Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apps Podcast on Apple Watch without iPhone

ColdShadow

ColdShadow

Cancelled
Original poster
Sep 25, 2013
1,860
1,929
Does anyone know an App that allows listening to Podcasts on Apple Watch without need of an iPhone?
(for jogging outdoors with Apple Watch 2 / 3)

There used to be Overcast,but it stopped working properly after Watch OS 4 and developer confirmed they are unable to fix it..

and there is Watch Player which is very hit and miss and has a very clunky interface and very difficult and slow to move podcasts to the watch.

I just can't understand why Apple doesn't make Watch version of Podcast App?
 
  • Like
Reactions: ZebraDude
ZebraDude

ZebraDude

macrumors 65816
Sep 7, 2014
1,388
812
Naperville, IL
ColdShadow said:
Does anyone know an App that allows listening to Podcasts on Apple Watch without need of an iPhone?
(for jogging outdoors with Apple Watch 2 / 3)

There used to be Overcast,but it stopped working properly after Watch OS 4 and developer confirmed they are unable to fix it..

and there is Watch Player which is very hit and miss and has a very clunky interface and very difficult and slow to move podcasts to the watch.

I just can't understand why Apple doesn't make Watch version of Podcast App?
Click to expand...

Watch Player is clunky BUT if you search and send the Feeds to the watch then disconnect the Bluetooth (forcing the watch to connect to WIFI or CELLULAR) the actual podcast download is blazing fast!
 
  • Like
Reactions: gregr209
ColdShadow

ColdShadow

Cancelled
Original poster
Sep 25, 2013
1,860
1,929
ZebraDude said:
Watch Player is clunky BUT if you search and send the Feeds to the watch then disconnect the Bluetooth (forcing the watch to connect to WIFI or CELLULAR) the actual podcast download is blazing fast!
Click to expand...
wow man,thanks for the tip,it's crazy fast now..
although too much hassle to do each time and I wonder why the developer don't make a easy workaround for it?
 
twisted-pixel

twisted-pixel

macrumors 6502a
Sep 13, 2009
886
76
San Jose, CA
Itunes provides, I think, a way to convert a Podcast to Mp3. So you can do this, then add the converted file to a playlist and sync that play list with your watch.
 
ColdShadow

ColdShadow

Cancelled
Original poster
Sep 25, 2013
1,860
1,929
ZebraDude said:
can't blame the developer. It's a apple restriction.
Click to expand...
when I play the podcasts on Watch Player with AirPods I cannot adjust the volume and the volume is very low.
any idea how I can adjust the volume with Watch Player without the iPhone around?
[doublepost=1509143008][/doublepost]
twisted-pixel said:
Itunes provides, I think, a way to convert a Podcast to Mp3. So you can do this, then add the converted file to a playlist and sync that play list with your watch.
Click to expand...
Will try that too..
 
M

mk313

macrumors 68000
Feb 6, 2012
1,956
1,067
I'm not 100% sure on this, but I think in order to adjust the volume, you need to go into the music app & play a song & adjust the volume there, then go back to the podcast app & the music volume setting will carry over. I haven't use date app in a little while, but I thought that was the work-around.
 
M

musicpenguy

macrumors 68000
Oct 29, 2006
1,824
734
ColdShadow said:
when I play the podcasts on Watch Player with AirPods I cannot adjust the volume and the volume is very low.
any idea how I can adjust the volume with Watch Player without the iPhone around?
[doublepost=1509143008][/doublepost]
Will try that too..
Click to expand...
Use the Now Playing app to adjust volume, it’s a limitation of Watch OS 4 to my understanding.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BillGates1969
ColdShadow

ColdShadow

Cancelled
Original poster
Sep 25, 2013
1,860
1,929
musicpenguy said:
Use the Now Playing app to adjust volume, it’s a limitation of Watch OS 4 to my understanding.
Click to expand...
that’s the problem..Now Playing doesn’t run when Watch Player is playing..and it’s an automatic App,I cannot manually force run it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ZebraDude
M

musicpenguy

macrumors 68000
Oct 29, 2006
1,824
734
ColdShadow said:
that’s the problem..Now Playing doesn’t run when Watch Player is playing..and it’s an automatic App,I cannot manually force run it.
Click to expand...
Turn that feature off in settings and put both of those apps in your dock set ups with favorites.
 
ColdShadow

ColdShadow

Cancelled
Original poster
Sep 25, 2013
1,860
1,929
musicpenguy said:
Turn that feature off in settings and put both of those apps in your dock set ups with favorites.
Click to expand...
Thanks dude, finally worked!
I used WatchCast instead of WatchPlayer with your method.

have to say tho, it's still a pain to scroll between favourites to select WatchPlayer after running the WatchCast/WatchPlayer..(so I can adjust the volume)

Apple should make a Podcast App for the watch that is user friendly and reliable..it's just bizarre that they still haven't done that with OS 4..
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: musicpenguy and ZebraDude
docal97

docal97

macrumors 6502a
Jun 28, 2006
808
59
Southampton
ColdShadow said:
Thanks dude, finally worked!
I used WatchCast instead of WatchPlayer with your method.

have to say tho, it's still a pain to scroll between favourites to select WatchPlayer after running the WatchCast/WatchPlayer..(so I can adjust the volume)

Apple should make a Podcast App for the watch that is user friendly and reliable..it's just bizarre that they still haven't done that with OS 4..
Click to expand...

Certainly hard to believe that this would just be overlooked. Many at apple are big podcast fans. Probably won't see anything for podcasts until watch OS 5. Marco Armant had a nice post that said that the API's don't exist currently to produce a viable stand alone podcast app. Doubt apple would release these API's in the middle of the watch OS 4 cycle.
 
ColdShadow

ColdShadow

Cancelled
Original poster
Sep 25, 2013
1,860
1,929
docal97 said:
Certainly hard to believe that this would just be overlooked. Many at apple are big podcast fans. Probably won't see anything for podcasts until watch OS 5. Marco Armant had a nice post that said that the API's don't exist currently to produce a viable stand alone podcast app. Doubt apple would release these API's in the middle of the watch OS 4 cycle.
Click to expand...
Why don't they make the current Podcast App on iOS capable sync-able with Watch OS? shouldn't be a problem since they have iTunes and Music Apps working that way..
 
M

musicpenguy

macrumors 68000
Oct 29, 2006
1,824
734
mk313 said:
Thanks for posting that! I just downloaded it & tried it out. While the podcast syncing is slow like all the other apps, at least I only have to maintain one podcast database. This is fantastic.
Click to expand...
Yea I’m over dealing with the slow syncing from the phone days, I’d much rather have a standalone watch app that downloads stuff directly to it over LTE or WiFi. But it is cool this option exists - I do understand that frustration of managing 2 different lists of podcasts in separate apps!
 
  • Like
Reactions: mk313
Traverse

Traverse

macrumors 604
Mar 11, 2013
7,688
4,400
Here
mk313 said:
Thanks for posting that! I just downloaded it & tried it out. While the podcast syncing is slow like all the other apps, at least I only have to maintain one podcast database. This is fantastic.
Click to expand...

It's as good as we can get for now. Now, if I know I'm going for a run I'll send one Podcast to my watch while I use the restroom, change, fill my water bottle, etc. Or maybe send one the night before.

I listen to Podcasts 99.99% of the time when I drive or exercise - not music. Therefore I can never leave my phone behind. I never would go without a way to make calls, but now that the Series 3 exists I'm finally comfortable going without my phone for short bursts, but not if I can't bring my podcasts with me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mk313
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom