Podcast App still crashing in iOS 9.0.2

Yup, I'm having lots of problems with it. Unlike others, I don't have a big problem with the function set - the app is still theoretically able to do most of what I want it to do, albeit in a clumsier manner. But it's so buggy. All the freezing and all the lag and sometimes when I press an episode I just get info and sometimes it starts to play and sometimes it starts to play a totally different episode. Episodes that start to download don't finish downloading, with no indication. Often during the day I need to play with the interface in all kinds of ways to make the darn thing start playing again, but at least I don't use it in a car - for drivers this version must be a total nightmare.

I haven't noticed any improvement at all with 9.0.2.

My vague memory of the history: the initial separate app, the one with the odd tape-player iconography, was absolutely awful, but at the time I was still able to download podcasts on my desktop and then sync them to the Music app (which I preferred anyway, because I could use playlists!) About a year ago (maybe two?) the app became decent and I started to use it - and it least it was mostly steady. And this one is insanely unstable.

I wish it were still back in the Music app so I could use all the smart playlists I use in iTunes - I used to always mix audiobook, music, and podcasts, but now Apple makes that very difficult.

I'm mildly surprised to not hear much about this (or audiobooks issues) in the press at large. Podcasts have become a bigger deal now, especially after Serial, and with the rise of networks like Panoply - I read articles written by people who also produce podcasts, yet they haven't been raising the stink that they probably should.

This is just one of a strring of awful updates to the Podcast app.

1.) This update has lagging that others do not. Click on a podcast and you don't know if it will play.

2.) Up Next is hard to figure out. It would be nice if you could move podcasts areound to change order.

3.) I hate the short description under the podcast, which lengthens the space between each podcast in the List.

4.) If you could only add a newly downloaded podcast to an existing playlist, that would be nice.

5.) I am getting used to the change, but the small area where the now playing is listed is way to small - you miss clicking on it sometimes on my 5C.

6.) What's with the Up Next deal where you can't just play the podcast, but must say whether you want to go to Up next or not?

7.) Combined with the buggy Windows Itunes, it gets really frustrating.

8.) What would really be nice would be to be able to add an itunes U podcast to the podcast playlist. And, the itunes U has no play lists - got to pull out your phone and continually click on the next file to hear it.

Now I tried to make several Stations and maybe they will work. My issues is I'd like to listen to them in order, but they will not be moved. When you add the podcast, it stays in that order - you can't move the podcasts around.

Instead, I have to look at the list, then hit edit and move them around.

Any ideas?

Bunky100, I think that's the expected behaviour. In the station, make sure you've got "Group By Podcast" turned off (so you'll get each episode listed individually, rather than have all the episodes of a podcast stuck together), and "Play [order]" set to Manual. You can move them, yes, but you need to press "Edit" in the upper corner to get the drag-and-drop bars.

I have the same issue. The Podcast app is completely dead.... won't run for more a few seconds.

Thanks for the tips, but whatever setting it is on is working. I have 4 stations set up with the podcasts I listen to. When the are completed heard, they drop off the que.

I'd love to be able to order them by moving the podcasts in the station setup area vs. dragging them around in the station, but I can work with it.

Stations may work better for me than dumping them all in one playlist, then having to drag 10 or more around.

I can download one during the day and it will appear where it should. With the playlist, you could only place them into whatever Up Next used to be called, then I had two lists to fiddle around with.

You can ask Siri to start the podcast app. I asked it to play my "Tech" station and it took 30 seconds, then it started playing it. Weird.