@manton agreed

they are hosting and taking a cut of ad impressions

@js ohhhh, yeah. I can see that happening...

@manton @js but will they host the videos (a future huge can of worms for Apple) or just manage the HLS requests?

@Barredo @manton

unclear, they are starting with only 4 partners

easiest way to think about Apple's HLS video at the moment is like Apple premium content

host uploads to them, they host it, not available at all to third party players or represented in the RSS feed at all

@js That was my thought as well. I was really hoping for alt enclosure.

even better, it's kind of like a "private alternate enclosure"

@js Yes. They've been very consistent lately with their support of the open way of doing things. Even when it was a totally thrown in cherry on top. It'll happen.

@js maybe I'm just turning cynical, but I have zero hope that Apple will adopt an open alternative here. It would be so easy to offer an alternative enclosure tag with an HLS link, but that's not the direction they went.

Spotify and YouTube are doing the same thing.

@js @dave if the HLS stream downloadable like any mp3? Does this allow saving the video file for archiving and offline playing?

If not, it should not be named podcast and not ve implemented in podcast apps.

@js @dave I’m inclined to believe Apple will never open up anything to anyone anymore. On the one hand, they’re hosting the videos so they can argue that’s to make the experience better.

On the other hand for each ad spot served they get services revenue which is their only growth. Don’t expect openness when it would reduce revenue.

@lutindiscret @js @dave HLS can be set to download/offline

@pl @js I don’t think it’s that simple. If the only thing that mattered to Apple was revenue, they would’ve never supported podcasting in the first place, since for most of its existence, Apple never made a dime off podcasting.

@lutindiscret @dave hls can be downloaded in general, but only apple podcasts will have access to the underlying hls url.

@dave @js I beg to differ.

Since iOS 14.5, Apple does essentially own the "RSS feed" in Apple Podcasts because they proxy the feed and serve only from their proxy. HLS video is now another thing they will host through their proxy.

Even their chapter support relies on MP3 chapters first and uses their proprietary "timed links" instead of the open standards of chapter links (legacy or P2.0).

I see Apple using open tech to build proprietary solutions.