The app contains “Suggestions by iTunes” on the front screen, has a search option to “Search iTunes”, and promotes itself as including podcasts “from iTunes”.
However, Apple has been using “Apple Podcasts” since February 2018, and has been asking podcasters not to use “iTunes”. The iTunes app is no longer available for MacOS or iOS, and is seemingly in maintenance-mode only for Windows computers.
Its appearance - to this podcaster, at least - communicates that AntennaPod hasn’t been updated for a long time. I know that’s not the case; but I think it gives a poor overall impression.
Since the iTunes brand has now been retired for almost five years, would there be any objection to me going through the source code and switching out “iTunes” to read “Apple Podcasts”? Or are there good reasons why this hasn’t been done?
(I’d note that both are trademarks from Apple, and other podcast apps don’t make their use of Apple Podcasts data as clear as AntennaPod does.)
When you say the “Home Screen” I assume you mean the “Search Screen”?
(I have the initial launch screen set to the Subscriptions Screen - The initial launch screen is whatever screen you were looking at last - There is no “Home Screen” as such)
Well, I called it the front screen, not the home screen.
Anyway… to the question at hand: any reason why I shouldn’t submit a PR to change all these strings to “Apple Podcasts”? Or is there a reason why the project wishes to retain the iTunes words? I’m just asking, not criticising; I want to see AntennaPod succeed.
The API we use (iTunes Search API: Overview) is still called iTunes. Not sure what is the more accurate description then. I guess it could make sense to change the text. @keunes what do you think?
Correct, the API is still called iTunes; but the product is Apple Podcasts, and has been for some time. Consumers will know Apple Podcasts; not iTunes.
Most podcast apps that use the iTunes API don’t ever mention it. I love the fact that AntennaPod does; but I don’t think you necessarily need to mention that the suggestions are from Apple.
However, I’d certainly suggest that the consumer-facing language for the “Search iTunes” should read “Search Apple Podcasts”; and that in about this app on Google Play you talk about Apple Podcasts, not iTunes.
(I’d also suggest that if you were to mention Apple Podcasts, that would do wonders for your SEO within Google Play, given that Apple have yet to launch an Apple Podcasts for Android).
Thanks @jamescridland for chipping in. I wasn’t aware, but I think it’s a good idea. API calls & endpoints never (or hardly ever) change, but brand names do.
Maybe instead of ‘Apple Podcasts’ we can simply say ‘Apple’ in case space is limited. I’m mainly thinking about the ‘Suggestions by’ text on the ‘Add podcast’ screen and the ‘Results by’ text on the search results screen.
