Apple has reportedly held talks to acquire Wondery podcast network

Wondery Podcasts
Wondery Podcasts (Image credit: Wondery)

What you need to know

  • Apple has held talks to acquire Wondery.
  • Wondery is one of the largest independent podcasting networks.
  • The deal could eclipse $300 million.

Reported by Bloomberg, Apple has apparently held talks to acquire Wondery, the podcasting network behind popular podcasts like "Dirty John" and "Dr. Death." According to people familiar with the matter, it could be the largest podcasting acquisition yet.

Wondery is seeking $300 million to $400 million in a possible sale, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the negotiations are ongoing.

Apple is one of four companies that have held talks about buying Wondery. Spotify has also had talks about acquiring the podcasting network but has reportedly dropped out of the race.

Apple and Sony are two of at least four companies that have discussed a deal with Wondery, according to one of the people. Though Spotify Technology SA has been the most aggressive buyer of podcasting companies over the last two years, the Swedish audio giant has pulled out of the running, said two people with knowledge of the talks. A deal is expected in coming months, but there's no guarantee that the discussions won't fall apart.

Wondery is one of the largest independent podcasting networks with a monthly audience reaching more than eight million people. Apple is already working with the studio on a project for Apple TV+ that will follow the story of WeWork.

It's possible that the price tag could scare off some would-be bidders, especially since the podcasting industry is still fairly small. But Wondery has a pipeline of podcasts that could be turned into television series and other content. It's already developing more than a dozen TV shows based on its podcasts, including a program for Apple about the rise and fall of WeWork.

Apple has recently put a lot of focus into original content for its Podcasts app. In addition to looking for acquisitions like Wondery, the company has also been working to create podcasts that pair with its original programming on Apple TV+.

Joe Wituschek
Contributor

Joe Wituschek is a Contributor at iMore. With over ten years in the technology industry, one of them being at Apple, Joe now covers the company for the website. In addition to covering breaking news, Joe also writes editorials and reviews for a range of products. He fell in love with Apple products when he got an iPod nano for Christmas almost twenty years ago. Despite being considered a "heavy" user, he has always preferred the consumer-focused products like the MacBook Air, iPad mini, and iPhone 13 mini. He will fight to the death to keep a mini iPhone in the lineup. In his free time, Joe enjoys video games, movies, photography, running, and basically everything outdoors.