Apple Podcasts finally goes cross-platform

After nearly two decades, Apple is finally making the Podcasts service available across all platforms via the web. However, back in 2005, the Cupertino-based giant started it all by adding podcasts to iTunes 4.9. The standalone Apple Podcasts app needed a few long years to arrive. However, from its introduction in 2012, Apple Podcasts took less than two years to be integrated into iOS. Before its recent arrival on the web, the standalone app was available for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, CarPlay, Microsoft Windows, and also on Amazon Alexa-supported devices.

To access Apple Podcasts via a web browser on any platform, the user simply needs to go to https://podcasts.apple.com/ and enjoy the content available, even without signing in. In this case, however, there are some limitations, such as the lack of transcripts and the inability to access episodes labeled as including explicit content. Obviously, one needs to sign in to quickly access the shows previously subscribed to or to sync content between devices.

Regardless of the operating system or the browser used, Apple Podcasts needs the Google Widevine plugin installed to work properly. If this piece of code is not available, the website will be accessible, but playback will always fail. Depending on the settings of the software environment, tracking blockers or certain browser settings could also lead to errors. Speaking of ads, new Apple Podcasts users should be aware that, while Apple doesn't insert ads into any podcast, the creators might do so.

Those who want to go beyond the podcast listener stage and become creators themselves should grab Podcasting Made Simple: The Step by Step Guide on How to Start a Successful Podcast from the Ground up, a book by Daniel Larson and Jake Fielding that is available on Amazon in Kindle, audiobook, paperback, and hardcover formats.