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.
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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)
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.
