Apple Podcasts has gotten a big overhaul – here are the big changes

Apple is going all in on original content for iPhone as the tech giant has revealed a big upgrade to its Podcasts app on iOS 17, introducing a redesigned layout and new features.

Throughout the year, the company made various promises to expand the Apple Podcasts in multiple ways. It announced during its last WWDC event in June that new original programming was coming to Apple Music and Apple News Plus. It also planned to revitalize the platform by adopting a more modern, colorful look. Everything that has been teased for the past several months is now here and there’s a lot to cover. 

1. App Redesign

The Apple Podcasts redesign has actually been around since June when it was first released in beta. Not much has changed since then as Apple has seemingly decided to stick pretty closely to the initial look. As stated earlier, things are more colorful. The Now Playing screen now displays a “blurry version of the podcast cover art”, according to 9To5Mac. Both the “volume and playback progress slides [adopt] the same style found in the Music app.” 

Apple Podcast redesign

(Image credit: Apple)

Chapter lists display “how much time is left until” the next episode. Search results can be filtered by “Top Results, Shows, Episodes, and Channels”, if you're looking for something specific.

2. Content expansion

Beginning September 26, people who have a subscription to either Apple Music, Apple News Plus, Calm, or Lingokids will be given access to over “60 original podcasts”. This includes, but is not limited to, news briefs, radio shows, educational courses, guided meditations, and narrated articles. The last one will be available through the Apple News Plus Narrated show. 

At the time of this writing, there are 16 episodes on Narrated covering stories from GQ to The New Yorker. It doesn’t look like every single article written by a publication will have a narrator; just a select few.

We should mention episodes of the original programming will roll out every week throughout autumn. Presumably, things will slow down moving into the winter

3. Connected subscriptions

Next month, the tech giant will be rolling out a new API (Application Programming Interface) for third-party companies giving them the opportunity to integrate their content app with Apple Podcasts. That way, people can listen to their favorite shows without having to install another app. Everything will be together under one roof.

Users will need to first connect their subscription to Apple Podcasts. Once done, they’re able to browse through a broadcast’s library across a variety of devices, including their iPhone or Apple Watch. 

Only a few publications will support the connection at the start. Notable names include the Wall Street Journal, Mamamia, plus The Economist. No word if anybody else will support the API, but the door is open for developers.

Connected podcasts

(Image credit: Apple)

This update is currently rolling out to all users. Obviously, your iPhone needs to be running iOS 17. To connect your subscriptions to Apple Podcasts, you will also need iPadOS 17 or macOS Sonoma, which just came out today.

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Your WhatsApp voice calls are getting a needed overhaul for iOS and Android

WhatsApp is testing a new look for being in a call, both on iOS and Android, which shows who's speaking in a group call with waveforms, alongside a more modern design.

The company has been working on improvements across the app for the last year, with multi-device support, a desktop app for Windows 11, and more to better rival other messaging apps.

But calling in WhatsApp has been relegated to the standard user interface of what iOS and Android offer to third-party apps with call features.

However, version 22.5.0.70, currently available to beta testers, the new look for calling in the app is going to benefit group calls more than those that are one-to-one.


Analysis: Making your voice calls look much better

WhatsApp audio wave form call

(Image credit: WABetaInfo)

For years, the interface when you're in a call on iOS and Android has barely seen any improvement since their first versions. While iOS 14 brought a compact view for when you would be in a call, the full-screen view has been relatively unchanged.

More users are preferring to choose to call over other apps, from WhatsApp to Skype, especially with group calls, which is why an update to the interface for WhatsApp is welcome.

Here, you've got an elegant design that shows who's speaking thanks to the audio waveforms for when someone speaks, alongside three options that's available to you at all times if you want to go on mute, end the call, or go on loudspeaker.

It's a modern design that only goes to show how much of an update the call screen in iOS and Android needs, especially for group calls.

Via WABetaInfo

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