IAB AU's Future of Measurement, Projected iOS 26.4 Release Window, & More

Today in the business of podcasting:

• Podnews reports Apple Podcasts' HLS video update is expected to arrive with iOS 26.4, with a release candidate already posted. John Spurlock estimates a launch window of March 25 to March 30, greeting users with a splash screen highlighting the new video podcasting features.

• A new Nielsen Audio Today report finds podcasts add 5.6% incremental reach on top of radio's 88.8% among 18- to 34-year-olds, yet Nielsen says marketers are still undervaluing podcast ROI despite performance comparable to TV and digital display.

• Sounds Profitable Partner and Podcast Movement President Bryan Barletta reflects on Evolutions' debut as a fully integrated SXSW event, framing Podcast Movement and Sounds Profitable as connective tissue providing the podcast industry with opportunity, research, and visibility within the wider media ecosystem.

• IAB Australia has named the Future of Measurement a 2026 strategic focus area, launching an industry research initiative accepting participants across media owners, agencies, and brands ahead of the MeasureUp conference in Sydney on September 2.

• California Attorney General Rob Bonta appeared on Scalable this week to discuss the ongoing social media addiction trial against Meta and YouTube, AI regulation, and the planned Paramount acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. A special episode filmed on location at Podcast Movement Evolutions during SXSW.

To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.