Google just mysteriously bought a podcast app
Google looks to be making its first foray into the world of audio storytelling.
Business Insider reports that Google has acquired 60dB, a short-form audio platform.
The app featured over 700 podcast-style stories. It debuted in January 2016 and will shut down, in its current incarnation, on Nov. 10. The app's original content will continue to be available on its Medium profile.
Similar to Apple Music, 60dB is heavily focused on personalization. Users can create Spotify-esque playlists of episodes from podcasts and news shows of their choice. Options range from NPR's Hourly News Summary to in-depth interviews and fiction.
Google has not yet revealed its intentions for the app and its staff, who will be joining Google's team, though it's reasonable to expect some sort of Google competitor to Apple's podcast app in the next few months beyond the podcast section in Google Play Music.
Topics Google
Monica wrote for Mashable's Tech section with a focus on retail, internet of things, and the intersections of technology and social justice. She holds a degree in creative writing from Brown University, and has previously written for Dow Jones Media, the New York Post, Yahoo Finance, and others. In her free time, she can be found attempting to cook Asian food, buying board games, and looking for new hobbies.
