How To Play/Listen To Video Podcasts In The Background On An iPhone

Update: This tip only works for video podcasts played in the "podcasts" section of the "iPod" app on the iPhone. There currently is no method to do this for videos in the "video" section of the "iPod" app.

The Problem

Have you ever tried to use your iPhone apps while listening to a video podcasts or videos on an iPhone? it turns out it's not as easy as it should be. I have an iPod Touch (first generation) which always has provided a simple solution to this task, yet a year later when I got my iPhone I found that I could not do this. The difference between the iPhone and the iPod Touch is that the iPhone has one default app called "iPod", and the iPod Touch has instead two apps: one called "Music" and the other is called "Videos".

The iPod Touch "Music" app treats all audio and video as audio, and thus you can play the audio and switch apps with ease. The iPhone "iPod" app plays/treats videos the same way that the iPod Touch "Videos" app does, which is to say that it does not allow you to play the video in the background, which would allow you to switch apps while listening to the video.

7 Step Solution/Tip/Trick/Run Around

1. Open the "iPod" app
2. Play a video podcast in the "podcasts" section of the "iPod" app.
3. Press the home button, which exits the "iPod" app, returning you to the home screen.
4. Turn off the screen.
5. Double press the home button.
6. Press play.
7. Unlock the screen.
8. Now the video's audio should be playing in the background, and you should be at the home screen where you can select an app.

The Conclusion

I consider this a usability flaw on my iPhone's current OS version (which is 2.2.1) and all versions before. While I love the iPhone, and think Apple goofed on this one (7 steps for video podcasts?!, no solution for videos??!!), and it bothers me multiple times a day, so I hope they update the functionality here...