Podcasts App... Not Syncing Correctly.

Hi Xjasper, that's strange, I checked if I payed and forgot that I did, but in my purchase history it really says FREE. Maybe the makers noticed the dissatisfaction with the apple podcast app and decided to ask money for theirs ?

The app itself is okay. It's rather basic. I don't need more, I'm a basic user. It didn't crash on my ipod (ios 7.1). In my opinion it looks and feels better than the SpeedUp app, with big buttons and an icon that not hurts my eye. Of course you cannot speed up the podcasts :-) I didn't use it for audiobooks, but you can.

ok. i'll try with the trial version, thanks.

I am having the same problem and WOW look at what I have just disovered:

Somehow iTunes and/or the Podcast app are mashing episodes from unrelated podcasts together. I have just opened a podcast on my iPhone 5s and inside that podcast are podcast episodes from completely unrelated podcasts!!!!

The screenshot below is from a podcast called RTÉ Irish Noir. But the episode is from a podcast called Roscrea Heritage Audio Guide. Neither podcast is in any way related. The Roscrea Heritage Audio Guide is playing inside the RTÉ Irish Noir podcast!

Don't believe me?

RTÉ Irish Noir can be found here:

https://itunes.apple.com/nz/podcast/rte-irish-noir/id708369905?mt=2 (RTÉ Irish Noir)

Roscrea Heritage Audio Guide can be found here:

https://itunes.apple.com/nz/podcast/aileen-omeara-media/id446695458?mt=2 (Roscrea Heritage Audio Guide)

There should only be 4 episodes listed in the RTÉ Irish Noir podcast menu - none of the episodes listed below should be there because they aren't from RTÉ Irish Noir:

Also, as I have sat here typing, I have watched the app "refresh" and some episodes disappear, and others that still don't belong there come back.

Thank goodness I took screenshots and a video clip (which won't upload here) or I wouldn't believe my own eyes.

If anyone from Apple reads this I'm happy to upload.

Yeah, mine had been doing that for MONTHS. I subscribe to several podcasts, but they're all from the TWiT Network. So the Podcast app kindly mashes them all into one folder, with separate folders only for the most recent episode of each.

But at least back then, the app would *run*. Now it just crashes on launch, even after uninstalling, restarting, then re-installing it. Apple software engineering is becoming a joke - it's like they're not even testing any more.

Syncing podcasts via iTunes is a must for me, since I alternate between using an iPod Nano and an iPhone, and Apple just can't keep the wheels on. It all started breaking when they added all the crap to enable syncing directly on the phone, never mind that some people still share with multiple different devices.

Since posting a few hours ago the same podcast episode has spontaneously decided to move from RTÉ Irish Noir to Scientific American!!!!

Apple has released a further update to the Podcasts app tonight (version 2.1.1).

The update has fixed my issues 🙂

It's too late - I'm sticking with Downcast. It also allows you to import local files. And it doesn't make you angry.

The latest version 2.1.1 of Podcast App seems to have problems with member podcasts. I subscribe to Maccast Member Podcast in iTunes which requires a Member ID and Password. It seems to be functioning correctly in iTunes but not when Synced to my iPad 3rd Gen. The podcast shows up on the iPad but only shows an icon with gray background and name of podcast displayed diagonally across the icon. When clicked on, the episode frame opens but there are no episodes either played or unplayed. Also, when I click the Feed Tab, there are no episodes in the Feed. This podcast was not a problem before the latest update. Luckily the Downcast App on the iPad does handle the podcast properly.

Based on my own experience by using iPhone transferring programs, iPubsoft iPhone to Computer Transfer is the best and easiest solution for you to transfer podcasts from iPhone to computer.

So I too am becoming incredibly frustrated with played/unplayed and thus deletion of heard podcasts. I listen on my iPhone, iPad and Macbook, depending on if I'm at home, on the treadmill or walking around shopping, etc. and simply put, played/unplayed is all over the map, all the time. What am I doing wrong? Is there anything I can do?

So I too am becoming incredibly frustrated with played/unplayed and thus deletion of heard podcasts. I listen on my iPhone, iPad and Macbook, depending on if I'm at home, on the treadmill or walking around shopping, etc. and simply put, played/unplayed is all over the map, all the time. What am I doing wrong? Is there anything I can do?

Like a lot of others have found latest iTunes and iOS iDevices frustrating when dealing with Podcast syncing but not funnily enough when using my "old" iPod Classic, that syncs correctly every time but does not have the all sings iCloud ability to sync play back status in real time across devices without usb connection.

It got so bad having miss syncing marking played on one device as unplayed on others that I have now tried to get it working like that with the classic, namely a simple sync through usb contolled soley via iTunes with no over the air disruption via iCloud!

To enable this I turned off "Sync Podcasts" within Podcast Setting on the iDevices, in fact the only setting enable is "Delete Played", then within iTunes Preferences unticked "Sync playback info" and "Sync podcasts subscription". The only setting this leaves is that of enabling "Sync Podcasts" from first sellecting your iDevice when it's connected to iTunes, scroll down to Podcasts in the side bar then ticking Sync Podcasts together with Automatically include.....

I'm hoping that because I've cut all iCloud connection for Podcasts the only time new Podcasts will be updated to the iDevices will be on connecting the usb lead, like wise for play status - keeping iTunes as the only source - in fact just like the good old days. Working fine so far!

Spoke too soon, old behaviour back - played podcasts on iMac marked as played and moved ready to be deleted in 24hrs as per setting. When I sync to either iPhone 4s or iPad mini the played podcasts end up being shown on the iDevices as unplayed (but the content is erased because it shows the "cloud" icon).

Currently opened ticket with Apple and discussing but those dealing with iOS say I'm doing it currently with settings as they would recommend, waiting for another call but this time from someone responsible for OS/iTunes.

Sorted the played/unplayed issue for me anyhow, had long talk with Apple iOS Senior Tech the other night - and with what he suggested and a few ideas of my own all now works as it should. Not sure what actually resolved the issue so will list all.

1 - I have two computers and decided to remove all podcasts and start from scratch so first step was to connect iDevices in turn and untick the podcast box in iTunes and then sync to remove podcasts off said iDevices. Depending on how messed up some may be removed and others may not.

2 - Then on each iDevice and each computer I marked every episode as played and refreshed, then deleted all episodes. Lastly unsubscribe each podcast and then delete, you should then have a blank podcast page for all iDevices and computers. Reboot the iDevices.

3 - I then de-authorized my computers from iTunes store (iTunes/Store/Deauthorize) then signed out of iTunes and reboot computers.

4 - Now to start over again I only re-authorized one computer at first after signing in to iTunes and re-subscribed the podcasts letting them download the latest episodes.

5 - Once they have downloaded I then re-synced my iDevices in turn via usb by going into the podcast page in iTunes and ticking "Sync Podcasts" and "Automatically include". If you go to your iDevices the podcasts should have been transfered and for me they now shown as being subscribed (before they always ended up being shown as unsubscribed and I had to manually change).

6 - Play an episode in iTunes and let it finish allowing iTunes to mark it played and if enabled move it for deletion in 24hrs. Sync your iDevice and check, you might have to wait a few second for the podcast to refresh but it should also show as played, moved to the 24hrs delete area and show the cloud icon on the righthand side.

Podcast settings on iDevice are Sync Podcasts (on), WiFi (off), Refresh (manually), Limit (off), Download (off), Delete Played Episodes (on). Podcast Defaults for iTunes are Refresh (6hrs), Limit Episodes (2 Most Recent), Download (on), Delete Played (on).

Not sure what part of the above sorted the issue or if I just got lucky but has worked for the last 4 podcast episodes.

How can this still be a mess years later. Still a horrible interface and very unpredictable behavior. iOS 8.4, same problem...even worse.