, Apple, even in a built in app, would never add all the features serious podcast listeners would need, so Pocket casts would still healthy exist. In fact, with the increased exposure podcasts would have on the home screen, Pocket casts would have even more people searching for "pro podcast apps".

Now all Pocket Casts has is the chance to compete with a free Apple podcast app tucked away in the app store.