iOS 16.4: What’s new for Apple Podcasts

iOS 16.4, iPadOS 16.4, and macOS 13.3 will include the following updates for Apple Podcasts.

Channels in Library

Later this spring, listeners will be able to find and browse all of their podcast channels in one place on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. When a listener follows a show that is part of a channel, the channel will appear in a new section of Library. Channels that listeners subscribe to are located at the top, followed by channels for free shows that listeners follow.

To adjust the order of the Channels section in Library, listeners can tap the More (...) button and slide Channels to the desired position. From here, they can also uncheck any Library section to hide it.

When listeners tap on a channel, they will see the shows they follow at the top. Channels that offer subscriptions feature additional rows for subscriber shows and episodes to help listeners discover these premium experiences.

Up Next improvements

The Up Next queue features new episodes from followed shows to help listeners decide what to play next. With these software updates, Up Next will also include 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.

Listeners will also soon have more tools to manage their Up Next queues. To dismiss an episode from Up Next, touch and hold the show artwork and tap Remove from Up Next. Listeners can also tap See All and find the option from the More (...) menu or swipe to the left on an episode.

Enhancements to episode presentation

Listeners will benefit from enhancements to the way episodes are presented across Apple Podcasts. For example, listeners can see how many unplayed episodes are available for them at the top of each show page and from the Recently Updated section of Library, quickly understand how recently a new episode was published, and identify “early access” subscriber episodes that are made available to them as part of their subscription. Subscriber episodes will also display the name of the associated subscription.

Up Next and Browse come to CarPlay

Many listeners enjoy podcasts while they’re commuting and, with iOS 16.4, there are many improvements to the Apple Podcasts experience in CarPlay. Soon, listeners will be able to access their Up Next and Recently Played queues from Listen Now in CarPlay. Passengers can also explore new editorially curated podcast recommendations from the Browse tab. When listeners navigate to show pages, the latest episodes are conveniently displayed at the top.

Even more precise analytics

Hosting providers and third-party podcasting services can now precisely identify listening from Apple Podcasts across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. Third-party podcasting services are encouraged to adopt support for an identifiable user agent to provide creators clear, accurate, and reliable insights about how listeners download their podcast episodes.