Hello! This is The Vergecast, the flagship podcast of The Verge... and your life. Every Friday, Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn make sense of the week's tech news with help from our wide-ranging staff. Join us every week for a fun, deeply nerdy, often off-the-rails conversation about what's happening now (and next) in technology and gadgets.
The 2024 Streaming Draft (live from SXSW)
The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz choose their picks for The Vergecast Streaming Draft of 2024 in front of a live audience at SXSW. Watch video version with a scoreboard on YouTube Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Hello and goodbye to the MacBook Air
The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss Apple's upgraded MacBook Air, the EU's Digital Markets Act deadline for tech’s biggest “gatekeepers”, and a bunch of tech news from this week. Further reading: Apple announces upgraded MacBook Air laptops with M3 chips The MacBook Air’s wedge is truly gone — and I miss it already Apple may not do a spring event this year How the EU’s DMA is changing Big Tech: all of the news and updates How every tech ‘gatekeeper’ is responding to the DMA iOS 17.4 is here and ready for a whole new Europe Apple hit with a nearly $2 billion fine following Spotify complaint Spotify and Epic criticize Apple’s iOS changes as ‘a mockery of the DMA’ Spotify will show pricing options outside its iOS app in the EU — if Apple lets it Apple kills Epic’s iOS game store plans over App Store criticism Apple is bringing sideloading and alternate app stores to the iPhone Apple unbanned Epic so it can make an iOS games store in the EU Alternative iOS app stores won’t work (for long) outside of the EU. Here’s the new iOS default browser nag for iPhone users in Europe. Apple is officially dropping iPhone support for web apps in the EU Apple’s decision to drop iPhone web apps comes under scrutiny in the EU Now Apple says it won’t disable iPhone web apps in the EU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
AI gadgets, bendy phones, and more from MWC
Today on the flagship podcast of region locked phones: The Verge’s Allison Johnson and Jon Porter report back on all the tech we saw at Mobile World Congress this past week. MWC 2024: all the phones, wearables, and gadgets announced in Barcelona Peering through Lenovo’s transparent laptop into a sci-fi future What if phones actually bent to our needs? The Phone 2A makes a guest appearance at Nothing’s MWC event. The Humane AI Pin worked better than I expected — until it didn’t Samsung has big ambitions for the Galaxy Ring A short gif of Infinix’s color-changing charging E Ink phone concept. Now there’s a 28,000mAh battery with a phone in it Xiaomi’s new Watch S3 has a bezel you can swap as easily as a strap. Honor’s Magic 6 Pro launches internationally with AI-powered eye tracking on the way HMD is making a Barbie flip phone alongside a smartphone for tinkerers Later, David answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline about web crawlers and AI. With the rise of AI, web crawlers are suddenly controversial Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How smart is the smart kitchen, really?
The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy has as smart a kitchen as any reasonable person possibly could; she has smart appliances, a smart sink, a smart fridge, and more voice assistants than anyone could ever talk to. And for a few days, she tried to let her kitchen do the work: telling her what to cook, getting everything set up just right, and even taking some of the cooking and cleaning load off her shoulders. Jen kept a diary during her adventures, and then joined The Vergecast to tell the tale. The fun, frustrating, exciting, harrowing tale. Links: The Thermomix The Samsung Food app The Fresco app The GE Profile Smart Smoker The Smart Instapot Pro The Traeger Smart Wood Pellet Grill The Typhur Smart Air Fryer Tovala Smart Countertop Oven My favorite smart oven is toast Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Apple Car crash
The Verge's Nilay Patel and David Pierce talk through the weird and winding history of Apple's "secret" car project now that it's officially dead. And later, senior policy reporter Lauren Feiner makes her Vergecast debut to catch us up on the arguments made this week in the Supreme Court about online speech and the First Amendment. Further reading: Apple’s electric car project is dead RIP to the Apple Car, we hardly knew ye Behind Apple’s Doomed Car Project: False Starts and Wrong Turns Supreme Court hears arguments on the future of online speech: all the news The Supreme Court is about to decide the future of online speech Why Uber and Etsy came up so much in the Supreme Court’s social media arguments Google CEO says Gemini AI diversity errors are 'completely unacceptable' TikTok is removing even more songs as music rights battle drags on The Humane AI Pin worked better than I expected — until it didn’t Ford offers EV owners free Tesla Supercharger adapters until July Attention English majors: now you can add handwritten notes to Google Docs Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Tales of a shopping influencer
Today on the flagship podcast of the economic theory of Dave and Busters: 02:50 - The Verge’s Mia Sato shares her experience on a new shopping app called Flip, which is filled with only videos that earn affiliate revenue. Where everyone’s an influencer and everything’s for sale 35:34 - The Verge’s Vjeran Pavic and Becca Farsace chat with David Piece about the new Fuji X100VI, and why this line of cameras was a sensation on social media. Fujifilm announces the X100VI, its follow-up to a TikTok sensation The internet's NEW favorite camera? (Fuji X100VI) Fujifilm X100T review 57:44 - Verge producer Will Poor answers a follow-up question about the right to repair legislation in this week’s Vergecast Hotline. Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The smart kitchen is a great idea — and a strange reality
Over the next two Sundays on The Vergecast, The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison-Tuohy and David Pierce dig into the dream smart kitchen, the less-than-dreamy reality of the situation, and what it might take to make cooking, cleaning, meal-prepping, and eating more efficient and more fun. On this episode, Jen takes us on a tour of her own smart(ish) kitchen, and explains why the kitchen often feels left behind in the overall smart home race. Then, Jen and David are joined by Ben Harris, the CEO of Fresco; and Nick Holzherr, the co-founder of Samsung Food. They tell us about the opportunities and challenges in reinventing the way we cook and eat, and explain why the AI revolution might usher in huge change. Further reading: This smart oven solved my work-from-home lunchtime conundrum 2023 in the smart home: Matter’s broken promises How the smart home is finally getting out of your phone and into your home Appliance makers are teaming up to reduce your electricity usage — and save you cash This smart mixer did not make me a better baker Can Samsung Food usher in a new era for the smart kitchen? Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The AIs are officially out of control
The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss ChatGPT and Gemini updates, Walmart acquiring Vizio, Apple's Sports app, and more. Further reading: Google cut a deal with Reddit for AI training data Google apologizes for ‘missing the mark’ after Gemini generated racially diverse Nazis Google’s open-source Gemma AI models draw from the research behind Gemini ChatGPT spat out gibberish for many users overnight before OpenAI fixed it One month with Microsoft’s AI vision of the future: Copilot Pro Gemini, Gemma, Goose. OpenAI can’t register ‘GPT’ as a trademark — yet Artificial investment Walmart to acquire Vizio in $2.3 billion deal Echo Hub review: a simple, customizable smart home control panel Samsung details a host of audio upgrades coming to its phones, tablets, and TVs Apple says the iPhone 15’s battery got better — but won’t say how Rice is not included in Apple’s official guidance for a wet phone One of the last small-ish Android phones looks like it's going the way of the iPhone Mini OnePlus is getting back into the smartwatch game The Garmin Forerunner 165 could be a great budget running watch Sony’s PlayStation Portal hacked to run emulated PSP games Framework is selling a cheap modular laptop Wyze says camera breach let 13,000 customers briefly see into other people’s homes Apple launches Apple Sports app with scores and betting odds Apple is already defending iMessage against tomorrow’s quantum computing attacks IBM quantum computing updates: System Two and Heron Microsoft and Intel strike a custom chip manufacturing deal Rivian says it is laying off 10 percent of its workforce as EV woes deepen Ford slashes Mustang Mach-E prices again as EV price war enters its second year Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The right to repair – and play games anywhere
Today on the flagship podcast of sneaky gaming strategies: 03:45 - Verge producer Will Poor reports on a right-to-repair bill in Oregon and what's next in the right-to-repair movement. The right-to-repair movement is just getting started Status of Right to Repair legislation state by state, via repair.org iFixit explains parts pairing Jessa Jones’ iPad Rehab Apple Is Lobbying Against Right to Repair Six Months After Supporting Right to Repair The current draft of Oregon’s Right to Repair bill 33:13 - Tom Warren breaks down the news from Microsoft’s gaming chief about Xbox games coming to PS5 and next-gen hardware. Microsoft’s gaming chief on Xbox games coming to PS5, next-gen hardware, and more 1:00:49 - David Pierce and Alex Cranz answer a question from The Vergecast Hotline about the crackdown on password sharing for streaming services. Netflix might ruin password sharing for everyone Disney Plus is finally cracking down on password sharing in the US Hulu is cracking down on password sharing, just like Disney Plus and Netflix Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The shine comes off the Vision Pro
The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss Apple fans starting to return the Vision Pro, Xbox exclusive games, Super Bowl streaming troubles, and more. Further reading: Apple fans are starting to return their Vision Pros Zuckerberg says Quest 3 is ‘the better product’ vs. Apple’s Vision Pro Meta’s big vision for face computers might be better than Apple’s Microsoft’s gaming chief on Xbox games coming to PS5, next-gen hardware, and more Microsoft prepares to take Xbox everywhere Gemini Advanced is most impressive when it’s working with Google Gemini 1.5: Google’s next-gen AI model is almost ready Google’s Gemini assistant is fantastic and frustrating OpenAI introduces Sora, its text-to-video AI model ChatGPT’s memory gives OpenAI’s chatbot new information about you Can watermarks save us from deepfakes? Automating ableism The text file that runs the internet Apple won’t be forced to open up iMessage by EU FCC commissioner wants to investigate Apple over Beeper Mini shutdown Apple appears to be breaking iPhone web apps in the EU Walmart might buy Vizio to win the fight over cheap TVs AI at Work Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Passkeys might really kill passwords
Today on the flagship podcast of video podcasts: 02:52 - The Verge's David Pierce chats with 1Password's Anna Pobletts about good password hygiene, passkeys, and the upsides of a third-party password manager. 1Password rolls out public passkey support to its mobile apps and web extensions 31:56 - Victoria Song joins the show to discuss the state of wearables and why this may be the year for the smart ring. Fossil is quitting smartwatches This might be the year of the smart ring 58:46 -Later, David answers a question from The Vergecast Hotline. Apple Vision Pro review: magic, until it’s not Here’s how much the Vision Pro’s accessories cost Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Subscribe to The Verge's YouTube channel for full Vergecast episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Disney’s big bets on sports, streaming, and Fortnite
The Verge's David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Adi Robertson discuss sports streaming, Apple Vision Pro updates, Bluesky removing its invite system, and more. Further reading: ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. are putting together a juggernaut sports streaming app Disney Plus will start its password-sharing crackdown this summer Disney invests $1.5 billion in Epic to create ‘persistent universe’ tied to Fortnite Apple TV+ Became HBO Before HBO Could Become Netflix @lucas_shaw • All these articles should be required to note that nobody watches Apple TV+. • Threads A new Vision Pro teardown shows Apple’s incredible pixel density Apple’s first Vision Pro beta lets you bring virtual items closer Apple’s Vision Pro launch day photo drop captures eager customers. The Vision Pro’s killer app: Cybertruck clout-chasing accessory YouTube says a Vision Pro app is ‘on the roadmap’ Vision Pro’s Personas look a little crisper after latest beta update. It’s been 10 hours. Bluesky social network drops invite-only sign ups The fediverse, explained: Mastodon, Threads, and the open future of social networking X hits number one on the Apple App Store amid second celebrity image scandal The FCC bans robocalls with AI-generated voices Ford quietly created its own ‘skunkworks’ team to develop low-cost electric vehicles Apple is still working on foldable iPhones and iPads Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How AI will change phones — and the whole internet
Today on the flagship podcast of anti-glare coatings: Josh Miller, CEO The Browser Company, joins the show to chat about the Arc Search mobile browser. Arc Search: a new iPhone app combining browser, search, and AI The Arc browser is the Chrome replacement I've been waiting for Allison Johnson shares her review of the flagship Samsung Galaxy S24 phones. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review: all that and AI Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus review: smart choices David Pierce answers a question from The Vergecast Hotline about the Apple Vision Pro. Apple Vision Pro review: magic, until it’s not Meta’s Quest headsets add spatial video and pinch controls to compete with Vision Pr Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Is this peak TikTok?
The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss the Apple Vision Pro review rating, changes to the TikTok app, streaming news, and more. Further reading: Apple Vision Pro review: magic, until it’s not The Vision Pro is a computer for the age of walled gardens Apple’s Vision Pro battery pack is hiding the final boss of Lightning cables Even without Netflix and YouTube, Apple’s Vision Pro has over 600 apps at launch TikTok loses Taylor Swift, Drake, and other major Universal Music artists UMG set to remove music from TikTok amid AI and payment concerns TikTok test automatically identifies products in videos and offers purchase links TikTok goes full YouTube Hulu is cracking down on password sharing, just like Disney Plus and Netflix The death of the Amazon deal could mean goodbye iRobot Lawmakers propose anti-nonconsensual AI porn bill after Taylor Swift controversy All the news from Congress’ Big Tech child safety hearing Snap is recalling and refunding every drone it ever sold TikTok’s CEO can’t catch a break from xenophobia in Congress Your home’s internet connection could soon be called .internal Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Apple Vision Pro review
The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss Nilay's review of the Apple Vision Pro, and then answer questions from our listeners. Further reading: Apple Vision Pro review: magic, until it’s not Apple Vision Pro review (video) Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices