Apple Podcasts Tops 555,000 Different Active Shows

[MacRumors]

Apple's Podcasts service now hosts more than 18.5 million episodes across 555,000 different "active" shows, according to a report from TechCrunch.

The podcast stats, which appears to have been sent directly to TechCrunch by Apple, include other data as well. Apple's hosted podcasts come in more than 100 languages, from 155 countries.

The podcast total is up from 525,000 back in April, and a total of fifty billion episodes have been streamed or downloaded since Podcasts launched back in 2005 (when the service had a mere 3,000 shows).

Last year, some 13.7 billion episodes were consumed, up from 10 billion in 2016. The Stuff You Should Know podcast is the most consumed, passing 500 million downloads.

TechCrunch also reports that Apple will be tightening up the rules around what podcasts can access the Podcasts Analytics service it offers, mainly around things like including Cover Art on shows and adding metadata like publication date.

Yesterday, Apple announced that a Podcasts app would be added to the Apple Watch with watchOS 5, expanding the universe of Apple devices which can consume podcasts.

Article Link: Apple Podcasts Tops 555,000 Different Active Shows

 

[69650]

Podcasts is one of the few Apple Apps I actually use regularly.

 

[itsnivekb]

I use it more than Apple Music

 

[NeuralControl]

Extremely excited to see the native Podcast app on Apple Watch. It’s among my most used iPhone apps and I’ve long wanted to be able to use it on my Apple Watch.

 

[oneMadRssn]

I love Podcasts, but Apple’s Podcast app is garbage. iOS11 was the final nail in the coffin for it.

Personally I’m a fan of Overcast, but I’ve been itching to try Pocket Casts too.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

Extremely excited to see the native Podcast app on Apple Watch. It’s among my most used iPhone apps and I’ve long wanted to be able to use it on my Apple Watch.

How long will the battery last when playing podcasts from the Watch? Seems like a big drain. Listening to things through that tinny speaker doesn't sound that great either.

 

[DanGoh]

Podcasts is one of the few Apple Apps I actually use regularly.

Same. It's so simple, smooth, and pretty on iOS 10. 11, not so much.

 

[NeuralControl]

How long will the battery last when playing podcasts from the Watch? Seems like a big drain. Listening to things through that tinny speaker doesn't sound that great either.

I don't plan on using the watch's speaker. I will pair a set of bluetooth headphones to the watch and use it on a run.

 

[TouchedByAl]

I used to hate the podcasts app but it's not as bad as it used to be. But there are still weird bugs that exist. Creating a playlist and removing podcasts is like a surgical procedure. Sure you can move them around but deleting them will either delete them or it'll start playing the episode you tapped on and if you tapped on podcast 8 of 10 you have to start over because all of those episodes that proceeded it are off your list. There doesn't seem to be an edit button which would be really handy for this. Also some sort of voice boost to even out all of the voices doesn't yet exist. If apple could just fix these two things I would be a happy camper. And yes I've used all of the third party podcast apps and came back to what was on the phone.

 

[Westside guy]

I used this app for many years - but the hobbled iOS 11 down-date drove me over to Pocket Casts, which seems to be significantly better than Apple’s app ever was.

 

[macduke]

I prefer using Overcast, but might try out the Podcast app again now that it has an Apple Watch app coming.

I kind of want to start a Podcast about making things. Or maybe a YouTube channel would be better? All kinds of things. Craft. Broad topics such as woodworking. Specialized topics such as making breathtaking photographs of deep sky objects. I’m intensely fascinated by how people work and what people are passionate about. I enjoy finding the right tool for a job and learning how to expertly use it to its fullest potential. Does this sound like an interesting idea?

 

[pacohaas]

555? clearly a fake number

 

[rhett7660]

555? clearly a fake number

Wait till it hits 666... we will all be in trouble then!