There isn’t a scarcity of nice third-party podcast shoppers on the App Retailer, similar to Castro, Overcast, and Pocket Casts. However when Apple Podcasts introduced transcripts in iOS 17.4, the app instantly received me over.
Podcast transcripts are a improbable function for every kind of customers. For Deaf customers there’s a transparent profit, since content material that was beforehand restricted to audio all of the sudden grew to become accessible in written kind. For researchers making an attempt to rapidly discover key information, transcript search is a useful software.
For me although, the largest win with podcast transcripts has been their potential to avoid wasting me vital time by filtering down the content material to solely what I really wish to hear.
Getting time again within the consideration financial system
We stay in an age the place media content material is plentiful, however consumer consideration is scarce. That is true with streaming TV exhibits and flicks, music, and positively with podcasts too.
Podcasts particularly generally tend to stretch on and canopy quite a lot of subjects inside a single episode. Traditionally, one of the simplest ways I’ve managed to filter down episodes to solely the bits I’m serious about is thru chapters. Podcasts that assist chapters have lengthy been a time-saving gem, offering the chance to devour extra of the content material I get pleasure from whereas simply skipping previous something I discover much less attention-grabbing.
The issue is that almost all podcasts—particularly these exterior the Apple tech sphere— don’t assist chapters.
That’s why Apple Podcasts’ new auto-generated transcripts have change into a killer function for me.
Transcripts in Apple’s Podcasts app are simple to view with the straightforward faucet of a button, and you may seamlessly scroll by way of an hours-long present’s full contents to rapidly bounce to the phase you’re serious about. I’ve gotten within the behavior of doing this with each podcast I hearken to that doesn’t supply chapters. It’s really easy to get a sneak peek of what’s coming, even whereas an episode’s nonetheless taking part in, and faucet to leap to a extra compelling part. This in the end saves a ton of listening time.
There have been moments after I’ve even scrolled by way of a podcast’s full transcript solely to search out the entire episode is price skipping. Not essentially as a result of it isn’t “good,” however moderately as a result of I’m simply not . Both method, the tip result’s that I’ve extra time to spend on one other podcast or audiobook I’ll get pleasure from extra.
With an infinite provide of audio content material being created on a regular basis, my tolerance for the not-so-interesting is at a minimal. Even when scanning a transcript solely finally ends up saving me a handful of minutes per podcast, I really feel good understanding that I’m spending my time on solely the hyper-curated issues I anticipate to get pleasure from.
What do you consider Apple Podcasts’ transcript function? Have you ever discovered it a helpful timesaver?
The very best methods to hearken to Podcasts on iPhone
FTC: We use earnings incomes auto affiliate hyperlinks. More.