Apple goes to battle with Spotify in premium podcast push

FILE PHOTO: The Apple Inc logo is seen hanging at the entrance to the Apple store on 5th Avenue in Manhattan, New York, U.S., October 16, 2019. REUTERS/Mike Segar

(Reuters) -Apple Inc is fighting to retain control of the fast-growing podcasting market it popularized years ago but did not monetize, analysts and industry experts told Reuters.

Nearly 16 years after Apple added the ability to find podcasts -- a portmanteau of "iPod" and "broadcasting" coined by a Guardian journalist -- to its iTunes software, the iPhone maker now seeks to court podcast creators with new subscription and creator tools, and fend off competition from streaming audio company Spotify.