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Apple needs to fix its podcast problem

Saturday, March 2, 2013 · 9:38 pm · 49 Comments

“Apple treats podcasting like an unwanted stepchild,” Mike Elgan writes for Cult of Mac. “I think this is a huge missed opportunity for Apple — and for audio and video content creators. Apple is famous for re-thinking content consumption from the ground up, for rejecting knee-jerk assumptions about how things are supposed to work,” Elgan writes. “Apple has a powerful instinct in its DNA for blank-slate thinking.”

Elgan writes, “For some reason, it seems to me, Apple appears to have failed to think this way about podcasting. Apple used to include podcasting on iOS as an also-ran feature in the Music app. Last year, they launched a dedicated Podcasts app. The app has been universally panned. Mashable called it ‘horrible.’ Business Insider called it ‘horrifically bad.’ C|net called it the ‘worst app Apple ever made.’”

Elgan writes, “Rather than sweeping the medium under the rug and buying into the Hollywood fiction that old-school media is superior, Apple should instead set up a brilliant, flexible model for all content creators to showcase their work, and enable users to live-stream, download, pay for, subscribe to and enjoy any kind of audio or video content regardless of who produced it — from the smallest, one-man podcast to the biggest-budget Hollywood TV series.”

Read more in the full article here.

Categories: News

Tags: App Store, Apple, itunes, itunes store, podcasting, podcasts app

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Comment Feed

49 Comments

Golum

Saturday, March 2, 2013 - 10:08 pm · Reply

I suppose podcasting has been the “step child” in the iTunes echo system. However it’s there and flourishing, precisely because of Apple’s efforts.

I am not sure what people are complaining about. Is there ANY better solution for a resource that doesn’t have a source of revenue other than in program advertising?

I use the podcast app. Every update, it get’s better. There was a short time, it was a step backwards, however no-longer. I like how you can FF RW 15 seconds at any time, on the lock screen and in app. I like how you can follow a time line, pick up and drop your placement anywhere in the pod cast. I like how you can sort a subscription, oldest > newest and vise versa. On top of that you can continue play to the next podcast forward or back. So depending on how you sort and where you start playing you can either listen to time sensitive content first, such as news and play the prior day and so on. Or you can play a series cast in order from oldest to newest, to keep context. I like how no I am independent of my computer to download and sync podcasts. It’s all on the phone (in my case), and I have it auto dl new content, while on Wi-Fi, however if it’s so new, it will continue to play over 3G/LTE, without my intervention.

These features never existed prior to the Podcast app. It’s very “driver” friendly.

The only issue, is there’s not enough content. It’s all mostly amateur, with a sprinkle of top notch and relevant material.

Again, I find it ironic for these complaints, when there’s nothing else to compare to. Show me a better app or solution, and I will consider it.
- Michael
  
  Saturday, March 2, 2013 - 10:25 pm · Reply
  
  I guess you are looking at the wrong things… The music section has top class artists.
- Sucker
  
  Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 11:22 am · Reply
  
  God the Podcast app sucks. I listen to 50+ hours of podcasts every week. I rename all the podcasts so they play in order on a Podcasts playlist. Oh wait, the Podcasts app doesn’t support playlists. Worse, instead of complimenting the music app, if the Podcasts app on on your iPhone it takes over all control of podcasts. Oh it puts the podcasts in reverse chronological order and gives me no options for changing the order. The two weeks that I had the Podcasts app on my iPhone were the most unpleasant and frustrating two weeks during the 5⅓ years that I’ve owned my iPhone.
  - Golum
    
    Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 5:04 pm · Reply
    
    I can get behind more control of (deleting podcasts you already listened to, and having them stay gone) Sorting play order, or having one or more active play lists, so you can listen to one or more podcasts in an order you choose.
    
    However I still feel that it doesn’t exist else where, and doesn’t justify calling the podcast app crap or a failure. It is in deed better than the first two weeks since its been out.
- Tom Voelk
  
  Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 11:30 am · Reply
  
  As a modestly popular video podcaster (Driven Car Reviews) I’m happy to have iTunes so people can find my videos. My problem is not with the app, which I find quite acceptable these days. It’s the lack of monetization creativity on Apple’s part.
  
  I would love to have a subscription option where people could pay 99 cents for a month of unlimited viewing. Those who really like the videos could opt for a five dollar annual subscription. Maybe better, Apple could offer preroll or overlay advertising through iAd so I could keep my podcast free and still make some money to upgrade my gear and buy gas.
  
  Most of us aren’t looking to get rich. Small podcasters don’t have the time or connections to have sponsors. To have an iAd or paid subscription option to fall back on would not only be helpful to content creators, it could possibly ignite competition for better podcasts. If Apple only offered up some opportunities…
  - Sucker
    
    Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 2:00 pm · Reply
    
    Apple actually built that, but only Rush Limbaugh and Dr Laura have taken advantage.
    - Tom Voelk
      
      Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 11:18 pm · Reply
      
      I might be wrong but I think that Rush and Dr. Laura are a special case because of their huge audience. People will pay 99 cents for that content (though I’m not sure why).
      
      I’m pretty sure podcasts can’t be monetized on iTunes. Yes, you can have a sponsor, but Apple will not sell it like a piece of music. Sigh. Time to sit out on the corner with my cup and cardboard sign…
      - quiviran
        
        Monday, March 4, 2013 - 1:13 pm · Reply
        
        Why will they pay? A fool and his money are soon parted.
  - Golum
    
    Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 5:00 pm · Reply
    
    I really liked what you said. iAd overlay, in the beginning and or end, for revenue. IE: Apple develops a revenue stream for podcasting that the podcast producer can tap into, kind of like youtube.
    
    Maybe Google has that tied up, for otherwise free content. Therefore it’s cost prohibitive.
    
    I can see this being a forward thinking development for Apple.
    
    Thanks for bring it up.
    - Cubert
      
      Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 5:46 pm · Reply
      
      You said IE. Bad Golum, bad.
      - Golum
        
        Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 10:35 pm · Reply
        
        EG:
        
        It’s pretty close though.
        
        IE: In Other Words
        EG: For Example
        
        Cubert
        
        Monday, March 4, 2013 - 7:32 pm · Reply
        
        No. I meant as in Internet Explorer. I knew what you meant. I’m not a grammar nazi like some here are.
    - Tom Voelk
      
      Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 11:25 pm · Reply
      
      Google can’t possibly have that business model patented. Or could they..? (insert evil maniacal laugh here)
      
      Podcast ads through iAd would be a lucrative revenue stream for Apple. They must be some big hurtle to it. Why else would they leave that kind of money on the table?
soundguyrob

Saturday, March 2, 2013 - 10:21 pm · Reply

Podcasting is kinda like Wayne’s World for the net. We need people without corporate sponsorships and budgets voicing their opinions.
- botvinniklives
  
  Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 12:23 am · Reply
  
  good analogy.
  - Michael A. Robson
    
    Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 6:13 am · Reply
    
    It was a good analogy the first time Steve Jobs used it. On Stage. When he introduced Podcasting in iTunes. Ages ago.
    - Saldin
      
      Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 7:28 am · Reply
      
      Isn’t YouTube the place for that now?
      - LordRobin
        
        Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 9:35 am · Reply
        
        For video, yes. I find YouTube to be an awful solution for audio content, though.
        
        ——RM
- Michael A. Robson
  
  Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 5:01 am · Reply
  
  Podcasting is great, the problem is the podcasts app is a worthless POS that ignores every fundamental UX principle, including many that Apple REQUIRES before an App is accepted into the App Store.. like you know… Minimum Size for Tappable Interface Elements? The tiny buttons on the Podcasts app are confoundingly bad. Insane. One can only hope that will be part of Jony Ives iOS 7 improvements.
- -hh
  
  Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 11:11 am · Reply
  
  Agreed, but could this also be part of the problem? Specifically, we expect Apple to host the servers to deliver Podcast content … but since Podcasts are generally free to the end consumer, the implications are that there’s also zero revenue being created for Apple to take their 30% cut to help pay for their bandwidth/servers. From a business model perspective, that’s not overtly generating value.
  
  -hh
  - David
    
    Monday, June 17, 2013 - 1:20 am · Reply
    
    Umm.. Apple doesn’t host podcasts. Just provides a directory of submitted podcasts. But no hosting.
Floydpinks

Saturday, March 2, 2013 - 10:24 pm · Reply

Works for me as well. Each update improves. So Mike what is better, I’d be happy to try it.
GM

Saturday, March 2, 2013 - 10:39 pm · Reply

I have used it recently and I’ve had no problems with performance. The layout and usability could be a little better.
Thomas

Saturday, March 2, 2013 - 10:40 pm · Reply

If you set the Podcast app to keep the two most recent Podcasts, it will download the last 20 until it gets to the two most recent.

Not the kind of attention to detail I usually associate with Apple software. Apple apps suck. Kindle is better than iBooks. Google Maps is better than Maps. There is clearly no one telling Apple employees that their work is shit anymore.
- bpondo
  
  Saturday, March 2, 2013 - 11:30 pm · Reply
  
  iBooks is fan-fucking-tastic. I’ve use it daily and have used Kindle in the not-so-distant past on my hour long commute to work (train) and I don’t have one complaint. I’m literally using iBooks 40+hrs a month.
  
  That said, Kindle isn’t bad, but there’s no way you can tell me iBooks sucks unless you’re just looking for attention.
  - Thomas
    
    Monday, March 4, 2013 - 2:11 am · Reply
    
    My main beef with iBooks is it, like all Apple Apps, takes 10 times longer to launch on my 3GS than comparible 3rd party Apps. The fact that my books are on a “wooden bookshelf” doesn’t make up for this shortcoming.
- GM
  
  Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 1:56 am · Reply
  
  You are absolutely right about the Kindle app and Google maps being better. There’s no doubt about that one. Hey, Apple can’t make everything the best. They probably don’t have enough people to devote to these areas. What do you think they have some huge pile of cash sitting around or something? C’mon.
Nerd Beautiful

Saturday, March 2, 2013 - 10:46 pm · Reply

Obviously they could have made a good app. The crap app made instead is a clue. They will do just what the guy in this article suggests — let everyone in the world content create — but with the new Apple TV. They’re nudging people away from the old fashioned concept of podcasting. The new concept will be much better in every way. So, better to not have it attacked by entrenched podcasters. Betcha $10 I’m right.
- hannahjs
  
  Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 10:08 am · Reply
  
  $9.99
Daggar

Saturday, March 2, 2013 - 10:58 pm · Reply

I agree with this article *mostly*. It would definitely benefit Apple to add livestreaming as well as a pay-to-subscribe model for those who need it as a source of revenue. If they add these features, Podcasts could easily become a medium to replace TV. The only thing I don’t agree with in this article is their criticism of the app. The app is great and you can find great things with it (except my interests are so sporadic I can’t find anything to listen to). Probably the only thing they could do better is include it in iOS.
Ballmer's left nut

Saturday, March 2, 2013 - 11:12 pm · Reply

I would pay $5 a month for the Minka Kelly podcast channel if she flashed her boobs at me.
- 3l3c7ro
  
  Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 10:06 am · Reply
  
  If you keep on saying things like this, your mother is going to come into the basement and give you ‘what fer’ for being so disrespectful to women.
- Cubert
  
  Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 4:45 pm · Reply
  
  You have been fascinated with Minka Kelly for the longest. Me – my fascinations change more than my underwear. The Melissa King (Miss Teen Delaware) video is my latest.
Lou

Saturday, March 2, 2013 - 11:12 pm · Reply

It doesn’t work right most of the time on my iPhone 5. I hardly listen to any of my podcasts anymore since this junk App came out. And believe me I am an Apple fan I own most of their products but the podcast app has left me scratching my head.
- Golum
  
  Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 5:17 pm · Reply
  
  See, this is an unhelpful comment. I went and told you what and why I liked the app, but all you can say is it doesn’t work for you.
  
  So you might as well say you don’t like ice cream, because it’s broken.
  
  Help us here, and give an honest helpful complaint so someone can read about it and maybe fix the problem.
  
  So I can assume it works some times for you. Maybe you have a bad install or you are running jail broken, which I say, shame.
tom

Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 12:21 am · Reply

it works great for me.
Scrapdroid

Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 1:49 am · Reply

As has already been said here, nobody else is pushing podcasts even 1/100th as much as Apple is. Just because some blogger has grand visions of what podcasting could conceivably be doesn’t mean that it will be accepted by people in general, or that its worth all that extra money and effort for Apple to reinvent that market.

Also the podcast app has improved significantly since the initial version. The first version was slow, buggy, didn’t sync between devices and didn’t have a preset option to subscribe and automatically download podcasts. Since the last big update it behaves much better, has sane defaults and syncs well between my iPhone and iPad.

If people don’t like it they are free to use an alternative. They don’t even have to bitch about the fact they can’t set their favorite app as the default app since Apple’s isn’t hooked directly into iOS.
- Wrong Again
  
  Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 9:44 am · Reply
  
  Agreed. Complaints from content producers about Apple generally follows “Hey! I’ve got AWESOME content, but no one is getting it because of how broken Apple’s system is!!! It’s definitely not because it’s bad content because I created it. AND it’s not because I’m not advertising/marketing it because I’m sure if Apple fixed their problems (and maybe featured my app/song/show), word of mouth would take care of it because I’m awesome!! I mean my content is.
  
  Awesome I mean”
  
  By the way, there’s already a way to get paid for audio and video content in iTunes. Even subscriptions for the video stuff.
KarlV

Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 2:06 am · Reply

Some have complained about the interface of the Podcast App in the reviews I have seen something I don’t understand. I really like the interface. The App is visually pleasing. It’s weaknesses are technical. It’s very slow and is crashing allot. For me it’s crashing constantly. I think that there might be some problems with one or a few feeds that Podcaster doesn’t like. I have to be really fast when I download episodes, which I do manually. I hate everything automatic. Close the App, go into iTunes and watch the episodes get downloaded. When I want to listen to an episode which can only be done in the App I have to turn off WiFi so the App doesn’t try to update the feeds or it will crash. Sometimes after just a few seconds, sometimes I can liste for longer. My podcast App crashes about 10-20 times a day, well every time I use it. I have automatic problem reporting set to ON in iOS so I guess Apple is getting my crash reports which must be several thousands now. But still no fix…

Right now we are using the fourth release of the App I think. The two first versions were so slow and laggy it was really hard to use them. The third version fixed that but introduced the crashes for me. The latest version fixed nothing for me. I’m still waiting for an update that makes the App stop crash when I have WiFi ON. I’m glad I only have an iPod touch and don’t have to turn off the Cell Network every time I want to listen to a podcast. But the interface is great I think.
The Other Steve

Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 5:51 am · Reply

I use it everyday. It works well with minor annoyances such as some episodes not wanting to download but always available to stream. I do like the reel to reel graphic but you should be able drag it back and forth for quick rewinding (whenever you ask yourself – what did he say?) and fast forwarding.
It should also automatically pause (not just lower the volume) whenever the Siri voice pops in to give you map directions.
johnb1968

Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 7:58 am · Reply

I gave up on Apple’s Podcast App ages ago. It’s terrible. Try Pocket Casts… It works well.
LordRobin

Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 9:43 am · Reply

My experience with podcasts on my iPhone is excellent, but that’s because I do it old-school: I download my podcasts in iTunes on my Mac and sync to my iPhone, then listen to them in the “Music” app. I prefer this method, because I like to listen to podcasts on both my Mac and my iPhone, and I like being able to sync partially-listened podcasts between the two and pick up where I left off. The Podcasts app didn’t work well with this method, so I don’t use it.

I was actually surprised when iOS 6 kept the “Podcasts” function in the Music app. I honestly felt Apple would get rid of it and force users to use the Podcasts app. The fact that they didn’t, IMHO, means that they know that the Podcasts app isn’t ready.

——RM
- Michael A. Robson
  
  Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 10:50 am · Reply
  
  I was also surprised that Apple kept the Podcasts in the Music app… oh wait, I don’t see it there.
  - LordRobin
    
    Monday, March 4, 2013 - 1:06 pm · Reply
    
    What, you think I’m making it up? Trust me, it’s there. By default, it’s under “More”, but you can edit that screen and move Podcasts to one of the buttons on the bottom.
    
    ——RM
    - Michael A. Robson
      
      Monday, March 4, 2013 - 6:20 pm · Reply
      
      Nope.
      - LordRobin
        
        Saturday, March 9, 2013 - 6:30 pm · Reply
        
        Nope, what?
        
        ——RM
Cubert

Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 12:48 pm · Reply

No, iWork is Apple’s red-headed stepchild.
- Golum
  
  Sunday, March 3, 2013 - 10:41 pm · Reply
  
  Add to that, iLife.
  
  This is depressing, both iWork and iLife have been stagnant since the Mac Pro, just little point releases so it still works with iCloud and iOS. But otherwise I feel like we are in a world of honey near absolute zero.
  
  Do you know how sweet honey is, frozen like that? I don’t know, I can’t tell, I just know it’s sweet, when it’s flowing.
MacRaven

Monday, March 4, 2013 - 8:52 am · Reply

Listening to podcasts has always been 98% of what I use iTunes for since it was created.