Apple Podcasts
Podcast app developed by Apple From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Apple Podcasts (known as simply Podcasts in Apple operating systems) is an audio streaming service and media player application developed by Apple Inc. for playing podcasts. Apple began supporting podcasts with iTunes 4.9 released in June 2005 and launched its first standalone mobile app in 2012. The app was later pre-installed with iOS beginning October 2014. The Apple Podcasts directory features more than two million shows.[1] Apple Podcasts is available on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, CarPlay, Microsoft Windows operating systems, web browsers, and on Amazon Alexa devices. In 2024 does not support opus.[2]
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Screenshot of the Podcasts app in iOS 17 | |
| Developer(s) | Apple Inc. |
|---|---|
| Initial release | iOS: June 26, 2012 tvOS: January 26, 2016 watchOS: September 17, 2018 HomePod: February 9, 2018 macOS: October 7, 2019 Amazon Echo: December 13, 2019 Web app: August 19, 2024 |
| Stable release | iOS 15.1
/ October 25, 2021 |
| Operating system | iOS 10 and later iPadOS 10 and later watchOS 5.1 and later tvOS 9.1.1 and later macOS Catalina and later Windows (as part of iTunes) Web app |
| Predecessor | iTunes (macOS) |
| License | Freeware |
| Website | www |
History
Apple was an early promoter of podcasts (the term is a portmanteau of Apple's iPod music player and "broadcast"),[3] and added playback functionality to iTunes 4.9 released in June 2005 and built a directory of shows in its iTunes Music Store, starting with 3,000 entries.[4][5] In April 2020, Apple Podcasts surpassed one million shows.[6] In June 2021, Apple launched the option for podcast creators to implement paid subscriptions through podcast channels.[7]
Market share
Apple Podcasts had an estimated 28 million U.S. monthly listeners and 23.8% market share in March 2021, the first month it fell behind Spotify Podcasts as the top podcasting platform in the U.S. This was a decrease from Apple's 34% market share in 2018.[8]
Application platforms
Summarize
Perspective
iOS, tvOS, and watchOS versions
A standalone Apple 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.[9] It is a standard app on CarPlay.
A standalone Apple Podcasts app was brought to 2nd and 3rd generation Apple TVs on September 24, 2012, with the Software 6.0 update.[10] 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.[11] Apple Podcasts was added with tvOS 9.1.1 released on January 26, 2016.[12]
Apple Podcasts was added to the Apple Watch with watchOS 5 on September 17, 2018.[13]
On March 5, 2024, Apple added transcripts to the Podcasts app on iPhone and iPad with iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4. Transcripts are available for English-, French-, Spanish-, and German-language podcasts[14]
macOS and Windows versions
Apple Podcasts for macOS and Microsoft Windows was initially available as part of the iTunes app, which added support for podcasts in version 4.9 in June 2005.[15][16]
Apple announced at WWDC 2019 that iTunes for macOS would be split and replaced by the Music, TV and Podcasts apps with the release of macOS Catalina.[17] Apple Podcasts remains available through iTunes on Microsoft Windows.[18]
Web version and other platforms
On August 19, 2024, 19 years after the initial launch of Apple's podcast directory on iTunes, Apple finally released a web interface for Apple Podcasts, expanding access to users without iTunes installed on their computers, and computers running operating systems other than Apple macOS and Microsoft Windows.[19]
Unlike Apple Music, there is currently still no native app available for Android.
Smart speakers
Apple's HomePod family supports Podcasts using a voice user interface. Support for Apple Podcasts was added to the Amazon Echo line in December 2019.[20]
Apple Podcasts Award
| # | Year | Show of the Year | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2022 | Slow Burn | [21] |
| 2 | 2023 | Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus | [22] |
| 3 | 2024 | Hysterical | [23] |
Reception
Critical reviews of the Apple Podcasts app have generally been mixed. In 2012, Engadget stated it "offers an opportunity to break through the clutter of iTunes".[24] In 2017, Slate criticized it for glitches and low-quality audio.[25] In 2019, Vulture called the app "a bummer" and "bare-bones and fairly clunky, even when it comes to basic functions like subscribing."[26]
See also
References
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