There have been a lot of changes to Apple products and softwares around my house recently and I have barely scratched the surface of any of them. I mean, let’s be fair, I barely ever manage to scratch the surface of updates before the next lot come out but I’m always determined to try and I think that counts for something.

The first thing that has really piqued my interest within iOS17 is the Podcasts app. I’ve documented my rollercoaster journey with podcasts on here quite thoroughly and at the moment we’re probably at the lowest point, ie. I just don’t listen to any.

But now there’s a link between Podcasts and Apple Music and it’s the thing I’ve been looking for since Music launched their many, many excellent radio shows. Now you can subscribe to some of the radio shows within Podcasts and listen there. Hooray! I remember vividly trying to work through some of the incredible Elton John shows on Apple Music and having to keep a spreadsheet to know where I’d got to and what was left to listen. Podcasts would have solved that problem.

Unfortunately, Elton’s show isn’t one of the chosen ones to feature in the new Podcasts selection but there are some great choices out there. The daily ten minute show featuring background to one song relevant to the date is there, the perfect kind of podcast fodder. Time Crisis with Ezra Koenig is a good one, as well as a couple of the fantastic Country shows including The Kelleigh Bannen Show and Colour Me Country.

Weirdly, there are also selections in there that haven’t been updated in a couple of years which feels like an odd choice for an ongoing podcast subscription but is there anyway. You have to be a subscriber to Apple Music to get access, which is another nail in the podcast coffin but aligns to Audible’s original podcast experience.

Overall, I’m glad they’ve done this, I wish it was more because I can’t see the selection there getting me back into podcast listening on a regular basis. But it’s a good start!