Google stops this service, affects more than 50 crore users, reason is…

Google has discontinued its audio streaming platform, Google Podcast, as a part of its ongoing service changes. Google Podcast has been downloaded by approximately 50 crore users from Play Store. The app will no longer be available in US from April 2, as the brand seeks to promote YouTube Music by closing this platform. Google had previously announced this through a blog post last year, stating that the app would be discontinued in all regions by the end of this year.

The company is urging users to transfer their data from Google Podcast to YouTube Music or any other podcast service of their choice. Google is displaying a warning on the home page of the app, asking users to merge their data with YouTube Music before the app is closed. It is important to note that the app will still be available for download on Google Play Store and Apple App Store, but will not be functional.

Google is allowing users until July 2024 to move their data to another platform of their choice. Users can transfer their subscription to YouTube Music by opening the Google Podcasts app, going to the home tab, and selecting the option of exporting their subscription. After this, they can click on "Export to YouTube Music" and select their Gmail account to add their subscription. The process may take some time.

Google has stated that it will increase investment in podcasts on YouTube Music, offering a better experience for both users and podcasters in the future. Through this step, Google is continuing its trend of discontinuing various services to promote its other platforms.