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Apple Podcasts

214 'Apple Podcasts' stories July 2012 - February 2019
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Apple first introduced the world to podcasts back in 2005 by adding a podcast directory into iTunes 4.9. It wasn’t until 2012 that they launched the Apple Podcasts app for iPhone.

Over the years, the app has taken on many designs as it mimicked the overall iOS design trends. Despite it not offering all the features of third party apps, it is reported to have the high market share of any podcast app. Despite having control of the market, Apple hasn’t done much to try to profit from it. From a technical side, the directory in Apple Podcasts is just a collection of RSS feeds. Spotify is one company aimed to growing its podcast market share at the expense of Apple Podcasts, so it remains to be seen what (if anything) Apple will do going forward.

9to5Mac hosts an hour long weekly Apple news podcast called 9to5Mac Happy Hour, a short updates podcast with episodes released throughout the week called 9to5Mac Daily, and a weekly tech news podcast from the perspective of developers called Stacktrace. All of them can be subscribed to inside of Apple Podcasts.

Other podcasts on our network include:

Opinion: Four new features Apple Podcasts should add in iOS 13

Avatar for Bradley C Jan 13 2019 - 6:00 am PT
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I’ve written a lot about the podcast ecosystem on iOS. I think that Overcast is an absolute gem of an app. Castro is also a top-notch app as well. I manage a few podcasts for some clients of mine, and I know that despite the incredible third-party podcast apps, Apple Podcasts is podcasting to the vast majority of people out there. That withstanding, the Apple Podcast app isn’t perfect, but it’s come a long way from version 1 many years ago (the tape player UI). While Apple Podcasts doesn’t need to offer the exact same features as other apps, its development does help drive the industry forward. Here are four new features I’d love to see in Apple Podcasts in iOS 13.
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Analysis confirms Apple’s podcast charts were manipulated – and it’s happening again

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Oct 18 2018 - 4:49 am PT
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podcast charts

Apple’s podcast charts recently started displaying some odd results, with previously unknown real estate, business and fitness podcasts taking over the top spots previously occupied by genuinely popular ones like Serial.

Manipulation via click farms was immediately suspected, and a new analysis provides pretty conclusive evidence that this is the case. Worse, though, it shows that it is happening again, despite Apple’s intervention …


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Overcast 5 brings Apple Watch playback, new Now Playing design, Siri Shortcuts, more

Avatar for Zac Hall Sep 17 2018 - 12:29 pm PT
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Overcast 5.0 is a major update to the podcast player for iPhone and iPad — and now Apple Watch. The Overcast update for iOS 12 and watchOS 5 includes a cleaner Now Playing screen, support for Siri Shortcuts, the return of the standalone Apple Watch app which is now greatly improved, and more.


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Using the new Apple Watch Podcasts app in watchOS 5

Avatar for Zac Hall Aug 31 2018 - 10:31 am PT
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Apple Watch has always been able to play music on its own — first by syncing with iPhone, then by standalone streaming — but podcast playback has been much harder to achieve. A few apps have helped reduce the friction, but official Apple Podcast support has been at the top of my wish list.

Starting with watchOS 5, currently in developer beta and likely released in September, Apple Watch Series 1 and higher will finally have its own Podcasts app. For podcast listeners, this update will make cellular connectivity even more compelling and make leaving your iPhone behind a bit easier.


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Apple Podcasts removes five Infowars podcasts from directory citing violations of hate speech guidelines

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Aug 6 2018 - 2:14 am PT
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Apple has removed five Infowars podcasts from the Apple Podcasts platform. Apple confirmed the decision to Buzzfeed News overnight, and is the first major tech company to blanket ban almost all of Alex Jones’ content. Apple said that it does not tolerate hate speech, and clear guidelines dictate the types of content that are accessible on its platforms. Companies like YouTube and Spotify have pulled select episodes before.

Apple is the leading podcast distribution platform and its more drastic approach naturally put pressure on other players to follow suit. Only one InfoWars show remains on Apple’s service, ‘Real News with David Night’. Apple did not say why this show alone was allowed to stay up.


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How a small iTunes update 13 years ago changed the media landscape forever

Avatar for Bradley C Jul 15 2018 - 6:00 am PT
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June 28th, 2005 might go down as one of the biggest days in the history of media. It was the day Apple announced they were taking podcasting mainstream by including support for Podcasts in iTunes 4.9 and with syncing to the iPod. As rumors continue to swirl of iTunes being dismantled on macOS (in favor of dedicated apps), I thought it might be fun to take a look back at this important decision.
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Outcast 2 adds podcast streaming and continuous playback playlists to Apple Watch

Avatar for Zac Hall Jul 9 2018 - 6:46 am PT
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Outcast for Apple Watch debuted in January and immediately became my favorite way to listen to podcasts without my iPhone. Fast-forward to June and Apple unveiled that watchOS 5 would add Apple’s Podcasts app to Apple Watch and support third-party apps much better. While it sounds like Outcast has plans for watchOS 5 (which is currently in developer beta), Outcast 2 has shipped for everyone and includes two major features: episode streaming and playlists for continuous playback.


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Apple Podcasts platform hits 50 billion downloads, over 500k shows now available

Avatar for Chance Miller Apr 29 2018 - 5:41 am PT
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Apple has made several improvements to its Podcasts app and service over the last year, and while features may still lack in comparison to popular third-party apps like Overcast, it’s hard to deny the sheer size of Apple’s podcast platform. Now, Fast Company reports that Apple Podcasts has passed a notable milestone in downloads and streams…


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