Apple finally realized that its Podcast app needs a makeover and iOS 11 gives it a new life. The much-awaited visual update of the app is attractive and it makes it simple to add and listen to podcasts. In addition, to this now it will even recommend a couple of podcasts as it gets to know your taste. New features are for both creator and user.
Innovative Tab Design
First thing you’ll notice after launching the app are the four new tabs added at the bottom of the app. The four tabs are – Listen Now, Library, Browse and Search. There’s not much to explain about Search tab as it is self-explanatory.
image source: iphonehacks
You should start from the Browse tab, here you can find what’s new, top charts, categories and more. Next is the Library tab, home for all the subscribed podcasts, saved, downloaded and recently added episodes. Last is ‘Listen Now’ tab, an upgrade of the earlier Unplayed screen where you can resume episodes from where you left watching them.
How to Subscribe and look up for Podcasts
If you are looking for ways to search for new podcasts then simply tap on the Browse section. Here, you’ll have a similar system like App store that you can use to browse shows. To know more about them you need to tap on show art.
If you want to subscribe to a show of your choice, tap on the Subscribe button. However, if you just want to add a specific episode you can do so by tapping on plus button next to it.
Manage your subscribed podcasts
To manage your subscribed podcasts, tap on the Library section, here you’ll can sort the shows, episodes by tapping on the sort option.
To see list of all downloaded episodes and one in progress tap on a podcast. You can even Unsubscribe, delete podcast from library and add it to queue by tapping on a podcast.
How To Play Your Favorite Episodes
For that, you need to hit the Listen Now tab, tap on the episode you’d like to watch and select Play to start playing the podcast.
As the podcast starts playing, you’ll see a mini player in the bottom. Once it appears, just tap on it to get all the controls. To get a sleep times and notes, just swipe up, to change the speed use the bottom-left button and to save, share and add podcast to the playlist, tap on the menu button for options.
How To Create A Queue
You can now create your own podcast episode queue to manage them well. Also, if you want to watch another episode while listening to the other, 3D Touch the currently playing episode and select Play Next.
If there is no 3D Touch then simply hit the menu button under the episode detail view and select Play Next.
To check the queue, go to Now Playing screen and then swipe up to look for Up Next section.
To rearrange the queue use handles and to delete a podcast from the queue, swipe left and hit on Remove.
These new features added to the Podcasts App makes it even more interesting to use and to gives an ease of access.
