iOS 16.4, iPadOS 16.4, and macOS 13.3 were released today with several new features for Apple's Podcasts app across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and CarPlay.
First, a new Channels menu in the Podcasts app provides a list of podcast channels all in one place on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. A channel allows a creator or brand to list all of their podcasts in one place for listeners to easily discover.
Second, the Up Next queue now includes episodes listeners have saved to their Library and episodes that they play from shows they do not follow:
For example, when a listener plays an episode of a show before deciding to follow it, that episode will now remain in Up Next until the listener finishes it, marks it as played, or removes it. New episodes from followed shows and recently saved episodes will appear at the top of the Up Next queue while episodes that listeners have started and older saved episodes will appear toward the end. The latest episodes from recently followed shows appear at the start of Up Next. Also, episodes categorized with a "bonus" episode type will appear in Up Next.
Users also have more tools to manage Up Next. For example, they can touch and hold a show's artwork to remove it from the queue.
Third, users are now able to view how many unplayed episodes are available for them at the top of each show page, identify "early access" subscriber episodes that are made available to them as part of their Apple Podcasts subscriptions, and more.
Fourth, iOS 16.4 includes Podcasts app improvements for CarPlay, including access to the Up Next and Recently Played queues from Listen Now in CarPlay. And in the Browse tab, there are now editorially curated podcast recommendations.
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker.
Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...
Always great to have improvements. There’s one simple improvement I wish Apple’s Podcasts app had that Spotify has. When you go to a show that you’re following’s list of episodes, I wish it would take you to the episode you last were listening to.
For podcasts that have had hundreds of episodes and that still have hundreds of episodes before I’m caught up, I have to go scrolling, scrolling, scrolling just to find the last episode I just listened to so I can find the next episode that was released to either play it now or save it to my saved podcasts list.
It’s so inefficient, cumbersome, and not user friendly. This feels like a perfect example of it seeming like Apple designers/developers don’t actually use their services apps.
Yes, we should be able to follow the podcasts in sequence and not simply have the newest one listed first.
Always great to have improvements. There’s one simple improvement I wish Apple’s Podcasts app had that Spotify has. When you go to a show that you’re following’s list of episodes, I wish it would take you to the episode you last were listening to.
For podcasts that have had hundreds of episodes and that still have hundreds of episodes before I’m caught up, I have to go scrolling, scrolling, scrolling just to find the last episode I just listened to so I can find the next episode that was released to either play it now or save it to my saved podcasts list.
It’s so inefficient, cumbersome, and not user friendly. This feels like a perfect example of it seeming like Apple designers/developers don’t actually use their services apps.
I have not liked how Podcast syncs across the Apple platform. I cannot easily start listening on my iPhone and then finish listening on my iPad or Mac. Yes, I can use handoff, but that's not what I want. Often when I'm using the iPhone Podcast, I may put it down after I've arrived in my office, then a few hours later, open up Podcast app on my iPad to continue listening to the episode wherever I left off. Can't do that easily because this doesn't sync. To have this do it more automatically, I have to return to the episode on my iPhone, play the episode, and while the screen is still on, go to my iPad to click on the continuity icon for the Podcast. Dumb.
Just sync the darn thing totally across all devices, from timepoints to episodes played and playing.
It would be nice if it could integrate with the existing Tesla Apple music app
Music and Podcasts, while both audio, are very different media and listening experiences. A music apps UI and management are a poor mix for podcasts. Spotify is the poster child for that problem.
It would be better if Teslas would just allow CarPlay like most other auto manufacturers so that users could control and manage the apps themselves.
Same here, I would've long ditched it if it wasn't a common app. Apple seems to truly hate the concept of a regular playlist.
Right? And what the hell is the "Play Next" and "Play Last" command? Ok, I know what they are but it is an asinine way to add items to your queue.
Take for an example a podcast that has 4 episodes that are meant to be listened to in chronological order. In order for me to add each item in a way that enters the queue in the right fashion, I'll first go to the last episode, then click "Play Next" and do that for the next one. So essentially I'm adding in reverse chronological order in order to get them to play in chronological order. There are other ways to add these episodes, but none that I know of in which the order you add them is the order they would play without having to do some tricks with Play Next or Play Last. It's crazy.
Yes, I know you can visually resort them once added to the list, but that's doing double work. Once you add them you have to go in again to re-order them? Nah. There's got to be a better way to do this with a better User Interface.
