iOS 26.2 Adds Three New Features to Podcasts App

[MacRumors]

With iOS 26.2, Apple is updating the Podcasts app to add a trio of new features and updated tools for podcast creators.

All English podcast shows will now get automatically created chapters, which makes it easier to navigate through them. Apple says that automatic chapters will also make it simpler for users to understand an episode's structure and return to specific sections that interest them.

Apple will use podcast chapters submitted by creators if they're available, but if not, Apple Podcasts will generate them by default. Podcast creators can turn off the setting in Apple Podcasts Connect.

When a podcast episode mentions another podcast, there will be an option to view the mention in the podcast player and the transcript, making it easier to find recommendations. Podcast pages will also show links shared in a podcast on the episode page.

On the creator side, podcasters can offer links to Apple Music, Apple News, Apple Podcasts, Apple TV, and more. Links that are timestamped and included in show notes or through an RSS feed will appear in line with the transcript and the player while the link is being discussed. Apple says that links may also be automatically created for any podcast that's mentioned.

iOS 26.2 is limited to developers right now, but Apple will likely provide a public beta later this week. iOS 26.2 will launch in December.

Article Link: iOS 26.2 Adds Three New Features to Podcasts App

 

[Cheesehead Dave]

I can see podcasters disabling this if it turns out that chapter markers == skipping commercial breaks.

 

[iCyprus]

I totally forgot the existence of this App. Spotify pod domination

 

[theeaglesfan005]

Wish they would add a way to remove "Followed" shows from appearing in Up Next

Would only like to have ones I really want to listen to to show instead of every new episode from shows I follow

 

[John.B]

I can see podcasters disabling this if it turns out that chapter markers == skipping commercial breaks.

Podcasters who disable automatic chapter markers deserve an unfollow.

 

[macsound1]

I can see this being super obnoxious. How could the automatic chapters know when the podcast has moved from one topic to another? And are they just going to be named Chapter 1 Chapter 2. Unless they're feeding the entire audio file into an LLM to figure out the content and summarize it.

 

[Chaos215bar2]

Does iOS 26.2 Podcasts still try to hide episodes behind subscriptions that are freely available, with exactly the same ads as in Podcasts, in every other Podcast app?

 

[Happy_John]

Better search within shows, that’s all I want. It’s the one thing Spotify does better. I cut down my subscriptions, so I cancelled Spotify as I already have Apple One and Podcasts via Apple One, but not being able to search within specific podcast shows is a nightmare.

 

[Schtibbie]

Ok so would it break their balls to add a repeat function?

 

[ReliableSource]

I wonder if this is going to work for shows added via RSS, or if it'll only apply to shows added through Apple. I have a Patreon show I listen to and for a long time, the Podcast widget wouldn't play it, and Siri suggestions of "play this podcast" wouldn't work.

Does iOS 26.2 Podcasts still try to hide episodes behind subscriptions that are freely available, with exactly the same ads as in Podcasts, in every other Podcast app?

What does this mean? The Podcasts app was putting stuff behind paywalls? That sounds like something that was on the podcast hosts to implement or not.

 

[lapstags]

I see feature #1 but not the other 2

 

[CharlesShaw]

Chapters, or at minimum a listing of topic times in the description is beneficial for podcasts that talk about tv shows or movies so you can skip ahead without getting spoilers, and then find the segment someday after you have watched the show and are curious about what they said.

 

[Happy_John]

Chapters, or at minimum a listing of topic times in the description is beneficial for podcasts that talk about tv shows or movies so you can skip ahead without getting spoilers, and then find the segment someday after you have watched the show and are curious about what they said.

It’d also be very useful if it put ad breaks as separate chapters, rather than having to fast forward through them in 30 second increments. (E.g. Stuff You Should Know)

 

[Rachid Vàzquez]

And still no way to swipe to the next (or previous) podcast like in the Music app? The UI has been so inconsistent lately…