I cannot download the podcast app on my iphone

Podcasts app is installed as part of iOS. It can't be downloaded separately in iOS 9.

If you don't see it on your home screens or inside folders, check Settings > General > Restriction.

If you are trying to update it based on a prompt in iTunes, it's an error. Ignore the message, or delete Podcasts app from iTunes to stop the messages.

Yes, I have got the same kind of issue, with iOS 9.3.2. When I connect my IPhone with ITunes (on a Mac mini), I got the message that Podcasts is not up-to-date but that I cannot download it from ITunes but I should download it from my IPhone, where I get a different story: the app is up-to-date according to App Store (with search not able to find the app with the query "Podcasts Apple"). This is not really consistent.

Sorry, but this is not really helpful. The apple itunes podcast app keeps saying to update when connected to iTunes. Then it says you must use your device (in my case that's my iphone 6, ios 9.3.2) and go to the store. But when I do that, there is no "Get" button next to the Podcast app in the store. This is Apples OWN PRODUCT (sorry, but it's just a bit nutty, so it's kinda ******* me off). If there is no real update, no bug fixes as the update suggests, how do we get rid of the prompt for update in iTunes?

Then why is it showing as a separate app in iTunes 12.4.1.6 saying I need to update this for my iOS 9.3.2 iPhone?

Normally Podcasts app is installed as part of the iOS. However, my iTunes 12.4.1.6 on OS X 10.11.5 says otherwise. It is mandating that I download the update however, I cannot find a way to make it disappear from updates list or update the app.

What strange about this is iTunes says Podcasts app is version 2.3 was release on June 13, 2016, however my Podcasts on my iOS 9.3.2 already has version 2.4 installed. Therefore, Why should I delete a newer version number for and older version number? Is there a mixed up of version number at the itunes store.

A while back, the Podcasts App was a separate App. Since then it was included in iOS as a built-in App.

If the iTunes Library on your computer still has the standalone App version it may be that the version there is old enough to be reporting an existing update.

If you are running iOS 9.3.2, then your Podcasts App is up to date on your device, and the Podcast App in your iTunes Library can be deleted.

Ahhhh! That makes total sense. Thank you!

Well, this is the part of ITunes dealing with synchronizing the IPhone apps which reports the problem. I would expect it to be able to see that the IPhone app (2.4) is newer than whatever version (2.3 I guess) it may still have recorded in its files. It is clear to me now that the App is up-to-date on the IPhone and that there is no reason to worry about it any longer but the message provided by ITunes is simply misleading and is, as far as I can tell, a bug of ITunes.

Thank you - that cleared the issue. Simple when you know how!!