With Apple's extraction of podcasts from iTunes to a standalone app, Dave asks if its time to re-boot podcasting

Apple's appification of podcasts presents an interesting opportunity to compete with their version of discovery and subscription

Before I dig deeper into the nuts and bolts, lets look at all the moving parts that make up "podcasting".

Upon reviewing the new Apple Podcasts App, I realized that there is a huge opportunity in the discoverability of podcasts.

It was Apple's typical interface choice that made it all click in my brain.

The app wants you to discover podcasts by either browing through a 'radio dial' metaphor, a directory of pre-determined subjects, or search

Considering that a podcast is no different from a blog with a different payload, this is not the way we have learned to discover content.

If we did, then presumable there would be some huge directory of blogs with a catalog, search and some form of browsing interface with 'recommendations.

The way we *do* discover content is by looking at what our social networks are consuming. We are inundated with links and collections from our friends where we are exposed to new things and if we find itof interest, we follow, friend or subscribe to the source.

A new paradigm based on existing infrastructure

Some assumptions

Dave probably has all of this already mapped out in his head, or maybe even running on a development server for all I know, but the key here is that there is tremendous opportunity in creating a discoverable web of podcasts that is inherently social, with many future benefits, such as comparison and recommendation based on OPML subscription lists, and cross platform, open development that no single entity can own.

In closing

The one thing I have not taken into account in this overview is monetization. Frankly it has no place in the infrastrucutre and detracts from the core mission, which is discovery, subscription and sharing.

 6/26/2012; 11:25:52 PM.   .