Google has made it easier to stream from Apple Podcasts and others when searching for podcasts in Google Search. After phasing out a feature that allowed users to play podcasts directly from search results earlier this year, the company said it would “gradually” move to a new design that would instead provide information about podcasts and links to search through search results on other platforms. listen. Now that change is rolling out, we’re told.
When people search for podcasts on their iPhone or iPad using generic terms like “children’s podcasts” or “movie podcasts,” they’ll see the option to “Listen on Apple Podcasts,” Apple told us.
Currently, the feature is only available to Google Search users in the US (we understand it will roll out to more markets over time, after initial performance assessments.)
Image Credits: Screenshot from Google Search
When testing the changes by searching for “comedy podcasts,” we found a box at the top of the search results listing some popular titles. Not only can you filter by things like “stand-up comedy” or “TV,” but you can also tap filter buttons to narrow down the results to those podcasts found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.
On the iPhone we tested through Google Mobile Search, the Google Podcasts filter option was on the side of the screen – it wasn’t one of the first set of filters.
After tapping on an individual show, it takes you to a detail page where you can read a description and learn more about the show, such as how often it’s released and the average length of an episode, and a list of the latest can watch episodes. A “Listen to Apple Podcasts Now” option is available here and, when tapped, launches the show directly in the Apple Podcasts app, thanks to a deep link.
It seems that Apple is not the only beneficiary here, as the same functionality is also available for Spotify. To see Google Podcasts, you’ll need to click on another button: “All Listening Options,” which reveals further choices. (Apparently no self-preference here!) Spotify said the feature has been live for over a year for its app, but Apple has confirmed that the functionality we’ve described is, in fact, new to Apple Podcasts.
Given the phased rollout, this change may not be new to you. That often means that some users will see changes sooner than others.
Apple said the update is an acknowledgment that people don’t want to listen to podcasts in-line — they’d rather use the app of their choice.