Lil Katz / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Apple is ready to convey one-tap switching between audio and video within the Podcasts app.
- The button placement is equivalent to YouTube Music.
- The feature unifies audio and video streams for podcasts, which have been beforehand accessible solely individually.
Apple simply rolled out the iOS 26.4 beta 1 for fanatics yesterday. In case you’re an Apple person, you may need to put together for some thrilling new upgrades, such because the Music app’s redesign with AI playlist creation in addition to end-to-end encryption for RCS messages (at present solely when speaking with different iPhone customers). As well as, Apple’s Podcast app is getting a main improve, which seems to borrow a web page from YouTube Music‘s playbook.
Apple is increasing assist for movies within the Podcasts app. Whereas the app has at all times supported movies, creators may solely add audio and video variations of the identical podcast to completely different feeds. That might additionally imply customers must swap between audio and video variations and manually scrub to a particular timestamp. That is being addressed within the newest iOS beta, which will allow a seamless transition between audio and video feeds and consolidate them into a single stream fairly than two. Apparently, Apple’s Music app misses out on the feature at present and as a substitute lists audio and video tracks individually.
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The improve is so important that Apple even devoted a whole weblog publish to explaining the framework and its advantages. Within the publish, Apple notes that the improved model of the Podcasts app will make the most of the HTTP Reside Streaming (HLS) normal to energy the straightforward transition between audio and video.
With this change, episodes that feature movies will mechanically load with video enabled, however customers can swap to audio-only playback by tapping the “Flip video off” button above the play/pause controls. In case you aren’t too deep into the Apple ecosystem, you’d know YouTube Music already provides the toggle between audio and video on the actual spot. Hopefully, switching between audio and video received’t disrupt the cadence or have an effect on synchronization with the transcript or auto-generated chapters.
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As well as, customers can view the video in full-screen mode when switching to panorama mode. Moreover, earlier movies will migrate to the built-in HLS feed from the earlier RSS-based video feed. For creators, that in all probability means utilizing a third-party internet hosting supplier after which linking it to the Podcast Join account, as famous within the up to date assist web page.
Apple additionally notes that the feature is at present soft-launching for a handful of creators, however we count on extra creators to realize entry when the secure model of iOS 26.4 rolls out. The update must also enable creators will additionally have the ability to insert “dynamic” video advertisements, together with host-read placements.
In the mean time, the feature is buggy as YouTuber Stephen Robles notes of their newest video. Transcripts and chapters are glitchy, which works on to point out Apple has work to do earlier than broader launch.
Along with the large Podcasts improve, Apple was beforehand additionally anticipated to convey the overhauled Siri with iOS 26.4, which is ready to roll out in Spring 2026. It’s unclear whether or not these timelines for Siri and Apple Intelligence options nonetheless stand, particularly after Apple determined to make use of Google’s basis fashions to energy them. We’ll in all probability know nearer to launch.
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