Podcasts URL scheme does not follow podcast due to HTTP URL

Hello!

In our website, we allow members to follow private RSS feeds on their Podcasts app easily with the click of a button.

Underneath the button is a link in the format of:

podcast://example.rssurl.com # Example

With this URL scheme, the Podcasts app launches correctly and shows the "Follow a Show by URL" input box, with the private RSS feed URL prefilled.

However, the prefilled URL uses HTTP instead of HTTPS. So, the example link above (podcast://example.rssurl.com) when clicked is converted to:

http://example.rssurl.com

in the "Follow a Show by URL" input box in the Podcasts app.

We noticed the HTTP form of the URL does not work well, as it sometimes fail to follow the show. Clicking on "Follow" would simply close the box and cause nothing to happen, not even error messages.

We then tested with HTTPS by manually inserting the URL like so:

https://example.rssurl.com

and this would always work.

However, this is not ideal as our users would have to manually paste in the URL all the time.

It'd be great if the Podcasts URL scheme above would automatically prefill the "Follow a Show by URL" input box with the HTTPS form instead.

Is there a way to force this behavior or is this intended from Apple's side?

Thank you!

Podcasts URL scheme does not follow podcast due to HTTP URL
 
 
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