Another move by Apple to make their products and services more inclusive. This time, it is providing transcripts for podcasts. While some podcasters do provide transcripts, not all do. Apple will generate transcripts for podcasts, embedding them within the podcast app for ease of access. The transcripts will be searchable with the ability to jump to that section of the podcast from the transcript.

The functionality will be released this spring with iOS 17.4 with availability in 170 countries. While automatic transcripts may not be perfect, Apple allows hosts to edit them and correct any issues. While this feature is necessary for deaf/Deaf people, it provides benefits for everyone. I am looking forward to being able to search a podcast transcript and then jump directly to that point in the podcast.