In a significant shift within the podcasting landscape, Amazon has officially retired the Wondery podcast app along with its Wondery+ subscription service. This decision, initially hinted at in a March announcement, marks the end of an era for the platform, although Wondery-branded podcasts will continue to thrive under Amazon’s umbrella.
Amazon confirmed the app’s discontinuation through an update to a prior blog post, emphasizing that while the app is no longer available, Wondery will persist as a podcast studio. The studio is set to keep producing popular shows such as Armchair Expert and New Heights, ensuring that fans can still enjoy their favorite content.
Transitioning to Audible
As part of this transition, Amazon is encouraging former Wondery+ subscribers to explore Audible, where a new Standard plan offers ad-free access to Wondery podcasts for just per month. This move aligns with Amazon’s broader strategy to integrate Wondery’s offerings into its Audible platform, which has seen a rebranding of Wondery’s narrative podcasts as Audible Originals.
Despite the shutdown, Wondery’s shows remain accessible on various platforms, including Apple Podcasts and YouTube, allowing listeners to continue enjoying the content they love. However, the recent history of Wondery has been tumultuous, with significant layoffs reported last year and a restructuring that saw the publisher’s narrative podcasts shifted to Audible.
While Amazon assures that “Wondery continues as a podcast studio known for popular creator-led shows,” the future of the brand may be uncertain given the challenges it has faced. As the podcasting ecosystem evolves, listeners are left to ponder their next steps: will they transition to an Audible subscription, or will they seek out Wondery’s content on other platforms? The community awaits to see how this story unfolds.
