Apple Podcasts Now Available on Web Browsers, Following What Apple Maps Did
Apple is often criticized for limiting its services to its own devices, ensuring that people outside its ecosystem cannot access these services. However, Apple seems to have taken a different approach with a few of its offerings. It has been reported that Apple Podcasts is now accessible on any web browser, meaning you no longer need Safari to use this service. You can easily access your podcasts using Chrome, Firefox, or any other web browser.
Apple Podcasts is not the first service to be made available across all devices; Apple Maps led the way in this regard. The announcement was made on August 19, and this expanded access is now available in 170 countries.
Notably, Apple Podcasts does not require an Apple account to use the web browser-based application. Instead, it shows a broad collection of available broadcasts, allowing you to explore based on your interests. However, like other Apple services, Apple Podcasts on the web will sync with your progress if you choose to sign in. Doing this will synchronize your listening progress and give you personalized suggestions. We tried the web version on Chrome and Arc, and it worked fine.
You can access the browser-based version of Apple Podcasts by logging onto podcasts.apple.com. In our testing, Apple Podcasts for the web seemed quite similar to the native app’s User Interface design. One can also find an option to open the same content in the Podcasts app.
Recently, Apple Maps was also given a web-based interface. Earlier, Apple Maps was accessible only through an Apple device, which had a native app for the same. These changes indicate Apple’s changing approach, especially considering its walled garden.
All these motivations aside, Apple Podcasts being available through a web page is great news for many who like to listen to podcasts without leaving the browser. This also means that Apple is acknowledging the growing use of web browsers over native apps for everything on the internet.
