Broken Redirect from iOS Chrome to Apple Podcasts (iTunes Store)

Originator:bill.irwin
Number:rdar://39347603 Date Originated:4/11/18
Status:Active Resolved:
Product:App Store / iTunes Product Version:iOS 11.3 (15E216)
Classification: Reproducible:Yes
 
Summary:
Clicking any itunes.com redirect link to a Podcast while using an iOS device SHOULD open the Apple Podcasts app where they can listen or subscribe. However, for the past few months, redirects from Chrome on iOS have instead directed users to a page in the ITUNES STORE, which looks okay but is not functional - users cannot subscribe or listen from here. There are some links from this iTunes Store page that will ultimately redirect users to Apple Podcasts, but they are hard to find. This may be encountered by thousands of podcast listeners every day.

Steps to Reproduce:
1 Open chrome on iOS
2 Visit a link like https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/this-american-life/id201671138?mt=2 
3 A dialog like "This page will open in another application" will appear
4 Click "Open"
5 You will be brought to a page in the iTunes Store (this should be Apple Podcasts instead)

Expected Results:
The link above should bring you to the This American Life podcast page in APPLE PODCASTS. Apple insists that we use this link and many high level decisions rely on traffic to this URL. 

Actual Results:
User is brought to a non-functioning page in the ITUNES STORE.

Version/Build:
iOS 11.3 (15E216)
Chrome 65.0.3325.152

Configuration:

Comments


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