If you listen to a couple of morning shows like The Daily and Up First, you can group them in a “Morning News” station. This feature will allow you to group podcasts together that you can trigger via Siri. If you tap on the Edit button, you’ll see the New Station option. One of the most unsung features of the Apple Podcast app is to create “Stations.” This feature is under the Library section. I wrote an article back in 2021 that details my frustrations with the service. If you plan to use Apple Podcasts, I advise that you only use it on an iPhone and maybe an Apple Watch. I am not sure why Apple can’t figure this aspect out. Syncing playback position and unplayed episodes across devices is a bit of a struggle on Apple Podcasts. Search will allow you to search for specific shows. Browse will allow you to browse the Apple Podcasts directory by featured, top charts, and by category. Library will show you a list of all the shows you have added to your subscription list. Listen Now shows you the unfinished podcast episodes from shows you subscribe to or one-off episodes you have added. On the bottom menu, it includes Listen Now, Library, Browse, and Search. I wish it would include a “social” aspect similar to Apple Music, though. I think it does a great job of recommending new shows as well. On Apple Watch, it’s one of the best ways to listen to podcasts when away from your iPhone as it supports streaming over LTE. It has a native app for tvOS and macOS as well. It’s got a lot of good things going for it. Usage-wise, it’s one most popular podcast apps on smartphones. Start Listeningīelow you'll find the best podcast apps, listed alphabetically, with images of the mobile apps, details on their prices, and a few words about what makes them unique or useful.Is Apple Podcasts the best podcast app for iPhone?Īpple Podcasts is the dominant player in the podcast app market. Many, but not all, have a dead air trimmer that, when enabled, automatically snips out silences that are longer than a breath or two.Īny podcast app should let you create playlists, for example, a list of the shows you listen to every morning or a separate list of the shows you save for the weekend. Most apps have an audio boost feature that automatically enriches human voices. Some apps also let you set a limit on the amount of storage you're willing to use.
You should be able to control how much content downloads to your device, either manually or by limiting the number of new episodes that download from each show.
You should always be able to subscribe to a show so that new episodes appear in your podcast feed. Nearly all podcast apps have a few features in common. Overcast gets an honorable mention for having a loyal and dedicated following for years, and for having some of the best tools for organizing playlists. For a similar experience that's cross-platform, Pocket Casts takes the cake. If you're looking for a streamlined podcast player that isn't littered with ads and recommendations, and you only have to pay for it once, my recommendation is Downcast for iPhone and DoggCatcher for Android. Among these, I have a few personal favorites. Having tested around 25 podcast players, I've picked nine that offer a great overall experience or something unique. Then again, maybe you'll discover new shows that are even better. If you do decide to leave Spotify behind, just know that the company does carry some exclusive podcasts, so you won't necessarily be able to find all your favorite shows elsewhere. Recently, some Spotify users started looking for an alternative podcast player app after pleas from the medical community and music legends to stop Joe Rogan from spreading false or misleading ideas about COVID-19 went largely unanswered. Today the podcast market is so overrun with content that the only way to find shows you love, organize episodes you want to hear, and listen to them is to download a dedicated podcast app. It took another decade for the medium to catch on widely, and now it seems like anyone can create a podcast. (The show is long gone, but archives of it are still available.) It was one of the earliest podcasts, and I was hooked. A couple of friends got together each week, recorded an hour or more of their conversation, and posted it as The Great Radio Tiki Experiment. In 2002, two years before the word "podcast" was coined, I stumbled on an iTunes station that sounded like an amateur talk radio show.
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