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Podcasts in iTunes not syncing with the Podcast app on iPhone 4 and iPad mini

I know there are lots of threads along these lines but I'm still baffled what's going on and haven't yet figured out how to fix it.


I have lots of podcasts in iTunes on my iMac. I sync them to my iPhone 4 or iPad mini for my commute - sometimes by train, sometimes by car.


But more times than not I find the podcast is unavailable once I'm on the train or in the car. Some will be completely greyed out and some will have the iCloud symbol next to them. iCloud isn't helpful as my iPad is wifi only and the 3G signal for my iPhone is pretty patchy on the train.


I kept thinking I was doing something wrong but I was very careful last night as it has been getting very irritating to not be able to access the new podcasts - yet still the same problem on the train this morning. I don't have the same problem with music or videos which seem to sync fine - so it does suggest it is the Podcast app which is the problem.


Is it just that the Podcasts app is flaky or is there some magic setting which solves this?

Thanks.


Simon

iPad, iOS 7.1, iPad mini and iPhone 4 on iOS7

Posted on Mar 25, 2014 1:59 AM

Reply
4 replies

Mar 29, 2014 2:24 PM in response to ZigsterUK

I have been having a similar/related problem just recently syncing from desktop to iphone 4. New podcasts sync ok and show up as on the iphone when viewing contents in itunes, but they do not show up listed in the podcast app - seems not to recognize they are there. I do not have icloud enabled; I do all my syncing to the desktop (if that matters.) These are all podcasts subscribed through itunes, and previously worked ok. It's just a recent thing. Tried usual things, rebooting phone, closing and reopening app, resyncing, all to no avail. Older podcasts are being recognized. Syncing from windows machine; ios 7.0.6.

Apr 2, 2014 1:25 PM in response to sandra@sbernstein.on.ca

I have exactly the same problems with synching to an iPhone 5 from a MacBook. Oddly, the behaviour is not the same synching to an ipad2 with the same OS version and podcast app version. I am going spare - what is very clear is that at present, whether you have iCloud synching on or not, the podcast app only accepts changes when it has had access to the internet, regardless of what it has downloaded. My opinion on this as a 'feature' is not printable. If you are travelling the world and you internet access is through your laptop/MacBook, why on earth should you be required to have internet access to see the content already downloaded and occupying space on your own phone?

Apr 2, 2014 4:04 PM in response to Roger165

Roger165,


You are absolutely correct. I have been having this issue and went so far as to reset my iPad Mini thinking it might be a software issue. It worked the first time (Was still on the internet), and that was it. As long as my iPad has Internet access the Podcasts sync as expected.


I agree this is a terrible feature that Apple needs to change.

Apr 13, 2014 2:28 PM in response to ZigsterUK

You might double-check your Podcast lists through the Podcast screen in iTunes (not through the device synching screen). I discovered after having the same problem you describe that in order to use Podcasts in the new iOS, I needed to confirm my use of the service. iTunes had also stopped synching a couple of podcasts automatically. In the lists, I could see the episodes that were still waiting for me to confirm usage to download 'from the cloud' (not that I use the cloud). Anyway, FWIW...

Podcasts in iTunes not syncing with the Podcast app on iPhone 4 and iPad mini

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