Startups, small businesses and content creators will soon be able embed podcasts on WordPress websites with ease following parent company Automattic's acquisition of podcats app Pocket Casts.
In a WordPress.com blog post, Automattic said: "We’re thrilled that we can continue to give our users a multitude of ways to tell and engage with stories that matter.
"As part of Automattic, Pocket Casts will continue to provide you with the features needed to enjoy your favorite podcasts (or find something new)."
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Podcast app on WordPress
Automattic seems to already be pressing ahead with integrating the multi-layered podcast app into its blogging platform, with the aim of making it easier to distribute and listen to podcasts online.
Pocket Casts co-founders Russell Ivanovic and Philip Simpson will remain in charge of the app's team under Automattic.
Owned by a consortium of public radio stations in NPR, WNYC Studios, WBEZ Chicago and This American Life, Pocket Casts says it can offer podcast fans more control of their listening experience through features that make it easier to discover and organize podcasts, alongside powerful tools to customize the listening experience.
Pocket Casts has built-in features like variable speed playback, trim silence option, volume boost, a sleep timer, personal media storage, and standalone playback for Apple Watch, which contributes to the delivery of a streamlined and customized listening experience.
Automattic did not reveal how much it spent on the acquisition of Pocket Casts, but the deal is the latest from the company in a series of purchases this year.
In June 2021, the firm expanded its portfolio further with the acquisition of personal journaling app Day One, and has also recently bought web analytics firm Parse.ly to make it easier for users to add analytics to their WordPress sites.
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