What's new for Apple Podcasts in iOS 16.4

• The next version of iOS and macOS will include a few changes to Apple Podcasts. A list of channels will appear within your library; there are improvements with the Up Next queue; and CarPlay improvements.

  • This is also the release that finally removes the AppleCoreMedia user agent from Apple Podcasts, which will significantly improve the accuracy of podcast stats. The new code in iOS to achieve this was announced in June last year: most other podcast apps have put it in place.
  • Podnews has an Apple Podcasts channel, and you can get our three podcasts ad-free by subscribing.

• SiriusXM is still number one for podcasting, according to iHeart-owned Triton Digital. The January podcast ranker for the US also has a brand new #1 show - NPR News Now, which has overtaken Crime Junkie. The ranker measures participating publishers only.

• The online podcast creation tool Podcastle has added a new service called Revoice. After reading 70 sentences, the tool makes a clone of your voice, so you can record podcasts, or make changes, just using text. Podcastle also includes a remote recording tool, a multitrack browser-based editor, noise reduction and automated removal of filler words. You can hear this paragraph read by Podcastle’s Revoice tool in our Podnews Daily podcast today.

• Annalise Nielsen from Pacific Content suggests that brands targeting Millennial women have been noticeably absent from the branded podcast space.

• The Podcast Host looked back at Africa Podcast Day and links to videos from the event.

• In Toronto ON, Canada, PodCamp Toronto is to return on Feb 24-26. Admission is free.

• You should take two minutes now to fill in the Podnews Report Card. Your feedback goes back (anonymously) to the podcast platforms, and helps them know where to improve.

Moves and hires

• Susan Wojcicki has stepped down as CEO of YouTube. She has been at Google for almost 25 years, and rented out garage space to Sergey Brin and Larry Page in 1998. Neal Mohan will be the new CEO; he’s currently Chief Product Officer for the company.

Tips and tricks - with Podcast Movement Evolutions

• Erik Jones shares 10 Very Scientific Charts and Graphs About the Podcast Industry. The top one is brilliant.

Podcast News

Abbie Atkinson, the host of Don’t Let Dave Win, is interviewed by Pod Bible. The show talks about tackling your negative inner voice: “I named the voice in order to humanise it and make it seem less intimidating.”

In the Podnews Weekly Review this week - the history behind Hindenburg PRO, which revealed its new version this week; a look at the hosting company RSS Blue; and our live events, coming soon to Manchester and London.

Australia’s podcast of the year in 2021, Private Affairs, returns today for a second season. The show centres around Vee, a Zimbabwean expat, and her Aussie partner, Luke, as they navigate an intercultural and interracial relationship. The show kicks off with a 30th birthday trip to Thailand. The project was assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts.