podcast app problem

I have the same problem on my iPhone5. I like to download podcasts on my Mac and sync them to my phone. Before the latest update the podcasts that have been played would disappear from my phone when I sync it but since the update they stay there. Some are grayed out and some are still showing with a cloud symbol next to them. I have to manually delete each one from my phone which is a pain, especially since the grayed out podcasts cause the app to crash when I try deleting them (when I bring it back up they are gone).

I'm going to try going into each podcast's settings and change "Episodes to Keep" from "Default Setting (All)" to "All Unplayed" and see if that works. I'll let you know.

I'm having the same issue!

I want to sync my iMac, iPhone, and iPad using the iTunes on the iMac like I've done all along, even when I used the Music App for the podcasts!!! Who's bright idea to change something that was working to this peice of crap!!

Its like Apple is acting like Microsoft and doesn't care about the people that buy their products!

Apple needs to fix this issue soon!

Skelekatie wrote:

I'm going to try going into each podcast's settings and change "Episodes to Keep" from "Default Setting (All)" to "All Unplayed" and see if that works. I'll let you know.

I've tried that, it didn't seem to work. Also tried setting it to keep "Last 10 episodes" (which is what iTunes on my iMac is set to) and that doesn't work. I'm still showing 18 episode of the podcast, many greyed-out and/or showing a cloud icon.

This is so frustrating. It doesn't affect playback or function at all, purely the asthetics of looking at the Podcast app. Back in the old days (according to the Steve Jobs bio), Apple did things purely for asthetics. I wish that philosophy was applied to apps.

I have become convinced that none of the workarounds work and apparently Apple has no intention of fixing this.

What's wrong with the market? Somebody should be able to write a simple app that can use itunes to sync iphone to Mac; mac to iPhone? Hundreds, thousands, of people would pay for an alternative that worked.

I'm glad I found this! I thought it was just me, seeing as how Appple seems to have not fixed this one.

I too did what other suggested and changed from "Keep All" to "Keep All Unplayed." It too has had no effect.

Worse still, the screen doesn't always refresh. I deleted Ep 27, and when it refreshed, it showed Ep 27 still there. So I deleted it again. That actually deleted Ep28 (which I hadn't heard yet). And once you delete it, no matter how many time you sync, it won't come back. However, if you leave those little unplayed entries sitting out there, it will redownload and replay them.

This is a very bad app. I wish they would let us have the option of playing them through the Music app again.

Like so many others, I have similar problems.

It appears that Apple is not interested in those of us who try to use the failing Podcast app. Based on the numerous one-star reviews and so many discussions on its failures, I'd like to investigate Podcast alternatives. Who can suggest a good one?

Thank you!