9to5Mac reports that Apple Podcasts in iOS 27.2 replaces the single Up Next queue with two distinct sections: New Episodes and Continue Playing. The redesign tackles long-standing complaints that the old layout buried new content and lost track of partially listened episodes. 9to5Mac’s columnist calls the change a long-awaited solution to those frustrations.
The New Episodes section shows the latest available episode for each show a user follows, similar to the previous Up Next list. The Continue Playing section acts as a dedicated hub for episodes that were started but not finished. Apple Podcasts already includes transcripts and auto-generated chapters.
Some problems remain. Queue management is still confusing, according to the report, and the queue does not sync across devices — a limitation 9to5Mac describes as a notable omission. Apple has not confirmed whether iOS 27.2 is in beta or has been publicly released, and no timeline is available.