It's episode 300! This week we look to the future by drafting stories we'll be talking about over the next hundred episodes of Upgrade, and then we answer all of your questions about how the podcast got started, how we put it together, and where we're going from here.
There's a raft of media news this week, as Spotify removes a popular podcast from the ecosystem and Apple TV+ makes more content deals. We've got questions about the future of podcasting and whether Apple is committed to a video subscription service for the long haul. And when that's done, Myke at the Movies skips school and steals your dad's car to watch "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." Save Ferris!
Apple Stores are reopening in many parts of the world, but should you go? (Not unless you must.) Also, Taiwan Semiconductor plans to build a factory in the U.S., TV shows are being produced remotely during the lockdown, and Apple News+ turns to audio in an attempt to improve its service.
This week Jason and Myke ponder the mysteries of the 13-inch MacBook Pro(s), including why the Touch Bar is frozen in time and whether there's a bigger change coming to Apple's laptop line. Also Jason makes another IKEA order, Myke shares some knowledge about unusual BBC job titles, Jason's iPhone X battery fails at an inopportune time, and WWDC gets a new date and format.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman joins Myke and Jason to discuss how Apple's responding to the pandemic, the current state of iPhone development, and how he handles breaking major Apple news. Then Myke and Jason discuss the new 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Jason finally gets to tell his tale of Drobo devastation.
Myke and Jason are the target audience for Apple's new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro, and they're here with their full reviews. (And Myke trolls the Internet with five space bars.) They also ponder the balance of power between governments and tech giants over COVID-19 Bluetooth tracking.
Apple tweaks the Mac's battery settings, a new iPhone SE arrives, the first reviews of the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro are in, and Apple's over-ear AirPods seem to be creeping closer.
Apple and Google join up to start tracing COVID-19 contacts, Apple makes a bunch of TV shows available to watch for free, Disney faces strong headwinds, and Bloomberg adds a bit of normalcy with a report about the next generation of iPhones. Then Myke at the Movies is sent back in time by whales to watch "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home."
How will COVID-19 change the future of consumer technology? Why is Zoom the videoconferencing tool of the moment, and why has it had so many security and privacy issues? We ask the big questions this week, and also discuss Amazon's ability to sell and rent movies on iOS, the mystifying launch of the Quibi video service, and how moving to a virtual workspace is affecting Apple.
Myke has taken possession of a "new" iPad Pro, so he and Jason compare notes and enter the Conspiracy Room to ponder why it exists. While they're there, they also revisit the possibilities of ARM Macs and iPad versions of Apple's pro apps. We also save some praise for iPadOS cursors and Apple's COVID-19 reactions thus far.
Jason's got the new MacBook Air and iPad Pro, so it's time to dig in. But the most exciting new Apple development is an iPad accessory we won't see until May--and an iPadOS software update we all get to see this week. Plus, Myke gives his surprising reaction to spending a few weeks with a 16-inch MacBook Pro.
This week we discuss how the global pandemic has affected Apple, from retail to TV shows to Apple Park workers, and potentially even product launches. Your hosts, experts at working at home, offer some advice to new homebound workers. And to lend a little normalcy to the proceedings, we leave a little time for speculation about some future Apple product releases.
The COVID-19 virus continues to upend tech industry conference plans, product roll-outs, and supply chains, but we've still got news about new displays on future Apple hardware and a series of major stories from 9to5 Mac about the future of iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Is the iPad finally getting full-on cursor support for external pointing devices? Myke and Jason are decidedly enthusiastic, while also wondering if this is just an elaborate practical joke.
So is Apple really releasing a Smart Keyboard with a built-in trackpad? That's the latest report, and Jason and Myke have a lot of questions about it. Is iPadOS 13 good enough to support a trackpad? Would a trackpad only for text editing and gestures make sense? Are we going to have to wait for iPadOS 14 for everything to make sense? And in Upstream, Disney+ gets its "expensive NBC" moment on Instagram.
This week begins with us clearing up controversies about pockets and malware. The spread of the coronavirus is affecting Apple's business, and making us wonder if WWDC in June could be affected. Ming-Chi Kuo drops a bombshell about ARM Macs, and Mark Gurman reports that Apple might be opening the door to default apps on iOS.
Myke met the people for whom the Mac Pro was made, and reports back with details. Jason tries to combat confusion about whether the Mac is really being attacked by malware and explains what Apple is doing to stop it. And we address some five-year-old follow-up regarding text input on the Apple Watch.
Why did Apple surprise developers with beta releases with intriguing new features this month? What does it mean for the future of Mac app development? Is a new keyboard going to be a major feature of new iPad Pro models? Would Apple really build Macs with processors made by AMD? And can someone get Taika Waititi a 16-inch MacBook Pro?
It's time for our annual dive into the Six Colors Apple Report Card, as Jason and Myke interpret the scores and comments of 65 Apple-watchers and add their own views on where the company is succeeding--and where it's not.
It's the 10th anniversary of the announcement of the iPad! Myke and Jason discuss why the seeds of the iPad's success were visible on day one, the changes in the iPad's life cycle over time, and how the iPad fits in our daily lives today.
We close the book on the 2010s with a special draft of Apple keynotes and media events from the past decade, joined by special guest Stephen Hackett. And in Upstream news, it's a busy season of announcements for both Apple TV+ and Peacock.
With Myke reporting live from Hollywood, we discuss Netflix's record Oscar nominations, and Apple's first TV award and TV critic press tour. Jason makes a chart that explains why Apple execs can't stop talking about Services and Wearables. Then we both give updates on our home-office upgrades, Jason abandons his solar dream, and Myke turns to mechanical keyboards for solace.
With a new year come Jason's predictions for Apple in 2020. How varied can the iPhone product line get? Will Apple make its most interesting laptop yet--and will it run macOS or iPadOS? And how can Apple double down on the success of AirPods? We also discuss the new Brydge Pro+ iPad keyboard with trackpad, there's a bumper crop of Upstream news, and we dream about a future where smart home devices are all compatible with one another.
As the year comes to an end, it's time for the Sixth Annual Upgradies! Myke and Jason discuss their favorites of 2019, take the input of 1500 Upgradians, and hand out awards in numerous categories! Only the finest will walk away with the most coveted of titles: Upgradies Winner.
This week we try to solve a technology mystery. What if there was a murder, but no body? What if there were victims, but no crime? We all want answers: Who killed the butterfly keyboard, and why?
How is Apple TV+ like a bicycle? Is the Mac Pro made in the USA? Why can you play Apple Podcasts from the Amazon Echo? This week Jason and Myke answer these questions, and ponder the negative reaction from some pro users to the price of the Mac Pro.
Rumors of a forthcoming iPhone without any lightning or USB ports make us ponder why Apple would consider such a move and what its ramifications would be. Also, Apple basks in Golden Globe nominations and steps into movie-industry controversy and Jason explains why most people don't need a Mac Pro.
This week we get caught up on Apple services (Apple Pay, Apple News+, Apple Arcade), Jason gives Myke a tour of CarPlay in iOS 13, and we feed the tech podcast ecosystem with discussions of office lighting and weather stations.
This week we discuss Tim Cook's political high-wire act, Apple's attempts to reduce bugs in future iOS releases, and Jason's wishes for iOS 14. Finally, just in time for the holidays, Myke at the Movies returns with 1988's "Die Hard."
A week later, we're pondering the 16-inch MacBook Pro and what it means about how Apple listens to customers and criticism. We also look into the future to wonder where Apple will take touchscreen devices and whether we're uncomfortable about Apple's interest in augmented reality.
The butterfly keyboard era is over! Apple is releasing a new 16-inch MacBook Pro this week, featuring a Magic Keyboard, upgraded audio, the biggest battery allowed by law, and a lot more. Jason has an exclusive interview with Apple’s MacBook Pro product manager, Shruti Haldea. Then Jason and Myke break down the new laptop's features and feature omissions, while reserving a little bit of time for the launch of Disney+.
