Apple Podcasts – There is no doubt that podcasts have become a real universe of possibilities. More and more people follow podcasts around the world and America is one of the main countries on the planet in this market.
Good for those who produce content and also for the user, who listens to their favorite shows at any time, place and device, podcasts owe much of their success to aggregators : apps that bring together several podcasts in one place.
One of the main existing aggregators is Apple Podcasts . Successor to iTunes , which previously hosted podcasts on Apple devices (and is still available for Windows users ), the application adds millions of programs across the planet and is the main option for anyone with an iPad , iPhone or Mac .
Today, let’s learn what Apple Podcasts is and how it works!
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Table of Contents
Apple Podcasts: The Evolution of a Long History
Podcasts are not new. Existing since the first half of the 2000s, the consumption of audio programs over the Internet has grown over the years and has taken a ride in the popularization of streaming , leveraging even more worldwide in recent years.
America is part of this story: today, it is estimated that our country has more than 34 million podcast listeners , or approximately 8% of the population, according to a survey carried out by the sector in 2020.
One of the factors that made podcasts worldwide successes is their practicality , which owes much to the aggregators. Apps like Spotify , Google Podcasts or the latest Resso allow the user to find millions of shows and listen to them as they wish, customizing their favorites and how they consume shows.
That’s where Apple Podcasts comes in. Formerly in charge of iTunes, the playback of podcasts in the Apple environment for some time now has its own application, ensuring the user a better experience.
If those who have an Android smartphone or a computer running Windows will have to continue with iTunes, for those who have an Apple device, the situation is different. Available for iPhone, iPad and Mac, Apple Podcasts reach all Apple users and bring more functionality than its competitors.
In addition to more ways to customize episode playback, Apple Podcasts opens up the possibility of a paid subscription service . Podcasts that want more monetization on Apple Podcasts can offer the user extra benefits in exchange for a monthly payment.
Now, let’s understand how to use Apple Podcasts and how the Apple device user can benefit from this app!
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How to use Apple Podcasts
Now let’s see how to do the most common tasks in Apple Podcasts on both iPhone or iPad and Mac, which will allow you to get the most out of this app!
On iPhone or iPad
Perhaps the first step in using a podcast aggregator is to find your favorite shows and follow them, right? In Apple Podcasts, simply use the “ Explore ” or “ Search ” tab , and, locating the podcast you are looking for, tap the “+” (add) button, which is in the upper right corner.
Ready! Once this is done, you will receive notifications of new programs automatically as they are released. So you won’t miss any episodes!
Ah: if you want to stop following the podcast in question, just go back to the upper right corner, clicking on the “three dots” button, and then on the “ Don’t follow ” option .
During the episode, you can customize your onscreen experience for an episode of the podcast you’re listening to. Some options are:
– Touching the bottom bar of the app, options will appear to control the audio playback speed (ranging from 0.5x to 2x);
– In the lower right corner, you can share the episode with your friends, download it to your device or select options to play it next or last;
– On the playback screen, you can choose on which device you want to listen to the podcast (such as Smart TV, by AirPlay, etc.);
– From the playback screen , swipe down to see more information about the episode being played;
The feature to subscribe to podcasts that we discussed earlier is available starting with iOS 14.6. To subscribe to a podcast that has a subscription program, go to its page, tap the “ Subscribe ” button and authenticate the transaction via Touch ID or Face ID.
on Mac
As of macOS Catalina 10.15 release , the Mac has Apple Podcasts as its native streaming application for podcasts. Let’s see how to use it!
To follow a program, search for it using the search box or the “ Explore ” tab ; when you find him, go to his page and click on the “ Follow ” button . You will receive notifications and episodes will be downloaded automatically!
To stop following the podcast, just click on the famous “three dots” button, and then on “ Don’t follow ”.
You can also customize the program’s playing experience by going to the top bar in Apple Podcasts. There, you can adjust the speed (also with options ranging from 0.5x to 2x) and use the forward and backward controls .
Personalization can also be explored through the path “ Podcasts ” > “ Preferences ” > “ Playback ”, menu in which it is possible, for example:
– Customize the forward and backward controls with the time that the application will “skip” when you give this command;
– Customize headphone controls ;
– Turn autoplay on or off (when subsequent episodes start playing immediately after the end of the previous one).
By hovering the mouse on the top bar, you can click on the options button (three dots) to open more alternatives, such as sharing , downloading or saving the podcast episode.
Also in the top bar, you can explore options such as opening more information about what is being played (by clicking on the episode title or the “i” in the playback bar) or choosing another device to play the content, such as AirPlay or a Smart TV .
You can also find more settings to customize by clicking the “three dots” button on a podcast page, then going to the “ Settings ” option .
Finally, subscription to podcasts ! The feature is available starting with macOS Big Sur 11.4 . If your system is this or later, just look for the “ Subscribe ” button on the page of the podcast you want, and then confirm the transaction with your Apple ID .
So, did you learn how Apple Podcasts works? We hope so. May you enjoy the best of this app!
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