Google has an experimental podcast app in the works called Shortwave
One of Google's worst habits is that it will often have multiple apps that overlap or even just do the same thing -- we have gone before about the messaging app mess, but there's also Gmail vs Inbox, YouTube Music vs Play Music, and more -- and now word has it that Google's Area 120 has an experimental podcasts app in the works despite Google Podcasts being released just two months ago.
According to a spokesperson, the experimental app is called Shortwave and "helps users discover and consume spoken-word audio in new ways." Other than that, the only information available on Shortwave is the trademark filing, which describes the app as "allow[ing] users to search, access, and play digital audio files, and to share links to audio files." Put together those descriptions and it sure sounds like a podcast app and one that is not unlike the Podcasts app Google already has in the Play Store.
The Area 120 products allegedly have no relation to Google's other products and Shortwave was said to be an "early experiment," so there's no guarantee it ever gets released. It's possible Shortwave could end up being the iOS version of Google Podcasts, which is currently Android-only and Google has said before there are no cross-platform plans for the app. Or, if Shortwave has some good features, it might simply be subsumed into Google Podcasts. As of now, this is all just speculation, but it's always interesting to see that Google isn't bothering to worry about duplicate apps.
source: The Verge
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