I think they gave it away here - they're trying to get metrics and analytics they don't get through other apps. Podcasts have always offered really limited data

I think they gave it away here - they're trying to get metrics and analytics they don't get through other apps. Podcasts have always offered really limited data, Apple do offer some data now - and I'm sure Google are collecting plenty but obviously they're keeping it to themselves. There was a play for a new podcasting standard by I think Gimlet (or one of them big companies in the space), that let you have user identifiers, inject ads based on whatever at different times, and send tracking messages at different times. I listened to an interview with the guy who makes Overcast and he basically said there's no reason any podcast app except theirs would want to support that, so I guess owning your own app for your own content is really the only way to get those analytics if you want them.