YouTube Music has finally introduced a highly requested feature for its podcast listeners. The app now allows users to listen to podcasts in the background while doing other things on their phone. This feature has been available for music playback on YouTube Music for some time, but it is now also available for podcasts.
Before this update, if a user tried to navigate away from the app while listening to a podcast, the audio would pause. This meant that users had to keep the app open and active while listening, which was inconvenient for multitasking. However, with this update, users can now listen to their favorite podcasts while checking emails, browsing social media, or using other apps on their phone.
To use the background listening feature for podcasts, users simply need to start playing the podcast episode they want to listen to and then minimize the app. The audio will continue playing in the background, and users can control playback from the lock screen or notification shade.
This update is a welcome addition for YouTube Music’s growing podcast audience. The app launched its podcast section in late 2021, and since then, it has been slowly building up its library of shows. While the app still lags behind other podcast-specific apps like Spotify and Apple Podcasts in terms of features and selection, this update brings it one step closer to competing with the top players in the market.
It’s worth noting that the background listening feature is currently only available for podcasts on the YouTube Music app and not on the YouTube app itself. This means that users who want to listen to podcasts while also watching videos will need to use two separate apps.
Overall, the addition of background listening for podcasts on YouTube Music is a much-needed and welcome feature for podcast listeners on the platform. It makes it much easier to enjoy podcasts while on-the-go or multitasking, and it brings the app one step closer to being a true competitor in the podcast space.
