Apple Releases Standalone App for Podcasts

tubemonkey · 06-26-2012, 02:52 PM

Cool ...now if they would just release a dedicated audiobooks app.

Quote:

We heard a few weeks ago that Apple was preparing to remove Podcasts from the iTunes Store and the default iOS Music app, but we didn't expect that to happen until iOS 6 launched. Somewhat surprisingly, Apple has decided to go ahead and launch its new dedicated Podcasts app for the iPhone and iPad today in the App Store. Similar to iBooks, the app features both a podcast playback and management component as well as a "store" that flips around from the back. The podcast looks fairly identical to its previous implementation as part of the iTunes app. You can click a podcast episode to stream it to your phone, or download it to your device — but there's also a nice, new "subscribe" button.

stonetools · 06-26-2012, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Cool ...now if they would just release a dedicated audiobooks app.

Might be integrated with iBooks .
Apple might be on the way to breaking up iTunes. I'm kind of torn about that Do we want seperate Music, Audiobooks, Books, Radio, Movies/TV, Photos, and Documents apps?
I'd make this a poll if I knew how.

hrosvit · 06-26-2012, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonetools

Might be integrated with iBooks .
Apple might be on the way to breaking up iTunes. I'm kind of torn about that Do we want seperate Music, Audiobooks, Books, Radio, Movies/TV, Photos, and Documents apps?
I'd make this a poll if I knew how.

I'd be okay with that. I don't use iTunes for audiobooks, movies, TV, photos or documents, so cleaning up the interface would be nice.

pwalker8 · 06-26-2012, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonetools

Might be integrated with iBooks .
Apple might be on the way to breaking up iTunes. I'm kind of torn about that Do we want seperate Music, Audiobooks, Books, Radio, Movies/TV, Photos, and Documents apps?
I'd make this a poll if I knew how.

I started out using iTunes for podcast, but I eventually went with a stand alone podcast app (instacast). I just like the flexibility that instacast has. The problem with one size fits all models is that I tend to use each of these media's differently and it's hard to come up with one program that has that level of flexibility.

Heck, for that matter, I find myself starting to use the audible app more and more. It's kind of cool in that it is able to find audio books in my iTunes library and the last played timestamp actually goes into the iTunes library. Pretty neat. I just wish they would give the same flexibility for ebooks.

FlorenceArt · 06-27-2012, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Cool ...now if they would just release a dedicated audiobooks app.

Thank you! I just installed it on my iPhone. It immediately showed me the latest episodes of the two podcasts I am subscribed to, so that's a definite progress over the previous setup with the music app (where podcasts were hidden behind the others menu) and iTunes. I'm not a big user of podcasts, but I thought it was rather stupid that I couldn't download them without iTunes. Of course I could have found a stand alone app to handle this, but I wasn't motivated enough to do it. This new podcast app will probably be more than enough for my needs.

kyteflyer · 06-28-2012, 04:31 AM

I just grabbed it too. I dont listen to many podcasts but I find the itunes necessity a pain. I'll see how it goes, too.

unboggling · 06-28-2012, 04:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonetools

...Apple might be on the way to breaking up iTunes. I'm kind of torn about that Do we want seperate Music, Audiobooks, Books, Radio, Movies/TV, Photos, and Documents apps? ...

I do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hrosvit

I'd be okay with that. I don't use iTunes for audiobooks, movies, TV, photos or documents, so cleaning up the interface would be nice.

I use iTunes mainly for music.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwalker8

...The problem with one size fits all models is that I tend to use each of these media's differently and it's hard to come up with one program that has that level of flexibility….

I agree. I'd rather use apps that are specialized for whatever specific type of media.

paulsalter · 06-28-2012, 04:58 AM

How does this work with Podcast playlists?

For this playlist I have all my un listened to podcasts, which auto play in order of oldest to newest while in the car, do not want to manually select each podcast while driving

is this possible if it's removed from iTunes into this new app

Dylrob · 06-28-2012, 11:27 PM

I wonder if this might actually be part of of their plan to distance themselves from google? With a push towards video podcasts in place of YouTube in the long term.

JayLaFunk · 06-29-2012, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dylrob

I wonder if this might actually be part of of their plan to distance themselves from google? With a push towards video podcasts in place of YouTube in the long term.

I would welcome this if the Apple app gave you the option to download YT vids for offline viewing on my iPad, I can do this at the moment with TagDisk but it's a bit clunky...

stonetools · 06-30-2012, 09:48 AM

I think that there are video podcasts in the iTunes store that you can download now.

Dylrob · 06-30-2012, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonetools

I think that there are video podcasts in the iTunes store that you can download now.

I know that. What I'm saying is Apple could be trying to put a greater emphasis on those as a way to ultimately substitute YouTube. Creating a whole new service like they did with maps would be a disaster. They'd never be able to match the level of content YouTube has. But through podcasts they have years worth of existing content.

petermillard · 06-30-2012, 11:36 AM

I downloaded the app and have played with it a bit; looks nice, but doesn't seem to offer me anything that would make me want to switch away from Downcast, tbh. Disappointed that there doesn't seem to be any way of importing an existing podcast list from anything other than iTunes i.e. no OPML import. Maybe that'll come later, but so far it's a bit of a <shrug> from me.

Shack70 · 06-30-2012, 11:42 AM

If you enjoy podcast there is a better app that has been around for a while called DownCast: http://www.downcastapp.com/

The Apple Podcast app seems to not have all the features Downcast has.

Shykat · 06-30-2012, 03:58 PM

So... does the new, freestanding Podcast app from Apple only do the audio postcasts or does it also do the video ones?

Do the poscasts download onto your iPhone or do they go to the iCloud and then stream to your phone so you can save room on your phone?

If you use something like Downcast, Instacast or apples new program, can you "shop" from within the program to find new podcasts or do you have to initially subscribe to them in iTunes?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Standalone eBook Library App?	Kralik	Android Devices	1	11-09-2011 12:34 AM
ePubCheck as a standalone app/script on Mac?	amarie0	ePub	3	10-07-2011 11:35 AM
standalone iPhone book app	Richard Maseles	Apple Devices	5	06-24-2009 07:45 PM
iLiad Upcoming App Releases for 2.11	Adam B.	iRex Developer's Corner	24	09-05-2007 05:28 PM

06-28-2012, 04:31 AM	#6
kyteflyer Wizard Posts: 1,844 Karma: 9547754 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Newcastle, Australia Device: iPhone 12 Mini	I just grabbed it too. I dont listen to many podcasts but I find the itunes necessity a pain. I'll see how it goes, too.

06-28-2012, 04:58 AM	#8
paulsalter Fanatic Posts: 579 Karma: 3243761 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Fire HD8	How does this work with Podcast playlists? For this playlist I have all my un listened to podcasts, which auto play in order of oldest to newest while in the car, do not want to manually select each podcast while driving is this possible if it's removed from iTunes into this new app

06-28-2012, 11:27 PM	#9
Dylrob Murderous Mustela Posts: 10,234 Karma: 48000000 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: The other land of schnitzel and beer Device: iPad M1 Pro, Kindle Paperwhite	I wonder if this might actually be part of of their plan to distance themselves from google? With a push towards video podcasts in place of YouTube in the long term.

06-30-2012, 09:48 AM	#11
stonetools Wizard Posts: 2,016 Karma: 2838487 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Washington, DC Device: Ipad, IPhone	I think that there are video podcasts in the iTunes store that you can download now.

06-30-2012, 11:36 AM	#13
petermillard Evangelist Posts: 496 Karma: 2384998 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: London, UK Device: iPad, iPhone, K3 & Amazon - between them they cover my needs.	I downloaded the app and have played with it a bit; looks nice, but doesn't seem to offer me anything that would make me want to switch away from Downcast, tbh. Disappointed that there doesn't seem to be any way of importing an existing podcast list from anything other than iTunes i.e. no OPML import. Maybe that'll come later, but so far it's a bit of a <shrug> from me.

06-30-2012, 11:42 AM	#14
Shack70 Guru Posts: 777 Karma: 1043626 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: York, Pa Device: Kindle Paperwhite 11th Generation	If you enjoy podcast there is a better app that has been around for a while called DownCast: http://www.downcastapp.com/ The Apple Podcast app seems to not have all the features Downcast has.

06-30-2012, 03:58 PM	#15
Shykat Addict Posts: 205 Karma: 494052 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: iPhone, iPad Mini, my PC and Galaxy Tab A :)	So... does the new, freestanding Podcast app from Apple only do the audio postcasts or does it also do the video ones? Do the poscasts download onto your iPhone or do they go to the iCloud and then stream to your phone so you can save room on your phone? If you use something like Downcast, Instacast or apples new program, can you "shop" from within the program to find new podcasts or do you have to initially subscribe to them in iTunes?