Popular podcast player Overcast has reached its long-awaited third iteration on the iOS App Store, with improvements to episode management and a slew of other UI enhancements.

Designed by Instapaper developer Marco Arment, Overcast 3's most obvious change is that it adopts the design language of iOS 10, such as the use of stacked views which Apple introduced in Apple Music, so screens including Now Playing, settings, downloads, and recommendations, now appear as stacks that slide up from the bottom of the interface. There's also a redesigned Now Playing view, in which users swipe right to adjust audio settings, and swipe left to view episode information.

Screen Shot 7
A new episode action tray features in the app, grouping actions that were previously hidden behind swipe gestures or other menus. Tapping an episode in a list now displays buttons to share, star, play, add to queue, and delete the selected podcast episode.

Elsewhere, Peek and Pop 3D Touch gestures are now supported in episode list screens, allowing users to quickly preview episode contents and access play and delete shortcuts by sliding up the Peek card. An Overcast 3 widget for the home screen has also been developed, which allows users to see what's playing, resume playback, and see upcoming episodes in their Up Next queue.

2017 02 19 22 25 28
Also included in Overcast 3 is a redesign of its Apple Watch component, with the ability to view upcoming episodes from the wrist.

Overcast 3 is available as a free ad-supported app, while an optional $9.99 in-app purchase gets users a premium ad-free version. Overcast 3 is available for iPhone and iPad from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

Chaginxin Avatar
107 months ago
I don't know if its my favorite app, but it certainly my most used one. Nice to see the update to match iOS10. Still wish I could download episodes to my watch so that I could listen while i run without having to take my phone with me
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dave2010 Avatar
107 months ago
Unfortunately it is a $9.99/year subscription.

I would happily pay $10 to unlock the full version even if it meant paying another $10 next year for version 4, but I'm unwilling to be perpetually held hostage with a subscription for certain app categories when there's no guarantee that the developer will do anything with the fees I pay. .
This developer has a bad past with respect to that, Accepting a payment for a permanent ad free version, then putting the ads back in a while later, seems misleading. He keeps changing the model to try and monetise more. I think he's just a bit too greedy when you consider what the competition; pocketcasts, downcast can do for a single payment.

I use the iOS podcast app myself, after trying all the rest, because it finally works reliably and I prefer the design. $10 a year actually gets you very little extra when you look at what the free app does.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JNGold Avatar
107 months ago
Do you have "continuous playback" toggled on or off under settings?
I have that toggled on and I have found that something I mark to "play next" doesn't play at all unless you are in the Queue playlist. This functionality is terrible and I'm not sure how this got past a beta. Like most apps, including Apple's (which actually does it well), Play next should auto play the marked episode regardless of what playlist you're in. I hope this gets corrected ASAP.

I have been an Apple Podcast app user for a long time and EOD it just works. It's simple and does what I need and includes video podcasts as well. Also, because it's Apple's app, it works great with Siri (more important now that I am using AirPods), and CarPlay is rock solid. I'm not holding much hope for Overcast staying on my iDevices for long.

Update: This app is a buggy mess. A couple of crashes so far this morning, Widget doesn't show currently playing podcast. Overcast started out as with clean and simple UI and was FAST. Over time, it has become an unreliable and inconsistent performer and I am not sold on Arment's design choices and beta testing capability.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
odditie Avatar
107 months ago
I've been a Overcast user for a year or so now and I used the playlist feature for the first time this morning. I thought I must have done something wrong when the next podcast didn't start playing after the first one on the playlist finished.

Why does it not do this?! Strange
I did a quick test where i was listening to a podcast in a playlist, i manually moved it to about 30 seconds from end. it play that part then stopped.

it makes the app a non starter for me.

oh well, i am happy with apple podcasts, have tried them all but for me, it works for me the best.
Do you have "continuous playback" toggled on or off under settings?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Diiiiips Avatar
107 months ago
wait.

so if you have a playlist and you are playing your podcasts in a row, like you are driving or something, this app does auto play the next podcast after you complete one?

i am missing something right?
I've been a Overcast user for a year or so now and I used the playlist feature for the first time this morning. I thought I must have done something wrong when the next podcast didn't start playing after the first one on the playlist finished.

Why does it not do this?! Strange
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dwman Avatar
107 months ago
I wish he included video podcasts as an option. I could ditch my video podcasting app.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.5 With New Wallpaper, Screen Time Changes, Carrier Satellite Support for iPhone 13 and More

Monday May 12, 2025 10:06 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, the fifth updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 come a little over a month after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The iOS 18.5 update has a...
iPhone 12 Made in India

Trump Tells Tim Cook to Stop Building iPhones in India

Thursday May 15, 2025 2:21 am PDT by
President Donald Trump has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to halt the company's manufacturing expansion in India, in a potential disruption of Apple's plan to shift iPhone production away from China. "I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said during his state visit to Qatar, according to Bloomberg. "He is building all over India." "They [India] have offered us a deal where...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
apple music

Apple Music Gets New Transfer Tool to Make Switching From Spotify Easier

Wednesday May 14, 2025 5:17 pm PDT by
Apple this week introduced a new feature designed to allow prospective Apple Music users to import their saved music and playlists from third-party music services to Apple Music. The feature is either in an expanded testing phase or it has started rolling out, and it is available in Australia and New Zealand according to an Apple Support document. Signs of the transfer option first surfaced...
maxresdefault

Here's the First Real-World Look at Apple's CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:52 am PDT by
The first videos of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience are now available, providing a never-before-seen look at the long-anticipated iPhone-linked infotainment software. British automaker Aston Martin today shared the first video of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience in-action, followed by a detailed walk-through of the CarPlay Ultra system on Top Gear's YouTube channel, which provides the...