Pocket Casts, the podcast app owned by Tumblr’s parent company Automattic, has launched a new feature that lets you create podcast playlists. This allows you to organize your favorite episodes in a specific order. You can create a playlist manually, or Pocket Casts can automatically generate one for you. Playlists are designed to provide a more personalized listening experience as Pocket Casts aims to grow its paid user base and compete with larger platforms. The app currently has 60,000 subscribers, while Spotify has 281 million.
This new feature makes it simple to curate collections based on specific topics and themes. It can also be used to listen to a favorite podcast guest who appears across different shows. It is helpful for preparing a list of episodes to enjoy during a long flight or a daily commute.
To create a manual playlist, go to the Playlists tab on the main screen. On a mobile device, select the plus icon, and on the web version, select New Playlist. From there, you can browse your favorite podcasts and handpick the episodes you want to include in your personalized playlist.
For a more automated approach, Pocket Casts offers Smart Playlists. By selecting the Smart Rules button, you can create custom rules that automatically gather episodes based on specific criteria. For instance, you can set a rule to only include shows under 25 minutes long, or you can filter for unplayed or downloaded content. This feature is especially useful for people with busy schedules who want to make the most of their free time.
The Playlist feature is currently available on the web version and desktop apps. A rollout for Android users is already underway, and the feature will arrive on iOS devices soon. This update follows the company’s decision to make its web player free for users, further establishing itself as a strong competitor in the podcasting space against major platforms that keep their content behind paywalls.