Apple to Launch Standalone Podcast App with iOS 6

Earlier this week, AppAdvice noted that three categories of content had disappeared from the iTunes app in iOS 6: Podcasts, Audiobooks, and iTunes U. Apple launched a dedicated iTunes U app earlier this year, but the fate of the other content types in iOS 6 remained unclear.

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AllThingsD now reports that Apple will also be launching a standalone app for podcasts in iOS 6, giving them greater visibility while simplifying the iTunes app that has become home to an increasingly large number of content categories.

So why have podcasts disappeared from the new version of iTunes that Apple started showing to developers this week?

Because Apple plans on giving the recordings their own bit of digital turf.

People familiar with Apple’s plans tell me that when its new iOS 6 software becomes widely available this fall, podcasts will have their own app, where users will be able to discover, download and play them on mobile devices. Users who access iTunes via laptop and desktop machines will still find them in that version of iTunes, though.

Podcasts are one of the longest-tenured media types on Apple's portable devices, having been available through the iTunes Store since the release of iTunes 4.9 in mid-2005.

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Top Rated Comments

Small White Car Avatar
168 months ago
Cool. Being stuffed into the 'more' tab is never a great way to treat a feature if you want people to care about it.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dagamer34 Avatar
168 months ago
Still doesn't look any better than Downcast, so I think I will be sticking with that.
You're not looking at tr Podcasts app, but the removal of podcast support in the iOS6 music app.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Skika Avatar
168 months ago
Ping???
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Megagator Avatar
168 months ago
Hopefully the new app will be completely independent from iTunes as far as downloading and syncing with other devices. Obviously should still sync with iTunes for backlog of podcasts...
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ugahairydawgs Avatar
168 months ago
Hopefully this is a sign of a complete shift in mentality in terms of the iTunes model and they eventually move to blow up that behemoth too.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Navdakilla Avatar
168 months ago
Cool. Love listening to podcasts.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)