More than 80% of mobile podcast listeners use Apple's iOS devices

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited July 2015
Amid a surge in podcasting popularity, new data suggests that Apple continues to dominate the online broadcasting industry it helped create, with more than 8 out of every 10 podcast listeners using the company's iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to tune in.




Among the 82 percent of podcast listeners who use iOS devices, nearly all --?78 percent --?use Apple's built-in Podcasts app, according to a report issued by audio platform Clammr. The numbers come as podcasting is beginning to explode worldwide, a decade after rising to prominence alongside the iPod.

A similar report issued in February pointed to the inclusion of the Podcasts app in iOS 8 as a significant growth driver, helping in part to lead an 18 percent increase in podcast listens. The global popularity of NPR's "Serial" podcast, in which a journalist investigates a real-life murder case, was also cited as a contributing factor.

With podcasting now emerging from its niche status, it remains to be seen whether Apple has plans to continue stepping up its support of the format. The company is currently celebrating 10 years of podcasts in the iTunes Store, featuring a number of popular shows including Serial parent This American life and HowStuffWorks's Stuff You Should Know.

AppleInsider recently launched its own podcast in which editors discuss the week's top stories. New episodes are released on Fridays, and listeners can subscribe via iTunes or the official Podcasts app for iOS.
«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 26
    Anyone here use Overcast as their podcast player? Heard good things about it, though I'm plenty happy with Apple's player.
  • Reply 2 of 26
    Anyone here use Overcast as their podcast player? Heard good things about it, though I'm plenty happy with Apple's player.

    I might start, I'm not overly thrilled with the revised Podcasts app in iOS 9.
  • Reply 3 of 26
    ceek74ceek74 Posts: 324member

    And 100% of iPhone users use iOS.

  • Reply 4 of 26
    uraharaurahara Posts: 733member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ceek74 View Post

     

    And 100% of iPhone users use iOS.


    What is your source? Provide a link. How the testing was done?

  • Reply 5 of 26
    griffdgriffd Posts: 2member
    Yes, Overcast is great. I went from a Downcast to an Overcast player the day it was released. Marco Arment, the developer, has pretty good taste and a good design sensibility - very minimalist too, not overstuffed with features like many others. You'll really like it. Be sure to upgrade to get the killer features, especially Smart Speed. It will reduce silent gaps in your podcasts and save you hours/days/months of time - and you'll barely notice it's on. So far I've saved 47 hours of my life by using this feature (it keeps track).
  • Reply 6 of 26
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    ^^^ Informative post, thanks.
  • Reply 7 of 26
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,305member

    I've been using Downcast for years, but maybe I'll take a look at Overcast.

  • Reply 8 of 26
    inklinginkling Posts: 768member
    Quote from potatoleeksoup: "Anyone here use Overcast as their podcast player? Heard good things about it, though I'm plenty happy with Apple's player."

    It's not feature rich, but the smart audio processing it absolutely marvelous. Before getting it, I was frustrated by the wide variations in sound level between podcasts. Now I hardly ever need to adjust the volume. Even better, its ability to shorten pauses and adjust the playback speed in small increments makes almost every podcast sound far more professional, saves time on playback, and by preventing the playback from dragging, makes listening more interesting. You can adjust the playback speed of each podcast source individually.

    In fact, that audio processing features are so useful, I long for Overcast to either play audiobooks (i.e. through Dropbox) or in a separate audiobook version.

    All iOS podcast players have schemes to automate podcast download and play list formation. After playing around, I discovered that Overcast's suits my purposes. My main gripe is that, once completed, a podcast auto-deletes. Accidentally skip ahead, and that much-wanted podcast is gone. Perhaps it needs an option to retain two or so played podcasts and an ability to designate a playlist that doesn't delete. There are some training podcasts we want to listen to repeatedly.

    Oh, and like every other podcast and audiobook player but the Loyal Books one, Overcast gets the sleep timer wrong. Sleep timers shouldn't just shut off after a certain period of time like on an old clock radio. They should restart every time when hit the play button until we actually fall asleep.
  • Reply 9 of 26
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    I find it funny and sad when there's a Podcast available on droid.

    Like those iApps on droid named iFunny etc.
  • Reply 10 of 26
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    urahara wrote: »
    What is your source? Provide a link. How the testing was done?

    Are you being serious? LOL
  • Reply 11 of 26
    carthusiacarthusia Posts: 583member
    Anyone here use Overcast as their podcast player? Heard good things about it, though I'm plenty happy with Apple's player.

    Overcast is the best podcast player, IMO, especially for managing playlists. There's no streaming (yet?), however. I know that can be a deal breaker for some. I couldn't deal with Apple's app. Apple's app has better discovery than Overcast. Having all that, I don't regret having spent the $5 on Overcast.
  • Reply 12 of 26
    carthusiacarthusia Posts: 583member
    jbdragon wrote: »
    I've been using Downcast for years, but maybe I'll take a look at Overcast.

    I also switched from Downcast to Overcast. I'm a heavy podcast listener and Overcast is almost perfect for my needs.
  • Reply 13 of 26
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    carthusia wrote: »
    Overcast is the best podcast player, IMO, especially for managing playlists. There's no streaming (yet?), however. I know that can be a deal breaker for some. I couldn't deal with Apple's app. Apple's app has better discovery than Overcast. Having all that, I don't regret having spent the $5 on Overcast.

    Sounds like Apple should make an acquisition. I keep hearing about Overcaat over and over and over...

    And I keep hearing complaints about the Podcasts app over and over and over....
  • Reply 14 of 26
    msqueenmsqueen Posts: 17member
    I want to give Overcast a second try but I'm an avid video podcast watcher and Marco says he has no plans integrating video. I currently use Instacast but since they've discontinued, I need a new cross-platform podcast client to migrate to.
  • Reply 15 of 26
    shenshen Posts: 434member
    So iOS has most of the public wifi logins, most of the airport usage, most of the business usage, most of the podcast usage, most of the ad displays, and makes most many in app sales...

    What are android phones used for? I have seen some in the wild, I know they exist. Are they used? And if so for what?
  • Reply 16 of 26
    Waiting for the inevitable defensive post by what's his name. That guy. You know the one. Something about how this statistic must be wrong because there are 1000 trillion more android devices out there.
  • Reply 17 of 26
    shen wrote: »
    So iOS has most of the public wifi logins, most of the airport usage, most of the business usage, most of the podcast usage, most of the ad displays, and makes most many in app sales...

    What are android phones used for? I have seen some in the wild, I know they exist. Are they used? And if so for what?

    So that Google can declare a paper victory. (And I'm fine with that).
  • Reply 18 of 26
    shenshen Posts: 434member
    So that Google can declare a paper victory. (And I'm fine with that).

    Is there an (android) app for that?
  • Reply 19 of 26
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    shen wrote: »
    So iOS has most of the public wifi logins, most of the airport usage, most of the business usage, most of the podcast usage, most of the ad displays, and makes most many in app sales...

    What are android phones used for? I have seen some in the wild, I know they exist. Are they used? And if so for what?

    Actually I find are used by people that sit in front of you at every rock concerts and use them on full screen brightness to blind you so you can't see a fracking thing. They then they shoot video the entire time in vertical orientation without fail. It beats me why Scamsung hasn't put a vertical mode HD TV on sale for these morons.
  • Reply 20 of 26
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Waiting for the inevitable defensive post by what's his name. That guy. You know the one. Something about how this statistic must be wrong because there are 1000 trillion more android devices out there.

    Gator's waiting for the links Google send him about how Apple iPhones are not used by anyone really. They are having a hard time finding anything plausible. lol
Sign In or Register to comment.