Die Zeit launches new podcasts, Apple launch new things, and a new app for ABC

The Australian ABC launches a new app - previously ABC Radio, it’s now called ABC listen with a stronger podcast and on-demand content focus rather than radio brands. I reviewed it and gave it a mixed score - not a great experience on Android yet, and a bit content-poor outside Victoria and Sydney, but will doubtless get better.

Also in Australia, ARN and Whooskhaa create a 'radio podcast network’: Whooshkaa will host ARN’s podcasts, and appear to also have some sales role. (Recently, SCA partnered with PodcastOne, and Nova partnered with Acast).

Die Zeit, the highbrow national German weekly newspaper, launches a podcast: What now? A new episode is published weekdays. Interestingly, they also launched an Amazon Echo “skill” and it’s also available on Google Home. The paper acknowledges they’re late to the party, but promises lots more podcasts this year.

The Week posts about “How a new generation of left-wing podcasters are dethroning Rush Limbaugh and right-wing talk radio” though acknowledge at the bottom of the article that the most popular podcast, with about 1.2m downloads, isn’t anywhere near dethroning Limbaugh’s 12 million listeners.

Apple launched new things. The iPhone X, with an OLED screen, face unlock, and wireless charging (like the 2013 Nexus 5); the iPhone 8 and 8Plus (much the same as the 7, excepting covered in glass on the back (like the 2012 Nexus 4); an Apple Watch with built-in mobile data (like 2016's LG Watch Urbane 2), and a 4K Apple TV (like the 2016 Chromecast Ultra). Wait, none of this seems new at all! (grin)