Apple Podcasts

In iOS 17.4, which is now available, Apple has added audio transcripts to the Podcasts app for iPhone, meaning you can now read along to your favorite podcasts as they are spoken. In iOS 17.4, Apple has added support for auto-generated transcripts in its Podcasts app, offering users another way to enjoy podcast content rather than simply listening to what is being said. (To update your...

In March 2023, Apple made changes to the Up Next section of its Podcasts app for iPhone and iPad, including adding the ability to remove episodes from the queue. Keep reading to learn what's different and how to access the new features. In iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4, Apple improved the way the Up Next queue works in the Podcasts app, by including episodes you may have saved to your Library and ...

In iOS 15.5, Apple added an option that lets iPhone and iPad users automatically limit the number of episodes stored on their device. This article explains how it works. Downloading podcasts to your iPhone or iPad is a great way to ensure that you have something interesting to listen to on your commute or on your travels, regardless of whether you have a Wi-Fi or cellular connection....

In iOS 14.5, Apple has made some notable changes to its native Podcasts app. Some of these changes reflect the fact that Apple announced an optional paid podcast subscription service (beginning May 2021), while others are interface improvements to make it easier to find, follow, and listen to new episodes. One example of these changes is the new Smart play button, which is designed to help...

The Podcasts app gets a number of improvements in Apple's recently released iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 updates, including the new, systemwide Shared with You feature, personalized recommendations, new keyboard shortcuts, and more. This guide walks through all of the main new features and improvements added in the ‌iOS 15‌ and iPadOS 15 Apple Podcasts app, in what makes for a modest update for...

Apple Podcasts are now available on Alexa-enabled devices as of today. Amazon announced the news earlier this morning, confirming that Alexa device owners in the United States can now ask the smart assistant to play ‌Apple Podcasts‌. Customers can link their Amazon accounts in the Alexa app to their Apple ID, and afterwards any progress they make on an Apple Podcast will be synced with their ...

Apple has started rolling out new categories in its iOS Podcasts app to help improve the browsing experience and aid content discovery. Listeners can now scroll right along a horizontal strip of podcast categories, which appear in the Browse tab under a section labeled "Browse by Category." The classifications include Arts, Business, Comedy, Education, Fiction, Government, Health &...

Apple has a plan to start funding original podcasts in order to better compete with Spotify, according to a new report from Bloomberg. Apple executives have been reaching out to media companies to discuss exclusive buying rights for podcasts, which would be exclusive to Apple. While Apple has yet to outline a clear strategy for its plans, the company will be pursuing "the kind of deals it...

Apple recently redid the web interface for Podcasts, providing new podcast webpages with a streamlined design that's easier to navigate and built-in web playback. Each new page features a clear recap of each episode along with a "Play" button for playing an individual episode or all of the episodes in order directly from the web browser without the need to open up iTunes. Clicking on an...

The next major release of macOS will feature standalone Music and Podcasts apps alongside Apple's promised TV app coming to the Mac this fall, according to 9to5Mac's Guilherme Rambo, who has discovered icons for the apps. Rambo says he has confirmed the plans with sources familiar with the matter. Image via 9to5Mac The report also claims that the existing Books app on Mac will be redesigned...

In July 2017, reports surfaced that Spotify had set its sights on Apple Podcasts and was planning a strong push into the space with a vastly reimagined podcasts segment that would become the default podcast listening app for many users. Today, The Verge has detailed Spotify's ongoing plans to make the service a premium podcast destination. To start, Spotify intends to fix podcast discovery...

This week, Apple shared a new press release that highlighted the best music, movies, television shows, podcasts, and books of 2018. With the announcement, Apple has now rolled out new sections in each service that highlight these pieces of media under an all-new "Best of 2018" category. Throughout 2018 we’ve been celebrating the creativity of app developers, musicians, writers and ...

Following its acquisition by SiriusXM in September, Pandora today announced that it will begin offering specialized podcast curation under the Podcast Genome Project. Similar to its Music Genome Project, the PGP will launch in a public beta format and combine human curation with advanced machine learning to offer users specific podcast recommendations, "down to the episodic level." Pandora...

Spotify today announced that listeners across the globe can now tune into the BBC's podcast catalog directly within the Spotify app, including "hundreds of programs across thousands of episodes." In the announcement, the company focuses on podcast listeners in the United Kingdom, but it appears that BBC podcasts on Spotify are also appearing for users in the United States and elsewhere outside of ...

Apple has removed the entire libraries of five Infowars podcasts from the Apple Podcasts platform, Buzzfeed News reported on Sunday. Among the podcasts removed from Apple's iTunes index are "War Room" and "The Alex Jones Show", hosted by the controversial U.S. radio host and conspiracy theory peddler. Infowars host Alex Jones A sixth show, "Real News With David Knight", was the only Infowa...

Apple's Podcasts service now hosts more than 18.5 million episodes across 555,000 different "active" shows, according to a report from TechCrunch. The podcast stats, which appears to have been sent directly to TechCrunch by Apple, include other data as well. Apple's hosted podcasts come in more than 100 languages, from 155 countries. The podcast total is up from 525,000 back in April, and ...

Podcast app "Castro" updated to version 3.0 this week, introducing a collection of notable additions like a rebuilt player engine, cleaner layout, Apple Watch app, and more. Developer Supertop Software says that Castro 3 is "much faster" when users start streaming a podcast and the app's controls are more responsive thanks to a simpler layout on the player screen. Users can now star the...

Apple today updated its HomePod tech specs page with a new Audio Sources section that lists all of the ways in which the speaker can stream audio, setting the record straight on some conflicting information. • Apple Music: HomePod users can ask Siri to play any of over 45 million songs available on Apple Music. A subscription is required. • iTunes Music: HomePod users can ask Siri to play ...

Apple in June promised to introduce new analytics features for podcasters, providing in-episode analytics options for tracking people listening, where in a podcast listeners stop and skip content, whether ads are skipped, and how long people generally listen for. Starting today, Apple's podcast analytics feature is rolling out in a beta capacity, reports TechCrunch. In recent years,...

Apple has acquired podcast search startup Pop Up Archive, according to Harvard University's Nieman Lab via AppleInsider. Apple more or less confirmed the report by issuing its standard statement about acquisitions: "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans." Pop Up Archive was an Oakland-based online platform focused...

Spotify is experimenting with a new podcast initiative that's said to be aimed at gaining ground on the current leader in the field, Apple, as a way to convince Spotify users on iOS to stick around in the Spotify app, and not migrate over to Apple Podcasts. As of now, the podcast initiative is described as a "test," with Spotify launching a few original podcasts and running promotions for the...

In a Friday session at the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple revealed some major updates to is native Podcasts app that will be coming in iOS 11. Some of the changes will affect podcast listeners, while others should make it easier for podcasters to learn more about their audience's listening habits. As mentioned at Apple's WWDC Keynote earlier this week, the Podcasts app is getting an...

Apple today has rebranded iTunes Podcasts to be called "Apple Podcasts," and updated its marketing website for podcasters to learn how the new branding can help promote their shows. Apple Podcasts promo materials now include a new "Listen on Apple Podcasts" badge, while most of the pre-existing graphics standards and podcast identity guidelines remain unchanged. The rebranding also stretches...

Apple has held a special meeting with leading podcasters in an attempt to address concerns that the company is failing to adequately support the iTunes broadcast community, reports The New York Times. According to the piece published today, the meeting took place last month at the company's Cupertino headquarters, where seven top iTunes podcasters were invited to air their grievances regarding ...

Earlier this month, Apple quietly introduced a new "Podcasts Connect" tool for people who upload their podcasts to iTunes. Previously, podcasters uploaded their content using the "Submit a Podcast" link in the iTunes Podcast Store, but now there's a dedicated portal for managing podcast uploads. As described by Libsyn, the Podcasts Connect portal lets users submit new podcasts and manage...