GoKawiilDhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
For almost a decade, my daily podcast routine has been split between two apps. If I wanted to watch a video podcast, I would open up the main YouTube app, but if I just wanted to listen to audio while walking or doing chores, Pocket Casts and Spotify were my go-to combo.
While YouTube Premium does support background listening, it’s never been designed for pure, screen-off listening, even though the platform has quickly become the biggest home for podcasts, with almost every creator moving toward a video-first format. And so, I stuck to my tried and tested combo.
However, when Google rolled out a new set of podcast features for YouTube Premium subscribers, I decided it was time to change things up. I forced myself to drop my usual apps and use the main YouTube app for all of my podcast listening to see if it could actually handle the job. After spending a full week testing them out, I can tell you that these changes completely fix my biggest problems with listening to long talk shows on the app, and might just convince me to switch over.
Would you consider moving to YouTube for podcasts? 8 votes No, its too video focussed 13 % No, I prefer a dedicated podcast app 63 % Yes, the new features are enticing 25 % I already use YouTube for all my podcast listening 0 %
On-the-go mode simplifies mobile listening
Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
The one feature I was looking forward to the most was the newfangled On-the-go mode. In the past, trying to listen to a podcast on YouTube while moving around was a bit of a mess. You either had to leave your screen turned on, which meant you would constantly tap random buttons by accident when the phone was in your pocket, or you had to use the background playback feature, which hid all your controls away in the notification shade.
This new mode fixes those old, annoying problems by giving you a clean, simple layout designed exactly for walking around. When you turn it on, the video disappears completely, leaving you with oversized buttons you can tap without even looking down at your phone. Simply put, it looks a lot like a dedicated podcast app UI.
Large controls and a distraction-free interface made podcast listening effortless.
... continue reading