Ask HN: Why have podcast and audio book apps not improved much?
I was listening to a podcast today, and as usual, the first few minutes contained blather that I wanted to skip through.
Why have podcast apps or podcast audio files not evolved to contain metadata allowing the user to skip around yet (eg. bookmarks)?
Why do e-books from audible.com still use obviously old tech, as evidenced by poor sound quality, chapters with arbitrary numbering only, no metadata, and bookended by the same ancient clip saying "This!... is Audible."
Spotify is the company best positioned to fix this, although I'm not sure they'll be able to.
The real issue is that podcasts run on old backends like RSS, and there's no reason for creators to change that without a functional platform to offer a financial alternative. With the current format, creators embed the ads and all's well. Even if a lot of users skip the ads, some still here them, and some go to the affiliate link.
With an alternative system, like Spotify, there's the possibility of a better system. Spotify could host a network that allows creators to separate their content from the ads, and then Spotify can distribute the podcasts via their app, with an ad-free version going to paying customers. Furthermore, if Spotify manages the ads that get embedded, they could insert ads that are more tailored to the listener. The added benefit (for creators and advertisers) is that Spotify could use the app to ensure that listeners can't skip the ads when they're listening with an ad-supported account.
I've been a proponent for a refresh of the podcast platforms for a while now, and even pitched this idea of a more subscription oriented model to friends who have the ability to build an app or service capable of this, but the reality is that it requires buy-in from multiple creators for it to be viable. As I see it, Stitcher and Spotify are the only two businesses positioned to make it happen, and Spotify (with its recent purchase of Anchor and Gimlet) is probably the only one with any legitimate interest in going this route.
I find the Overcast app pretty workable.
In your blather situation, you'd just set forward skip to 30s and hit it a few times. Podcasts are for profit and so if you aren't paying...you are the product. I don't think a bookmark after the ads is going to be a thing.
I do like the idea of having content areas and being able to navigate between them! Why on earth not indeed!
I wish Overcast did a better job of queuing and making fresh content available in an intuitive way. I've gone so far as to watch youtube videos to see if I'm doing it right or not...