In short: The Google Podcasts Android app now has 250,000 monthly active users in the United States and is growing at a steady pace, according to third-party data obtained by AndroidHeadlines. Digital insight service App Ape estimates the tool is presently installed on over half a million Android devices in the country, with some 15-percent of them (78,000) using it on a daily basis. Its weekly active user count surpassed 181,000 as of last Sunday, with the app being launched 2.2 times per day on average. Compared to last month, Google Podcasts has 115,000 new installs and 47,000 additional active users, according to the same source.
Background: Google was relatively late to the podcast game and only released its dedicated mobile solution in the segment this June. The Play Store listing of the app reveals it already has over a million installs globally, though consumer reception has been fixed so far, with the tool sitting at an average rating of 3.4 stars based on over 14,000 reviews. Most public complaints revolve around bugs and a confusing user interface, with Google’s plans for the app still being unclear as the company hasn’t been swift to respond to those issues and no major updates have been distributed since its June debut. Native support for Google Assistant remains one of the main selling points of Google Podcasts, though that functionality still lacks polish and consistency, according to hundreds of user reviews attached to its Play Store listing.
Impact: Despite slow updates and performance issues, Google’s mobile podcast solution is steadily gaining traction in the U.S. and has now increased its install base by nearly 400-percent compared to its first month of commercial availability. The company’s long-term plans for the tool are yet to be disclosed but the momentum it’s currently generating makes it unlikely that Alphabet’s subsidiary will be pulling the plug on the project anytime soon.