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The new podcasts app - I don't get it

mj0

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Aug 28, 2015
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Something seems seriously messed up with Apple's new podcasts app that they introduced with iOS 9. It's either that or, to quote the late Steve Jobs, I'm "using it wrong"...

Here's how I used to use it until the update hit: I have three podcasts that I have subscribed to, however I don't want to listen to all episodes but only a select few. What I do is whenever new podcasts are available I go throught the list, delete the ones I am definitely not interested in, and add the ones I want to listen to next to the playlist "on the go". Then, whenever I feel like listening to podcasts instead of music, I listen to that playlist.

With iOS 9 there is no "on the go" anymore. There is, however, "up next". That playlist is accessible when a podcast is playing by tapping on the dotted hamburger menu on the right, and it includes a history of all my played podcasts (which I'm not interested in but that's another story). There is no way though to see from the list of subscribed podcasts whether or not I already have a specific episode in that playlist (with iOS 8 it was "add to on-the-go" or "remove from on-the-go"). Thus, I can add any episode multiple times to "up next" without the app issuing a warning. In order to remove an episode from "up next" I have to manually somehow stumble through the app to get to that list, and then remove it. What I have failed to discover so far is a way to get there without actively listening to an episode. The list seems to disappear whenever I restart my iPhone or, which happens more often, after I have listened to all the episodes on my list and have then added new episodes afterwards. I cannot preconfigure a playlist of episodes I want to listen to in a particular order without actually playing an episode first. Actually scratch that - I can preconfigure the "up next" list while in the cab on my way to the airport or train station, but there is no way to get to that list once I'm in the plane/train. All I can do is select a random episode and select "play next", which while making the list reappear from the depths of podcast hell messes up the entire order thereof.

I feel sort of stupid to be honest because it seems like such a braindead way to organize your podcasts. Is there really no other/easier way? Am I using it wrong?
 

pkcable

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Jun 16, 2009
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Vendors are ALWAYS trying to "reinvent the wheel" and sometimes they mess up a pretty good product in the process. Now I'm not sure if that is what has happened here, BUT it sure sunds like you have some issues with the native Apple podcast app. HOWEVER there are plenty of alternatives, many of which are free from 3rd party vendors. Rene Ritchie, iMore editor did a GREAT roundup of some of the better ones....

Best podcast apps for iPhone | iMore
 

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