Apple Watch’s latest operating system (watchOS 5) introduced a feature that has got many people excited – the Podcast app. This development has made the watch more independent from the iPhone, which is a big deal for people who are always on the move and want to stay connected to their favorite podcasts.
In this post, we will show you how to set up and play podcasts on your Apple Watch. The Apple Podcast app automatically syncs and downloads recent podcasts from your listen now section, so they are available offline when you’re away from your iPhone. The listen now section is where new episodes and current episodes you are listening to show up. Unfortunately, there is not much customization that can be done in this section.
If you want more control over what shows are available on your Apple Watch, you can choose specific podcasts you want to sync over. To do this, go to the Watch app on your iPhone, tap on the podcast section, and select ‘custom’ instead of ‘listen now.’ From here, you can select the shows you want available offline. Now you’ll have just the recent episodes from the shows you want whenever you go workout or go for a walk away from your iPhone.
If you have a cellular version of the Apple Watch with a data plan activated, you have access to Apple’s full catalog of podcasts from anywhere in the world via streaming, just like with Apple Music. You can still have shows downloaded to the watch using the method above, but you don’t have to worry about whether what you want has been downloaded or not.
This is a significant advantage Apple’s podcasts app has over third-party apps in watchOS 5. It’s notable since Apple also added the ability in watchOS 5 for background audio to play on the Apple Watch for third-party apps. This means there are other podcast apps like Overcast, which are able to provide a solid Apple Watch experience. They just don’t have the ability to stream.
In conclusion, with the Podcast app now available on the Apple Watch, you don’t have to miss out on your favorite podcasts even when you’re away from your iPhone. You can keep up with the latest episodes and have them downloaded on your device. Whether you’re on a workout or walk, you can have your podcast right there with you, and that’s amazing.