Apple’s new podcast app is simply terrible and it didn’t need to be

APPLE has built its reputation on intuitive and sleek design, but the company’s latest app has been labelled “a dumpster fire” by fans.

OPINION

THEY say you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone — and that’s how I feel about Apple’s former podcast app.

What was once a perfectly functional, simple and easy-to-use app for all my podcast needs has inexplicably turned into something messy and frustratingly clunky since it was redesigned for the latest operating system.

Apple has built its reputation on intuitive and sleek design, but they scored an own goal with this one.

I listen to a lot of podcasts but the overhauled layout of the app has made finding the episodes you want a much more complicated process.

Previously you had a page featuring all the icons of each show you subscribed to which could be easily rearranged to suit your preferences, allowing you to put your favourites at the top. When a new episode was available, the icon displayed a little red notification denoting the number of new episodes. It was simple and user friendly.

The new app pushes you towards recently updated podcasts, which includes shows you’re not actually subscribed to but have previously downloaded an episode of, making it extra convoluted. But there’s only room for eight shows on this new library homepage. So you then have the choice between a list of all your podcast shows where you can’t immediately tell what’s new or updated, or a list of all the latest individual episodes to drop into the app. You’ll likely choose the latter which isn’t too bad but if you listen to a lot of podcasts, it gets a bit overwhelming to scroll through.

You can see what the company is trying to do, but the result for podcast addicts is unquestionably worse.

It’s been more than two months since the update was rolled out but after giving it a chance, it’s still as unsatisfying as ever. My disdain of the redesign is far from an original thought, by the way. Misery loves company and the good news is, I am not alone in mine.

Apple fans and the media have not shied away from voicing their disapproval with the redesign.

“The iPhone podcast app was amazing but Apple has turned it into a dumpster fire. In general this has to be the worst IOS update ever,” wrote Technology correspondent for America’s ABC News, Becky Worley, earlier this month.

The sentiment was echoed this week by Slate in an article titled “Apple has ruined its podcast app” in which the author confessed to deleting the app altogether and looking for alternatives.

True to form, social media users have also voiced their resounding disapproval of the updated app — some with particularly colourful language.

The new @Apple podcast app sucks so badly that I literally have to get out pen and paper to figure out which episodes I’ve listened to. I mean...

— Mindi K (@OlderWiserBlog) December 11, 2017

It blows my mind how much Apple has ruined their podcast app.

— Jon Lieber (@lieber2k) December 3, 2017

@Apple you’re new podcast app is the absolute worst. Everything about it is slower. It has completely ruined my entire life. You’re blowing it.

— Matt Hayek (@Matthattanyc) December 1, 2017

Since Apple really and truly made its podcast app unusable, what’s your favorite alternative?

— Allison Carter (@AllisonLCarter) December 10, 2017

I am curious: does anyone working on @Apple’s podcast app like or listen to podcasts?

— Tim Kordas (@timothyzillion) December 6, 2017

Apple’s new podcast app is trash that a troll ate and shat out and molded into a sculpture of a poop emoji that was set on fire by nazis

— JR Robles (@jrroblestn) December 11, 2017

When contacted by news.com.au seeking comment about the impetus for the redesign and Apple’s response to the criticism of the new app, the company declined to comment.

Apple’s Podcast support page gives users the low down on the new app but does little in the way of explaining why it broke something that didn’t need to be fixed.

As far as problems go, this is about as first world as it gets. And as many have pointed out on social media, there are alternative apps such as Overcast, Podbean or the $6 Pocket Casts app you can try from the iTunes store.

But when it comes to design — or in this case, redesign — it’s an uncharacteristic misstep from Apple, and I sure miss the old podcast app.