Podcasts on iOS 14.6, serious loading issues

Apple Discussions is a user-to-use your knowledge sharing forum and, as you can see, we are all sharing some of the pain with the Podcasts app upgrade. The best bet is for all to submit problems and suggestions to Apple at Apple Feedback, https://www.apple.com/feedback/apple-podcasts/

The iOS 14.5 & 14.6 Apple Podcasts app upgrades are still bug-ridden. I’m sorry podcast users have had to serve as guinea pigs for such a flawed versions, it doesn’t make sense to invest time trying to answer questions about such an unpredictable piece of software.

On the Apple Podcasts Server side new episodes for some Shows are listed three days after they are available on TuneIn, Stitcher, SoundCloud, etc.

On the Apple Podcasts app side:

• the app gets stuck in loading mode with some users when first opened,

• Episodes sometimes mark themselves as played after just a few seconds,

• some Shows do not list the most recent unplayed episodes even when the Show settings are chosen to do so.

• Station lists sometimes do not list unplayed episodes available in Show lists, even though the Station settings do not limit episodes,

• some users experience difficulty deleting episodes from lists,

• some episodes download once in Show lists, others simply do not, even the toggle for Automatic Downloads in Show settings is On,

• the app causes a heating problem and excessive battery draining, particularly when select other apps are open in the background or foreground,

• a change in key default settings in the iOS 14.5 Podcasts app upgrade caused numerous unwanted automatic downloads in Shows with tens or hundreds of episodes.

Hopefully, some heads have rolled for those responsible, clearer thinking people have replaced them and the bugs will be straightened out soon. Apple is an excellent company which has made this experience frustrate us more.

Same. It's almost unusable now. Refreshing stations takes ages where it used to be nigh-instantaneous before the latest update. Even just hitting play on any podcast ... the UI doesn't change at all to register that you've clicked the button ... so you sit there just ... waiting. It will even display the last played show's title and art well after a completely different podcast has finally started. I've never needed to use another app, but it might be time. Frustrating.

Hi everyone!

Seems to be a poor experience for a lot of consumers, so I hope Apple is on this and trying to fix it.

I'm now using the Acast App in the short term, recommended by another user and the experience has been good, with the option of all your shows to be transferred across. Whatever way you go you'll lose some time mucking around. Lots of money spent with Apple along the journey. I'm still trying to work out the costs associated with the subscription business, hopefully not lost. iHeartRadio App was another one recommended. Spotify did the trick too for a quick Podcast fix.

This was from another post: The best bet is for all to submit problems and suggestions to Apple at Apple Feedback, https://www.apple.com/feedback/apple-podcasts/.

I did this and have not received a reply from Apple yet, I'm not sure if you do get a reply.

hey everyone, this is a user discussion forum. If you're truly upset by the podcast app and hope Apple will fix it, lodge a quick complaint with them here: https://www.apple.com/feedback/apple-podcasts/

This afternoon I decided to update the software on my iPhone to 14.6 and I can not believe the Podcast app which I have used daily for over 10 years has been destroyed in one fell swoop.

I was that much into the Apple Podcast app that when Joe Rogan and Last Pod on the left moved to Spotify I never bothered to listen to them again as I don’t like Spotify as a platform. After seeing the Podcast update today I thought it’s time to move on and I downloaded a few from the App Store. Best of the Bunch by a mile is Pocket Cast,similar layout to Apple but much more customisable and a pleasant interface. The Apple podcast has now been deleted from my iPhone and iPad and I’m happy to pay a small subscription to support Pocket Cast as they have a super product.

Goodbye Apple 🍏

I am having serious issues with the new podcasts's app. When I go into Library it takes an absolute age to update. Says "Loading" for a long time. When I play podcasts it doesn't appear properly. It is very poor.

The 14.6 update has destroyed the podcast app . Many issues but one to note . I select and episode and it plays another title episode while showing it is playing the correct episode . Apple support is zero help and after 40 + phone calls I’ve gotten nothing but garbage for help . I have spoke to over 40 senior Apple advisors and not one who was familiar with the podcast app and how it used to operate not to mention. How it currently works . Also every Apple advisor acts as if I’m the first person with the problem . It’s a known issue !!!

I've had ALL the same issues others have described above.

These annoyances have been occurring for a week or two now, but actually seem to be getting *worse*? As of today, my library isnt just very very slow to load, it hasn't loaded AT ALL with 15 minutes of waiting.

I sent feedback via the link cyberbiker provided.

Does anyone have insight on how to pressure Apple to fix this? I've invested a lot of time into organizing my library and am slightly reluctant to learn a new app. But I am a podcasts addict and have many that are a daily habit. So if it's not fixed in a couple days, I'll have to start moving. Other than migrating to Stitcher or other podcast options, is there anything that can be done? Would the biggest content creators/most popular podcasters (Rogan, Shapiro, various Earwolf comedies, various Crooked Media shows, etc.) ever stop using Apple podcasts to host their shows? If those folks said "from here on out, I will only be on xyz platform," I'm sure it would take a lot of listeners with them. Would this affect Apple in any significant way?

I have the same issue, updated to IOS 14.6 and the Podcast App has stopped working, scrolls for hours on end, and ***** battery power whilst doing this! Where do people sit who have associated subscription costs with a show but cannot listen to the show? Seem to be getting a raw deal here, can we be reimbursed these costs?

[Edited by Moderator]

It takes me nearly 10 minutes to get a podcast to start. It is unbearable. I’ve given up listening to them and there is a hole in my life. I’ve been with Apple for 12 years and never had a problem before. So disappointed. Wish they would hurry up and fix it.

Hi aideen114, sounds promising.

Can I ask, what was the 'one click' that downloaded all your Apple Podcasts to Acast?

I've been using Spotify for the last day or so to listen to Podcasts, with no issue, but starting from scratch i.e., I think I've played a few episodes I had already listened to, ah well!

Still struggling with the fact that this is a known issue for Apple and they don't seem to be in any rush to fix it.

I'm not sure if this will assist with shows that have been subscribed to on Apple Podcasts, trying to work out if these will be reimbursed through Apple or the Show Provider.

Hi pdonners, It was a terrible situation for podcast addicts wasn’t it? Being able to listen to podcasts was what led me to the iPhone all those years ago. When you go into Acast it says click here to download your Apple podcasts. I didn’t pay for any podcast on Apple so I don’t know about that. The format is different but it looks nice so I’m hoping to get into listening today as I have a lot of painting and gardening to do. Good luck.

It takes upwards of five minutes for me to be able to go from clicking the show title to being able to select the episodes. Today I counted. I clicked case file at 1:37 it didn’t load up until 1:42.

This went from being my favorite podcast app to me dreading when I have to use it.

iOS 14.6 Podcast is a train wreck!

I use it every single day on iPhone XR and have never had a problem before this update. I see I’m not the only one.

I spent approximately six hours trying to get one podcast to play back. So extremely frustrating! Nothing works as it should.

I don’t know what has happened to Apple to release this half-baked debacle but please fix this quickly!

Now on to the music app.

I was so excited to experience Dolby Atmos and lossless audio only to find that it also sputtered and crashed and was a thoroughly disappointing experience! What a let down.

Apple I hope you are working diligently to resolve these issues as well. I have been a customer from the beginning and have spent thousands and thousands of dollars on my family’s iPhones, iTunes subscriptions, iMacs, Apple TV etc and I’ve never been so disappointed in a so-called upgrade.

Apple I hope you are listening.