14.5.1 Podcasts: Battery Hog?

[NoBoMac]

Anyone experiencing big battery usage when using the Podcasts app?

Not sure how long it's been going on for me, but noticed the other day. Post-workout, seemed unusually low. Later in the day, while phone basically just sitting there (other than Podcasts playing via Bluetooth headphones) while I'm on the Mac, noticed it cratered below 20%.

Will delete and re-install (maybe: moved my daily shows to Downcast) to see if helps, just wondering if others have seen this and if they've found a fix.

Thanks.

 

[russell_314]

I've been meaning to check out the Apple podcasts app since I've heard it's had an overhaul. I haven't used it in ages since switching to Overcast. Back in the day the day the Apple podcast app would just decide on it's own that it didn't need to keep downloading new episodes if you haven't listened to them lately. There was no fix for this so I switched to Overcast. I'm going check it out again because even if this issue hasn't been fixed cellular data is significantly faster now so not too big of a deal. If I have battery issues or not I'll post back.

 

[13paul13]

Anyone experiencing big battery usage when using the Podcasts app?

Not sure how long it's been going on for me, but noticed the other day. Post-workout, seemed unusually low. Later in the day, while phone basically just sitting there (other than Podcasts playing via Bluetooth headphones) while I'm on the Mac, noticed it cratered below 20%.

Will delete and re-install (maybe: moved my daily shows to Downcast) to see if helps, just wondering if others have seen this and if they've found a fix.

Thanks.

I’ve been listening to podcasts via Apple’s Podcasts app for 1 hr 8 minutes this morning whilst doing house chores. iPhone 11, iOS 14.5.1. I was listening via Bluetooth earphones, the phone was in Low Power Mode. Battery percentage was at 5% remaining when I started listening and 2% remaining when I finished. So it lost 3% in 1 hr 8 minutes.

 

[vetoes]

I have been noticing as well that Apple Podcasts app is using a lot of battery. I was hoping that it was some occasional glitch but I have noticed ti trough out iOS versions and three different iPhones. I'm currently running iPhone 12 mini on 14.6 which is working great, no other issues.

Let me give an example:
Yesterday I was traveling to another country and I was listening a podcast for 1.5 hours and my battery went down to 75% from fully charged. I was not streaming either, I downloded podcast before I started driving.

So, to calculate according to that, I can listen offline audio file for 6 hours on Apple Podcasts app but if I listen to offline audio files on Apple Music I can listen to it for 50 hours. WTF?

Have you found any solution/fix/information?

 

[NoBoMac]

Have not done any more testing/digging into this.

I looked into other podcast apps and settled on Downcast. Been working well, fits into my workflow re: ability to import podcasts I saved on the Mac via Apple's app in addition to downloading locally, so currently see no need to put Podcasts back onto my phone.

 

[soccerjoshj07]

My podcast app totally destroys my battery too. Just downloading an episode or two offline makes my phone temperature incredibly warm.

 

[vetoes]

After testing is some more, battery life that I described can vary quite a bit. Sometimes its better and sometimes its worse.

I don't get it... It is just audio file playing in background...