Apple has just released their new Podcasts app for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. While it's not as feature-rich or complex as some other podcast apps on the App Store, if it's your first time using a podcast app, you may be wandering just how exactly to get started using it.
Well no worries, we're here to help! With a few searches and a few taps, you'll be subscribed to some fantastic new video and audio shows to both entertain and inform you. And best of all, they're absolutely free!
How to subscribe to podcasts
If you're brand new to podcasts, Apple makes it easy to discover and subscribe to shows. It basically works just like iBooks where you have a Catalog (like the iTunes Store or iBookstore, but free!) where you can search and subscribe to new shows, and a Library where all your downloaded shows are available for easy viewing and listening. To get started:
- Launch the Apple Podcasts app
- If you're not already in the Catalog, tap the Catalog button at the top right (iPhone/iPod touch) or bottom left (iPad).
- Browse through Featured or Top Charts to see popular shows, or if you know what you're looking for, hit Search and type in the title or some key words. (Mobile Nations, for example, will bring up all of our network shows).
- When you find a show you like, tap the title.
- Tap on the Subscribe button to make sure you can easily find and download every episode later, or tap the Download button beside an individual episode to download only that show.
- To subscribe to additional shows, or download additional episodes, simply repeat the process.
That's it, you'll now be subscribed to the show, and downloading episodes.
Mobile Nations quick links
If you're looking to subscribe to iMore's podcast, or any of the Mobile Nations network shows, here are the quick links:
- iMore podcast - Audio | --> --> --> -->(https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/iphone-live!-video/id475019189?at=10l3Vy){.nofollow}
- Mobile Nations podcast - Audio | --> --> --> -->(https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mobile-nations-video/id477264818?at=10l3Vy){.nofollow}
- Iterate podcast - Audio
- Android Central podcast - Audio | --> --> --> -->(https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/android-central-podcast-video/id477954197?at=10l3Vy){.nofollow}
- CrackBerry.com podcast - Audio | --> --> --> -->(https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/crackberry.com-podcast-video/id479269705?at=10l3Vy){.nofollow}
- WPCentral podcast - Audio
- ZEN and TECH podcast - Audio | --> --> --> -->(https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/zenandtech-video/id475739918?at=10l3Vy){.nofollow}
- Superfunctional - Audio
How to change your subscription options in Podcasts
If you subscribe to a show and later want to unsubscribe, or if you download only a single episode to try out and decide you really do want to subscribe, it's simple to change.
- Launch the Apple Podcasts app
- If you're not already in the Library section, tap the Library button at the top right (iPhone/iPod touch) or top left (iPad).
- Tap the show title (iPhone/iPod touch) or Gear button (iPad) to go to the Settings
- Toggle Subscription to On to subscribe, Off to unsubscribe.
More help with Podcasts
If you need more help getting started with Podcasts for iPhone or iPad, head on over to the iTunes Forum help thread and ask away!
Unfortunately, Podcasts doesn't have Push Notifications yet to alert you to new episodes, and iOS doesn't allow timed background downloads, so you'll have to open the Podcasts app to actually get future episodes. But if you're new to podcasts, it's still a good way to get started.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

Gorgeous new Pride Apple Watch bands are now available at some Apple Stores
Apple's latest Pride Apple Watch bands are now available to buy in some Apple Stores, although whether you can walk into a store and pick one up yourself will very much depend on where you happen to be.

Rare Steve Jobs check for $9.18 goes under the hammer, could fetch $25k
A rare check signed by Steve Jobs dated July 23, 1976, has just gone up for auction and could be worth a lot more than it was originally written out for...

Apple store workers get surprise pay rise as union pressure grows
Apple plans to give U.S. workers a pay rise in the face of growing pressure from unions that are emerging in some retail locations.

Track your sleep to see your night habits and develop better resting tools
Getting proper sleep these days can be hard, but a good sleep tracker can potentially help fix the problem. Tracking your sleep can give you valuable data on how long and well you slept, as well as insight into how you can ultimately get better rest. Here are the best ones.