At last! After more than four years in the market and after four versions of the operating system, Apple has decided to implement the Podcasts app on the Apple Watch. It will be from the official launch of watchOS 5, scheduled for the second half of next September although, those who are enrolled in the public beta program of the company, can now make use of the application. In this post, I will tell you how to use the Podcasts app on your Apple Watch with watchOS 5, and thus be able to enjoy your favorite programs from the smartwatch, even if you do not carry the iPhone with you.
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Podcasts on the Apple Watch
watchOS 5 introduces a new Podcasts application for the Apple Watch, which is designed so you can listen to your favorite podcasts without the need to use your iPhone. The transmission of the programs works through both a Wi-Fi network and a mobile connection, but you can also use the Podcasts application to play podcasts through a linked iPhone if you wish.
Using the Podcasts app on Apple Watch
As with Apple Music, when using Podcasts on the Apple Watch you will need to have a pair of AirPods or other Bluetooth headsets paired with your Apple Watch. Once the Bluetooth headset has been synchronized, you should touch the Podcasts icon, you know, the one that looks like a radio antenna On a purple background, very similar to the icon of the application designed for the iPhone, iPad or the Apple TV, but in a circular way, just like the rest of the application icons on the apple clock. And of course, you can also ask Siri to open the application on the Apple Watch.
The Podcasts application will open with the most recent episode of all the programs you have previously subscribed to, and you can play that episode with just a click on it.
The playback controls of the episode are available by scrolling using the digital crown, or by sliding and playing in “Play in Progress”.
Check your library
As in the iOS devices, also in the Apple Watch, you will be able to consult all your library of podcasts to which you are subscribed, because maybe right now you do not feel like listening to the last available program. To see your library of subscribed programs just follow these steps:
- Open the Podcasts application.
- Scroll down with the digital crown or swipe to access the list of options for the application.
- Choose “Library”.
- The Library section of the Podcasts application will allow you to see all the different podcasts you subscribe to in the “Programs” section and individual episodes in the “Episodes” section.
Scroll through each section with a slide on the Apple Watch screen or digital crown.
Subscribe to new programs
To subscribe to new programs on the Apple Watch you will need to know the name of the podcast you want to subscribe to. You can do it using Siri, with a command like “Hey Siri, subscribe to the podcast mixxio”.
If you prefer to listen to a specific podcast without subscribing, you can ask Siri to play it with commands like “Hey Siri, play episode 21 of Mixxio”.
Offline use
The podcasts that are listed in the episodes section of the application are downloaded to the application so they can be heard even when you do not have a mobile or WiFi connection. Mind you, podcasts are downloaded when the Apple Watch is connected to a power source and placed near the iPhone.
After an episode has been played, it will be removed from the Apple Watch to make room for new episodes.
Control of podcasts on the iPhone from the Apple Watch
If your iPhone is connected to your Apple Watch and you’re listening to a podcast, you’ll see a “On the iPhone” section of the Clock’s Podcasts application, and a small red icon will appear on the Apple Watch screen.
If you touch the “On the iPhone” section in the Podcasts app, you’ll see options for “Play Now” with controls for the current content, a “Listen Now” section that shows recent podcasts, a “Programs” section that shows all the programs to which you are subscribed, a section of “Episodes” that shows all available episodes and a section of “Stations” that shows Podcast stations created on the iPhone.
