Macvoices Audio

Our conversation with Kirk McElhern about Take Control of Apple Media Apps looks at the steady maturation of Apple's media apps—Music, TV, Books, and Podcasts—and why major changes are now rare. Kirk unpacks Apple Music's personalized stations and discovery, the "hits rise to the top" problem, and why many podcast pros still prefer Overcast despite Apple's transcripts. Plus: how Apple's services strategy nudges users toward subscriptions, and why managing your own library adds complexity. (Part 2)  MacVoices is supported by the 2025 MacVoices Holiday Gift Guides. Tech and more you want to give and get. Find out what the panels recommend at MacVoices.com/HolidayGiftGuide. Show Notes: Chapters: [0:00] Personal radio vs "played-to-death" tracks [1:14] Mixes: Essentials, Discovery, personal stations, Friends [2:06] Genius: how recommendations evolved [3:34] Weighting, hits, and eclectic listening problems [5:20] Creating a radio station from an album/song [6:31] Podcast app satisfaction and why Overcast wins [10