Google Play Music podcasts coming April 18?

So, all the way back in October 2015, Google announced that their all-around music streaming service Google Music would soon have podcast functionality. And then we heard literally nothing on the subject for half a year. Now it seems like this pipe dream is actually becoming a reality, as some sources are reporting that podcasts are coming to Google Music as early as this coming Monday.

The way this news came out is that apparently Google released this embargoed information to staff members of NPR. Someone within NPR leaked the email, and Android Police announced that podcast capability would be arriving on the 18th. An excerpt from the email:

Google will launch podcasts on Android and other platforms next Monday, April 18, inside of Google Play Music, a streaming service similar to Apple Music. Please note: this information is embargoed and should not be shared or promoted externally until Monday. NPR has worked with Google to ensure that public radio is represented in the Google Play environment. Learn more about adding your station’s podcasts to this new platform.

So it looks like this is the real scoop. The news comes as a relief to users like myself who have found themselves listening to fewer podcasts than they would like after moving over to Google Play Music since the app historically hasn’t supported them natively. This update will probably be what finally gets me back into the second season of Serial.

What are your thought on Google Play Music receiving podcast capability? Does this not really affect you, or are you grateful to be able to move back to using one app for all your audio needs instead of splitting it between two? Let us know your take in the comments, and stay tuned to Android Authority for all the updates on your favorite apps.