Google Podcasts gets player overhaul on Android



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The latest beta of the Google app rolls out a redesign of the player screen in Google Podcasts. Simplification is the goal with more space given to key controls, while other actions are hidden in the process.

Update 2/8: Google App Beta 12.4 makes changes to the new version of the Podcasts Now Playing screen. The sleep timer is back in the bottom row with the previous sliding UI restored. It is between read speed and Cast to. The queue is still in its new position on the left edge, while the overflow menu remains a sheet for “Share” and “Mark as read”.


Original 1/7: In this new user interface, the scrubber immediately appears under the cover, the title of the scrolling episode and the author of the podcast. It is no longer on the penultimate row, and still slightly wider than before. This is followed by a play button which is flanked by the half minute skip / skip and 10 second rewind.

Redesign of the Google Podcast player

Next to that last item is a button to jump to the play queue, with the new placement unfortunately breaking the symmetry. The biggest change today is the bottom row of buttons, with the clear intention being to space the controls out so that buttons aren’t accidentally pressed.

Version 11.42

With the queue moved out of the left corner, playback speed takes its place. “Cast to” is centered just below the reading, with an overflow button to the right that drags a new sheet. “Share” and “Mark as read” appear first, while “Sleep timer” has been moved here. The user interface for this feature has been changed to be a simple list and only the default increments are now provided: 5, 10, 15, 30, 35 minutes, 1 hour, or “end of episode”.

This redesign of the player for Google Podcasts is being rolled out with version 11.42 of the beta version of the Google app. It’s not yet rolled out to the stable channel on Android, while the iOS app hasn’t seen an update yet.

Previous Now playing interface

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