Podcasts (software)

Podcasts is a media player application developed by Apple Inc. for playing podcasts from the iTunes Store. It is available for the iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, watchOS, and macOS operating systems.

Podcasts
Developer(s)Apple Inc.
Initial releaseiOS: June 26, 2012 (2012-06-26)
tvOS: January 26, 2016 (2016-01-26)
watchOS: September 17, 2018 (2018-09-17)
HomePod: February 9, 2018 (2018-02-09)
macOS: October 7, 2019 (2019-10-07)
Amazon Echo: December 13, 2019 (2019-12-13)
Stable release
macOS: 1.0.0 / October 7, 2019 (2019-10-07)
Operating systemiOS 6 and later (included)
watchOS 5 and later
tvOS 9.1.1 and later
iPadOS (all versions)
macOS Catalina and later
PredecessoriTunes (macOS)
LicenseFreeware
Part of a series on
macOS

A standalone Podcasts app was initially released for iOS on June 26, 2012, after formerly being a section of the iTunes app. It was followed by launches on Apple TV on September 24, 2012, tvOS on January 26, 2016, and watchOS on September 17, 2018. It was released with macOS Catalina on October 7, 2019 as one of three applications created to replace iTunes.

Platforms

iOS, tvOS, and watchOS versions

Podcasts were formerly a section of the iTunes app through iOS 5. A standalone Podcasts app was announced at the 2012 Worldwide Developers Conference as a feature of iOS 6. Apple released the app early on the App Store on June 26, 2012. It adds a new "stations" feature for discovering new podcasts.[1] It is a standard app on CarPlay.

A standalone Podcasts app was brought to 2nd and 3rd generation Apple TVs on September 24, 2012 with the Software 6.0 update.[2] The tvOS-based 4th generation Apple TV launched in October 2015 without the ability to play podcasts. This was despite a Podcasts icon appearing on the home screen in commercials, in-store demo loops, and developer documentation.[3] The Podcasts app was added with tvOS 9.1.1 released on January 26, 2016.[4]

Podcasts was added to the Apple Watch with watchOS 5 on September 17, 2018.[5]

macOS version

Podcasts in macOS were initially available in the iTunes app, which added support for podcasts in version 4.9 in June 2005.[6][7]

Apple announced at the 2019 Worldwide Developers Conference that iTunes would be replaced with the specific Music, TV, and Podcast applications with the release of macOS Catalina.[8] Podcasts remain available through iTunes on Microsoft Windows.[9]

HomePod

The HomePod supports playback of Podcasts using a voice user interface.

Amazon Echo

Support for Podcasts was added to the Amazon Echo line in December 2019.[10]

Reception

Professional reviews of the Podcasts app have generally been mixed. In 2012 Engadget stated it "offers an opportunity to break through the clutter of iTunes".[11] In 2017 Slate criticized it for glitches and low-quality audio.[12] In 2019 The Verge called the app "a bummer" and "bare-bones and fairly clunky, even when it comes to basic functions like subscribing."[13]

References
  1. Ingraham, Nathan (2012-06-26). "Apple releases dedicated Podcasts app for iPhone and iPad". The Verge. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  2. "About Apple TV (2nd and 3rd generation) software updates". Apple Support. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  3. "Apple TV (2015) review". iMore. 2015-11-19. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  4. "Apple Releases Apple TV Update With New Podcasts App". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  5. Whitney, By Lance; September 27, 2019 9:35AM EST; September 27, 2019. "How to Use the Apple Podcasts App on Your Apple Watch". PCMAG. Retrieved 2019-10-27.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. Manjoo, Farhad (November 29, 2012). "Won't Someone Take iTunes Out Back and Shoot It?". Slate. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  7. "iTunes 4.9 First Look: Apple takes on Podcasting". Macworld. 2005-06-28. Retrieved 2019-10-28.
  8. Murphy Kelly, Samantha (June 3, 2019). "RIP iTunes as we know it. Apple breaks up iconic music platform". CNN. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  9. Spangler, Todd (June 3, 2019). "Apple's iTunes Store, iTunes App for Windows Aren't Going Away". Variety. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  10. "Apple and Spotify's podcasts come to Echo devices in the US". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  11. "Apple's Podcasts app for iOS hands-on". Engadget. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  12. Pesca, Mike (2017-12-06). "Apple Has Ruined Its Podcasts App". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  13. "Picking the Best Podcast App (and a Guide to the Rest)". www.vulture.com. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
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