Apple is upgrading its built-in Podcasts app with three changes starting with iOS 26.2. The upgrades include two new features and a major enhancement to an existing feature.
Chapters
First, Apple is automatically generating podcast episode chapters for the first time.
Apple already displayed and supported chapter markers within episodes. However, podcast producers have needed to manually create podcast chapter titles and timestamps.
According to Apple, Podcasts in iOS 26.2 lets you “easily navigate more episodes with automatically created chapters.”
We’ll have to give this feature some time to settle before determining when and how well it works.
Podcast Mentions
Second, Apple is improving how it handles podcast discovery through word-of-mouth.
Starting with iOS 26.2, Apple Podcasts will include the ability to “see and follow mentioned podcasts right from the player and transcript.”
This is especially handy for listeners who want to check out a referenced podcast show or episode without searching for a link. If the feature works as advertised, it will put the referenced podcast link right where you need it in the moment.
From This Episode
Lastly, Apple is tackling another challenging problem for podcasters and podcast listeners alike. While it’s common to hear about “links in the show notes” during podcast episodes, actually viewing these links in the right format can be challenging.
Apple is taking on that challenge with its new From This Episode feature. Apple says it will allow users to “quickly access the links shared in a podcast on the episode page.”
For now, the feature appears to have limited support, but it’s just the first beta release as of today.
We’ll keep an eye on each of these features throughout the iOS 26.2 beta period and report back with more details.
Update: More details directly from Apple here:
- Apple will label AI-generated chapter markers as “Automatically Created”
- Available for full and bonus US English episodes longer than 10 minutes
- Auto-generated chapters can be edited by the podcast creator
- Podcasters can opt out of auto-generated chapter markers in Apple Podcasts Connect
Apple also documents more information about links here:
You can provide links to Apple Music, Apple News, Apple Podcasts, Apple TV, and more. If you include a timestamp with your link in your show notes or through your RSS feed, it’ll appear in line with your transcript and on the player while you’re discussing it. Listeners can click the link to learn more without disrupting their listening experience.
If you haven’t provided any links, we may automatically create a link for any podcast you mention. This feature is offered as a limited beta for shows in English. This makes it easy for you to promote shows within your network, spread the word about new content, or cross-promote with another creator. If you prefer not to use automatically created links, you can disable this feature in Apple Podcasts Connect.
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