Why I dislike (hate really) the iOS Podcast App

No Podcast App

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No Podcast App

Source: Brandon / Apple, Fair Use

Just say no!

I tried Apple’s stand-alone podcast app when it was released, probably in early July. I wanted it to work really I did. I was forced to use it again in iOS 6. It continues to let me down, so I’ve removed it. I’m sure it’ll be back in a future OS upgrade.

Here’s why it doesn’t work for me:

  • Originally, playback position between the Music app and the Podcast app wasn’t synced. I’d flip back and forth between the apps and have to change playback position. They’ve fixed that in iOS 6, by default you listen to podcasts from the Podcast App — the Podcasts menu item magically disappears from the Music app (I’m sure they did that to decrease confusion, fixing the app would’ve helped more). Really, I’d rather have it sync playback info between the two apps. Why, because I’ve deleted the Podcast app. I’d be happy to leave the app on my phone and try it out in 3 or 6 months again to see if Apple figured things out, but now I have to remember to reinstall the app.
  • Now I’m forced to use the Podcast app by default in iOS 6. (I bet you saw this coming.) Since it sucks, I’ve removed it.
  • The cover art display in my library is cool and all, but the UI is hiding important information. I can’t tell which podcast I’m currently playing from the artwork. I have to go to the “Now Playing” to figure that out. Put a play icon on top of the artwork. ez-pz.
  • Similarly the cover art display on the play screen is nice, but I’d like to know where I am within the podcast. Do I have 5 minutes left, or 50? Why do I have to slide up on the image to see my position in the podcast?
  • The skeuomorphic display of the reel-to-reel tape deck playing on this additional screen is nice, but completely unnecessary. The remaining buttons are really small and hard to see. I’d take usability over an incorrect display of the tape deck. Podcasts didn’t exist before fans started creating them for Apple devices, the never, ever, played on tape decks. Period. End of story.
  • There’s a nifty feature in iOS to allow playback from a locked homescreen, and by pressing the headphone button to start playback. Many times iOS forgets that the last thing I was listening to is a podcast, instead I get music. That’s not my intent. Save the last audio I was listening to, and play that back. You should be able to figure it out, since you designed both the apps.
  • It’s nice that they added in a sleep countdown timer to the iOS 6 version. Too bad I’m not using the app.
  • I wish the app didn’t suck because the subscription and download feature native to the app might be nice to use. Instead I wait till I sync my iPhone to get new podcasts. But then there’s the issue that would arise for many of having your iPhone download hundreds of megabytes of podcasts without your knowledge. Thankfully I still have an unlimited data plan so it’s not the data per se that I’m worried about. But if you’re on a 250MB plan, you’re hosed.
  • I’d also like to be able to use the “Sync Podcasts” feature to sync podcasts between devices — I’m assuming that means playback position. But that might be a bad assumption.
  • The Podcasts app got 1.5 stars on the App Store. And that might be as low as 1.26 stars depending on how Apple rounds.

Continued fail with the Podcast app.

So I did this, Don’t Like the iOS 6 Podcasts App? Get Rid of It![/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]