IAB AU's Future of Measurement, Projected iOS 26.4 Release Window, & More

by Gavin Gaddis

The Future of Australian Measurement

IAB Australia named the Future of Measurement one of its three strategic focus areas for 2026. The FoM initiative will review current practices, datasets, and measurement approaches in Australia’s advertising industry to identify gaps and define future requirements. Currently, the FoM project is accepting emails from interested decision-makers, influencers, practitioners and stakeholders across media owners, ad agencies, brands, suppliers, vendors, and industry bodies who would like to participate in industry research. The project will unveil findings at the 10th annual MeasureUp conference in Sydney on September 2, 2026. Pitches for MeasureUp are open until May 29. 

Building Podcasting a Bigger Stage by Bryan Barletta

Sounds Profitable Partner and Podcast Movement President Bryan Barletta reflects on Podcast Movement Evolutions’ first year as an official integrated event within SXSW, which took place in Austin, TX this past weekend. The revamped Evolutions moved away from traditional hotel ballroom-style conference structure, streamlining down to one track and placing the conference in the middle of one of the leading creator and innovation-focused events in the U.S. Barletta frames Podcast Movement and Sounds Profitable as “stages and spotlights” for the industry. Connective tissue that provides opportunity, support, research, and advice. All of which is made possible with the support of partners who enable taking big swings to uplift the business of podcasting in the wider media ecosystem.

Possible Apple Podcasts HLS Launch Window

Podnews covers a Mastodon post from John Spurlock. The big video upgrade to Apple Podcasts incorporating HLS will arrive with iOS 26.4. A release candidate build (a feature-complete build ready for final tests) of iOS 26.4 has been posted, which Spurlock estimates could mean the final release will be in a window from Wednesday March 25 to Monday, March 30. The release client version shows that when users first open Apple Podcasts after updating they’ll be greeted with a splash screen highlighting video podcasting features.

Podcast’s Share Of Listening Grows, But Nielsen Says Marketers Undervaluing ROI

A new Nielsen Audio Today report stresses podcasting’s position as a core component of modern marketing mixes. Nielsen Podcast Fusion data from March 2025 shows radio alone reaches 88.8% of 18- to 34-year-olds. If podcasts are layered into a campaign with radio, they add another 5.6% of reach, taking the campaign to 94.4% reach. Podcasts deliver strong ROI comparable to TV and digital display, yet Nielsen finds they’re overlooked or undervalued by marketers. In the words of the report: “These insights highlight a critical misalignment between perception and performance, which can lead to costly mistakes in media planning.”

Scalable Special Edition: California AG Bonta on Landmark Social Media Trial

A social media addiction trial against Meta and YouTube expects a verdict this week. Plaintiffs argue social media companies should be liable for harming young users, alleging platforms are designed to addict them and can cause mental health issues. California Attorney General Rob Bonta appeared as a guest on yesterday’s episode of Scalable to discuss the case, AI regulation, and the planned Paramount acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Fun fact: this interview was recorded in the Podcast Movement Evolutions podcast studio.