Pocket Casts

Pocket Casts is a podcast player from Automattic, available on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and CarPlay. It combines a player with search and discovery tools, including hand-picked recommendations, and lets you build an Up Next queue that syncs across your devices when you sign in. Its Playlists feature lets you mix episodes from different shows, including shows you don't follow, while Smart Playlists, the successor to the app's Filters, update automatically from rules such as release date, duration or download status. Playback can be sent through AirPlay, Chromecast and Sonos, and the app offers light, dark and an extra-dark theme for OLED screens. The iPad version supports Slide Over, Split View and Picture in Picture. Pocket Casts is free to download, with in-app purchases for its paid tier. Version 8.23.1, released on October 21, 2026, was framed by the developer as preparation for iPhone Duo, with layout work aimed at larger screens: a multi-column Discover view and a side-by-side full-screen player on supported devices. The same update improved CarPlay playback and fixed an issue with the Apple Watch Up Next queue.

Features

• Multi-column Discover on larger screens
• Side-by-side full-screen player on supported devices
• Playlists and rule-based Smart Playlists
• Up Next queue synced across devices
• AirPlay, Chromecast, Sonos and CarPlay
• Apple Watch app

In the release notes for version 8.23.1 (October 21, 2026), the developer wrote that Pocket Casts "is getting ready for the iPhone Duo" and described work on making better use of larger screens: Discover now shows podcasts in multiple columns, and the full-screen player gets a side-by-side layout on supported devices. The notes do not describe separate folded and unfolded behaviour or an outer-display experience, so it is listed as Adapted. DuoDiscover has not yet tested it on a device.

Pocket Casts is developed by Automattic.

Official website: www.pocketcasts.com