Apple Music Radio isn’t the only new game in town for Apple’s Podcasts app in iOS 17. The crossover feature also brings in spoken word news and magazine articles for Apple News+ subscribers. Beyond Apple, more than a dozen apps from the App Store can also deliver member content through Apple’s Podcasts app.
Apple News+ Narrated
Apple News+ subscribers can discover four shows through the service’s channel:
- Apple News Today (free)
- Apple News In Conversation (free)
- After the Whistle (Brendan Hunt and Rebecca Lowe talk soccer) (free)
- a new entry called Apple News+ Narrated (subscribers-only)
The new Apple News+ Narrated feed brings the audio stories that Apple has featured in its News app into the Podcasts app for the first time.
Previously exclusive to the Apple News+ Audio tab in the iPhone app, these spoken word articles are handpicked by the Apple News editorial team and produced just for News+ subscribers. Apple News+ Audio even has a special audio player right in the News app, and stories can be played in the car with the News app for CarPlay.
Now you can listen to these produced episodes in the Apple Podcasts app. New entries are delivered on Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac for the first time. Like Apple News+ Audio, the Narrated feed is still limited to subscribers in the United States.
Benefits also include notifications for new episodes, offline access, and syncing between devices – just like with Apple Music Radio shows now.
Apple News+ Narrated is available to standalone Apple News+ subscribers or through Apple One bundle plans with News+.
Shows from apps
In October, Apple is also opening up the Podcasts app to services with members-only audio content across a range of apps.
Starting next month, listeners will be able to connect their subscriptions to Bloomberg, Curio, L’Équipe, Mamamia, Sleep Cycle, The Economist, The Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, WELT News, and Zen with Apple Podcasts.
Apple
This new app integration coexists with the member episode program that Apple has offered since 2021 for podcasters with subscription-only episodes.
All in all, iOS 17 brings a surprising amount of enhancements to the built-in Podcasts app. Expanding its role in these ways shows Apple’s continued investment into the podcast playing app.
Meanwhile on Android, Google is treating its podcast player like it treats its flavor-of-the-week messaging apps.
More
- Apple Music just upgraded the experience in four ways
- Apple Music radio shows now available in the Apple Podcasts app
- Apple Podcasts has a slightly refreshed interface in iOS 17
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