Google Play's podcast section launches this month, says Bill Simmons

Google first announced it was adding podcasts to Play Music back in October last year, but has yet to reveal an actual launch date. Now, thanks to former Grantland editor-in-chief and podcaster Bill Simmons, we know there's a possibility it might be this February. Simmons tweeted that his popular podcast "will be available on Google Play when GP launches its podcast platform later this month." He deleted the tweet some time after, but a screenshot was saved thanks to Droid-Life:

As a popular podcaster, it's completely possible that Simmons was given a heads-up of some sort about the section's imminent launch. Google has already got a number of podcasts and networks to sign on to the service, including 5by5, HBO, Nerdist, and StartTalk Radio. The company also says it'll offer contextual recommendations for listeners, suggesting podcasts based on their interests. Whether that will be enough to differentiate Google's offering from the many podcast apps out there is anyone's guess. Stay tuned, though.

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