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iOS 14.6 Apple Podcast not playing

Since I downloaded 14.6 my podcast app is a total mess. It won't let me play anything. I press "play" and.....nothing. Literally nothing. I've tried re-starting my phone + deleting and reloading the app etc etc etc. Nothing. It's ridiculous. This latest software is appalling.


(Battery life also appalling).


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Posted on Jun 10, 2021 4:18 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 11, 2021 1:41 PM

There were major changes to the iOS 14.5 Podcasts app overhaul and, unfortunately, the default settings didn’t correlate well with past settings. However, once you review and reset the Podcast app setting, Station settings and Show settings, it appears to work well.


The pic below shows the Podcasts app settings at iPhone Settings>Podcasts (left frame), the Station settings (middle) and the Show settings (right) in the image below. Check the blue arrows which cause Shows to be updated automatically and permit you to limit new episodes. Also note the blue circles that hide played episodes and remove played downloads.



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 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 and remain 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.

20 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 11, 2021 1:41 PM in response to RachelEthers

There were major changes to the iOS 14.5 Podcasts app overhaul and, unfortunately, the default settings didn’t correlate well with past settings. However, once you review and reset the Podcast app setting, Station settings and Show settings, it appears to work well.


The pic below shows the Podcasts app settings at iPhone Settings>Podcasts (left frame), the Station settings (middle) and the Show settings (right) in the image below. Check the blue arrows which cause Shows to be updated automatically and permit you to limit new episodes. Also note the blue circles that hide played episodes and remove played downloads.



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 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 and remain 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.

Jun 27, 2021 6:31 PM in response to RachelEthers

Apple Podcasts doesn’t play 90% of the time now when I hit “play”. Sometimes it will start five minutes later, and sometimes it won’t.


I just signed up for Spotify premium yet I don’t like that, which is a whole other post not related to this one.


I just want my Apple podcast back!!


C’mon Apple! Please fix the podcasts so that “play means play” again, thanks!


Photo is what I see most of the time now. When I hit “play”, nothing happens.

Jun 11, 2021 5:13 PM in response to cyberbiker

Thanks. I have some of these settings turned on but all the screens you show here are not available to me (maybe cos I've got an old phone - an iphone 8 plus). The main issue is that the app just freezes the whole time and won't let me press play. I also can't get to 'other episodes' of a particular podcast. It really is pretty rubbish. Battery life now terrible too.

Jun 15, 2021 4:15 PM in response to RachelEthers

When I start the podcasts app it takes at least a minute to start playing a podcast. I tap the play button and it just goes back to pause until it decides to start playing. It often takes several more minutes for the show art, progress bar, and playlist to populate after it starts playing.


In CarPlay, at least 5/6 times I try to go to the podcast app, it crashes it and I have to start the whole process over on my phone.


I've also noticed my battery life is terrible ever since upgrading to 14.5, but the battery status says it's not Podcasts that is responsible.


I do have quite a large library of podcasts, but I would think users like me who listen to a lot of podcasts and have premium subscriptions are the ones they wouldn't want switching to other apps.

Jul 23, 2021 11:59 PM in response to RachelEthers

I've deleted the app and will download a different one from the many that are available. I can't be bothered with all this mucky-muck. I learned to use iPhoto and threw away my camera. Then it got canceled. I learned to use iTunes, threw away my cassettes, now iTunes doesn't work. I finally bought an iPod and threw away my cassette player, now my iPod is no longer supported, in fact, it is useless. I threw away all my paper maps and my compass. Little did I know that downsizing would only work for me if I was always connected. Always connected. Somewhere someone is listening to some really good punk rock and I am on this silly "forum" searching for answers to questions that are answered by random people instead of the actual company that makes and sells the product I am having problems with. I never imagined this is what the future would look like.

Aug 7, 2021 2:13 PM in response to cyberbiker

Thank you! This problem wasn't exactly what I was experiencing but your solutions helped me solve mine! I was having trouble getting any of my downloaded podcasts to appear on my CarPlay screen once I plugged my phone into my car. I had 'unfollowed' every podcast at first because my car was showing me every. single. show. I had ever listened to, even if it was only once! What a nightmare!

By 'unfollowing' and 'following' again the shows I wanted, the downloaded episodes now show up in my car!

Apple needs to get their SH%T together, this podcast update is appalling, based on not only my own experiences, but everyone else's that Ive read.

Anyway, thanks for helping!

iOS 14.6 Apple Podcast not playing

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