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.
Emergency podcast: chaos at OpenAI
The Verge's Nilay Patel and Alex Heath join David Pierce after a long, winding weekend reporting on the dramatic shakeup at OpenAI, still in progress. Further reading: Turmoil at OpenAI: after firing Sam Altman, what's next for the creators of ChatGPT? Sam Altman fired as CEO of OpenAI OpenAI’s new CEO is Twitch co-founder Emmett Shear OpenAI board in discussions with Sam Altman to return as CEO Emmett Shear named new CEO of OpenAI by board Hundreds of OpenAI employees threaten to resign and join Microsoft Microsoft hires former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman How ChatGPT Fractured OpenAI - The Atlantic Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. We’re doing a survey on how people use The Verge (and what they’d want from a Verge subscription). If you’re interested in helping us out, you can fill out the survey right here: http://theverge.com/survey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Fortnite, GTA VI, and the fate of AAA games
In episode three of our video game miniseries, The Verge's David Pierce and Polygon's Russ Frushtick and Chris Plante discuss the state of the industry's blockbuster games like Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, Overwatch, Fortnite, and others — and what they signal for the future of gaming. 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
Apple’s in on RCS — and everybody’s out on Bing
The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss Apple announcing it will support RCS next year, AI news that came out of Microsoft Ignite, YouTube's new policy on deepfakes, and much more. Further reading: Apple says iPhones will support RCS in 2024 Google turns to regulators to make Apple open up iMessage Meta will fight the EU over regulating Messenger Microsoft Ignite 2023: all the AI news from Microsoft’s IT pro event Microsoft rebrands Bing Chat to Copilot, to better compete with ChatGPT Windows is now an app for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and PCs Microsoft Copilot Studio lets anyone build custom AI copilots Microsoft is finally making custom chips — and they’re all about AI YouTube is going to start cracking down on AI clones of musicians Google is embedding inaudible watermarks right into its AI generated music Nothing is bringing iMessage to its Android phone Taylor Swift fans used record amounts of data during the Eras Tour in North America PlayStation Portal impressions: hands-on with Sony’s remote play handheld for PS5 Opal's second camera is the Tadpole, a tiny webcam for laptops The first OLED Roku TV is here after a long, long wait Sonos teases a major new product coming next year Sonos fixes its Dolby Atmos loud pop issue after years of complaints Taylor Swift fans used record amounts of data during the Eras Tour in North America 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
Spotify and Disney have everything-app dreams
Today on the flagship podcast of machine learning-based recommendation systems: 03:31 - The Verge’s David Pierce chats with Spotify’s co-president and chief product officer Gustav Söderström about recommendations, audiobooks, app design, what Spotify wants to be, and whether it’s possible to do it all well. Spotify - The Verge 44:08 - Alex Cranz joins the show to discuss a bunch of recent streaming news, including the plan to combine Disney Plus and Hulu. Streaming - The Verge 1:10:28 - Chris Welch joins the show to help answer this week’s Vergecast Hotline question about mp3 players. The Mighty — an iPod shuffle for Spotify — finally arrives for $85 bemighty.com 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 fight to save old games
In episode two of our gaming mini series, The Verge's David Pierce chats with Polygon's Russ Frushtick and Chris Plante about the obstacles around both preserving and emulating video games from discontinued hardware. 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
Humane Pins and your own ChatGPT
The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Alex Heath discuss the debut of Humane's AI Pin, OpenAI's DevDay, GPT-4 updates, and more. Further reading: Exclusive leak: all the details about Humane's AI Pin, which costs $699 and has OpenAI integration Humane officially launches the AI Pin, its OpenAI-powered wearable All the news from OpenAI’s DevDay conference OpenAI is letting anyone create their own version of ChatGPT OpenAI wants to be the App Store of AI ChatGPT subscribers may get a ‘GPT builder’ option soon OpenAI turbocharges GPT-4 and makes it cheaper OpenAI’s GPT builder interface is dead simple to use. Valve reveals the Steam Deck OLED: $549 buys better screen, battery, and more Steam Deck OLED review: better, not faster This smart garage door controller is no longer very smart YouTube pages are getting a TikTok-like For You feed 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 tech trials keep coming
Today on the flagship podcast of anti-steering provisions: 02:57 - The Verge's David Pierce and Makena Kelly discuss Epic v. Google, a trial about the future of app stores. The Epic v. Google trial may come down to simple v. complicated Epic v. Google: a battle over Fortnite fees goes to court 28:49 - Liz Lopatto joins the show to detail her experience covering the Sam Bankman-Fried trial from start to finish. FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is guilty of fraud Sam Bankman-Fried gambled on a trial and his parents lost 58:27 - Richard Lawler helps answer this week's Vergecast Hotline question. Disney’s new vision for ESPN might include part ownership by the NBA, NFL Disney finally revealed how many billions ESPN pulls in. Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or leave a voicemail at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Handheld gaming is the future — again
In the first episode of our series about the future of gaming, The Verge's David Pierce chats with Polygon's Chris Plante and Russ Frushtick about handheld game consoles. Is this portable, all-in-one form factor where all of gaming is headed? 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
Apple events, SEO, and other fights
The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss the takeaways from Apple's Mac event, the problem with SEO on the internet, streaming news, and much more. Further reading: Apple ‘Scary Fast’ Mac launch event: the 4 biggest announcements Goodbye, Touch Bar, you held incredible promise Here’s what Apple means when it says its event was ‘shot on iPhone’ Amanda Chicago Lewis’ excellent piece about the web SEO built Some thoughts about The Verge article on SEO Sundar Pichai argues in court that Google isn’t evil, it’s just a business Disney is about to own all of Hulu Joe Rogan’s big Spotify decision HBO Bosses Used ‘Secret’ Fake Accounts to Troll TV Critics Max is taking 4K away from its legacy ad-free subscribers Netflix’s ad-supported plan will reward binge watchers with ad-free episodes Streaming is more expensive than ever — and it’s only going up from here YouTube is getting serious about blocking ad blockers There's a surprising new top-five player in the smartphone market Excuse me, it’s “really an aftermarket sound solution.” The best robot vacuum for me is the one I hacked Chrome on iOS now lets you move the address bar to the bottom Google is officially trying to make .ing domains a th.ing The EV transition trips over its own cord Closing time for Sam Bankman-Fried What stalking a delivery robot taught us about AI’s limits 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
M3 Mac launch and smartphone photography
Today on the flagship podcast of spec bumps: The Verge’s David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Dan Seifert discuss the announcements from Apple’s “Scary Fast” Mac event. Apple’s ‘Scary Fast’ Mac event: all the news from Apple’s online keynote Becca Farsace joins the show to share her thoughts on smartphone photography in 2023, and if the “Pro” branding can live up to its name. iPhone 15 Pro Max camera: 1000 photos later, it’s still missing something 1,000 photos with the Pixel 8 Pro: AI, UI, and Pro stuff Adi Robertson answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline. Xreal’s Air 2 AR glasses ship in November in the US 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
An impossible journey into self-hosting
Today on the flagship podcast of network-attached storage: This is the fourth in our four-part series all about connectivity. This week we're talking about software: how software connects us, how we connect to software, and how software connects to other software. 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 next Macs and the next Twitter
The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss the next Apple event, a Twitter successor, and Windows Phone regrets. Further reading: Apple plans ‘Scary Fast’ product event just before Halloween Apple’s future AirPods roadmap just leaked, and big changes are coming Apple TV Plus is getting a price hike — and other Apple subscriptions are, too The Apple Watch’s double tap points at a new way to use wearables iOS 17.2 Beta Introduces Journal App - MacRumors Meta’s Threads app has almost 100 million users, says Mark Zuckerberg Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella admits giving up on Windows Phone and mobile was a mistake Here’s your first look at Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater gameplay Humane's AI Pin is Here’s your first look at Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater gameplay Google reportedly pays $18 billion a year to be Apple’s default search engine Is my co-worker AI? Bizarre product reviews leave Gannett staff wondering In the end, the FTX trial was about the friends screwed along the way The obsessive tormentor who made professors’ lives miserable The restaurant nearest Google 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
Everything you’ve always wondered about The Vergecast
The Verge's David Pierce, Nilay Patel, and Alex Cranz dedicate the show to talk about their feelings. The crew answer a bunch of questions from listeners about The Vergecast, The Verge website, and the future of it all. 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 poster’s guide to the new internet
In episode three of our connectivity mini series, The Verge's David Pierce explores the idea of POSSE and PESOS, two syndication models for posting on the internet that don't rely on a single platform. Buckle in, it gets nerdy. 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
Into the iPad Confusion Zone
The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss a whole bunch of tech news from this week — a new Apple Pencil, the latest Cybertruck confusion, streaming updates, and more. Further reading: Apple Pencil joins the iPad confusion zone Apple announces entry-level Apple Pencil with USB-C charging Elgato’s new $279.99 Prompter is an all-in-one teleprompter and extra monitor Analogue is making a 4K Nintendo 64 OnePlus Open review: right size, wrong price Elon Musk says ‘we dug our own grave with Cybertruck,’ offers new delivery date Elon Musk answers Tesla pricing question with anti work-from-home rant https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/18/23923256/musk-dodges-question-about-accepting-legal-liability-for-tesla-full-self-driving-cars Tesla profits dip as it invests in factory upgrades and AI development https://www.threads.net/@keubikooriginal/post/CyjavWouN0w X will start charging new users in two countries $1 per year ChargePoint is bringing Tesla’s NACS plug to its vast network of EV chargers These space-saving public EV chargers are ridiculously fast and rolling out now FCC kicks off fight to restore net neutrality https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/19/23923617/nokia-announces-14000-job-cuts-amid-5g-downturn Here comes another Netflix price hike Netflix’s first live sports broadcast pairs up F1 drivers with pro golfers Spotify launches hub for artists’ merch YouTube might make an official way to create AI Drake fakes Get ready to see a lot more product ads in YouTube videos YouTube wants to get you watching more news from ‘authoritative sources’ There’s no way you’ll miss YouTube’s like and subscribe buttons now There's no way you'll miss YouTube's like and subscribe buttons now How Ecobee is becoming the smart home company Nest should have been 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