Apple Previews March Video Event

- The global podcasting market was valued at approximately $24 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach over $131 billion by 2032. YouTube is the dominant platform for video podcasts, hosting 81% of viewership compared to just 4% for Apple Podcasts before the recent update. - Apple's new video podcast experience, announced in February 2026, utilizes its HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) protocol. This allows users to seamlessly switch between audio and video versions of a show and supports features like offline downloads and picture-in-picture mode. - For creators, the platform update introduces dynamic video ad insertion, allowing them to include host-read spots and other video advertisements. Launch partners supporting the new video format include major hosting providers like Acast, Omny Studio, and SiriusXM. - Apple's strategy of engaging directly with online creators is not new; the company first provided early access of the iPhone X to YouTubers back in 2017 to reach a broader and more diverse audience. - "Apple Intelligence" is the company's suite of AI features, many of which run on-device to protect user privacy. Potential demos could showcase features like Writing Tools for summarizing and rewriting text, or Image Playground for creating new images from descriptions. - Other features of Apple Intelligence include advanced photo editing, such as removing distracting background objects with the Clean Up tool, and creating "Genmoji" by typing a description. - While the March 4 event is focused on video and AI, other Apple products are rumored for an early 2026 release via press announcements, including a potential budget-friendly iPhone 17e, new iPads with A18 and M4 chips, and MacBooks with M5 processors.