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Upgrade

Relaywww.relay.fm
Upgrade looks at how technology shapes our lives, from the devices in our hands and pockets to the streaming services that keep us entertained. Hosted by Jason Snell and Myke Hurley.

Episodes

469: Bring in the Boffins

Myke's summer is a lot less fun due to his concerns about a bill advancing in the UK Parliament that could potentially drive some Apple services out of the country. Also we try to understand just what's happening at Apple regarding AI products, and we have issues with services that push algorithmic timelines.

Jul 24, 20232 hr 44 minEp. 469

467: The Least Important Mac

We struggle to balance empathy with reality as we try to explain why the Mac Pro is the way that it is, and why that's unlikely to change. Also, the Summer of Fun ends up taking on the future of social media, and Myke asks Jason to talk him into installing the iOS beta.

Jul 10, 20231 hr 19 minEp. 467

466: Try to Stop Me Now, Batman

This week we get to the bottom of the secrets of the mysterious Puzzle Society, Goldman Sachs can't make money on credit cards, Apple might be getting into college football, and there's a lot of weird follow-up. Typical Summer of Fun stuff!

Jul 03, 20232 hr 42 minEp. 466

465: No Dark Modes, Only Dark Rooms

Developers are getting their hands on (simulated) visionOS for the first time, and we speculate about how spatial apps might work. And for the Summer of Fun, we gauge our excitement level for various Apple-related product rumors.

Jun 26, 20232 hr 53 minEp. 465

464: Godzilla Is Always There

Myke and Jason answer your questions about Vision Pro, catch up with some new beta details, saddle up for a new Rumor Roundup, process the Reddit debacle, and detail our summer plans.

Jun 19, 20232 hr 40 minEp. 464

463: Respect the Tripod

Jason and Myke discuss their experiences using the Apple Vision Pro and what they're thinking about the product now that they've used it. Also there's a lot of WWDC follow-up, and Jason reviewed new Macs! And it's all coming to you live from Jason's garage.

Jun 12, 20232 hr 39 minEp. 463

462: Time Moves the Sun

WWDC 2023 has arrived and Jason and Myke react to the keynote announcements, live from a secluded location at Apple Park! Topics are just what you'd guess: Apple Vision Pro, new Mac hardware (!), and new OS features.

Jun 06, 20231 hr 15 minEp. 462

461: The WWDC Keynote Draft 2023

It's time for our eighth annual competition regarding what will happen at Apple's WWDC keynote! Jason and Myke will be there in person--but what will be announced? Is the Apple mixed-reality headset really going to happen? Will there be room for new Mac hardware? And what do we anticipate for macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS?

May 29, 20231 hr 15 minEp. 461

460: Mr. QuickTime is Now Mr. Headset

With WWDC and our annual draft right around the corner, it's time to survey the final rumors about Apple's AR/VR headset, while also taking stock of some real accessibility developments due this fall. Also: Jason has gazed into the many faces of the Apple TV Quadbox, and Mimestream 1.0 has arrived.

May 22, 20232 hr 33 minEp. 460

459: I Appreciate Whopping

Apple has finally announced Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for iPad. What does this mean for the platform, what took so long, and is this the end of the story--or just the beginning? Also, the Wall Street Journal gets into the Apple Headset rumor business.

May 15, 20232 hr 30 minEp. 459

458: Weaving on a Thoughtful Basis

It's time to analyze Apple's financial results, including a focus on India and some substantial declines for the Mac and iPad. Myke reveals the existence of the Secret Myke Hurley Tip Line. And we dive deep into a conversation about how Apple's embrace of keeping things "on device" isn't necessarily enough to differentiate it from the likes of Google and Meta.

May 08, 20231 hr 28 minEp. 458

457: Subtle & Vibrant

This week we react to rumors of future Apple health services and try to understand the difference between a service and a feature. Also, is Apple right to keep advanced AI out of Siri until it's trustworthy? And we celebrate the suggestion that watchOS might be getting a fresh new Widget-centric interface.

May 01, 20231 hr 27 minEp. 457

456: The Official Journal of Journaling

As rumor season kicks into high gear, we discuss Apple's potential new app, more reports about its VR headset, and some updates about forthcoming Mac hardware.

Apr 24, 20231 hr 24 minEp. 456

455: QUADBOX!

What's happening at WWDC? The rumors are... confusing. Also, Jason gets excited about watching four things at once, Myke tries to bring iOS 17 into focus, and we've got a book review of 'Make Something Wonderful' from the Steve Jobs Archive.

Apr 17, 20232 hr 49 minEp. 455

454: The Home Home

This week we're pondering future directions for watchOS complications and iOS Control Center, reacting to extremely early reports about future iPhone displays, and digesting Apple's slow build of alternative manufacturing capacities outside of China.

Apr 10, 20231 hr 22 minEp. 454

453: At Large at Apple Park

WWDC has been announced, but when will the Apple VR headset be ready to ship? Also, CarPlay gets the cold shoulder from General Motors, watchOS might be in for some major changes, and the iPhone could be getting its own action button.

Apr 03, 20232 hr 30 minEp. 453

452: Schrödinger's Killer App

With WWDC (presumably) a couple of months away, we take time to list some of our wishes for iOS 17. There's also a lot more noise about the forthcoming Apple VR headset, and the entertainment industry and Apple are having communication issues.

Mar 27, 20232 hr 42 minEp. 452

451: I've Come Around to Reality

Is the iPad still the future of computing, or is it the Mac (again)? This week we're pondering Apple's dividing lines between the iPad Pro and the Mac, and wonder if each product is limiting the potential of the other. Also, is Apple planning on raising iPad Pro prices to new heights? We also consider Apple's moves to show fiscal responsibility without laying off a lot of people like the rest of the tech industry.

Mar 20, 20232 hr 35 minEp. 451

450: Funko Classicals

Did Apple's designers want the company to give up on its dreams of augmented reality and just wait it out for a few years? We ponder that baffling report and try to make sense of conflicting rumors about the arrival of the new MacBook Air. Then we get mellow about yellow, and Jason exposes his limited knowledge of classical music and his comprehensive knowledge of 1980s novelty pop hits.

Mar 13, 20231 hr 17 minEp. 450

449: Dynamic Submarine

Kia ora! Jason's back from vacation to discuss Apple's continued quest to optimize its iPhone product revenue and the reason why M3 Macs might be closer (and more interesting) than we thought.

Mar 06, 20231 hr 27 minEp. 449

448: I'm Choosing Optimism

Myke is joined by Casey Liss to discuss Mark Gurman's report on Apple's 'Moonshot' efforts. Also, what is that 'ComputeModule', how thick will the Pro Max camera bump be, and how does Casey fare in a brand new segment?

Feb 27, 20232 hr 43 minEp. 448

447: I've Got a Lot of Code in the Catalogue

With Jason on vacation, Myke is joined by David Smith. They discuss a potential delay for Apple's headset and what that may mean for WWDC. Also, David's AI-powered podcast transcription website, and the introduction of 'Ask Underscore'.

Feb 20, 20232 hr 34 minEp. 447

446: The iPhone Abides

Jason has released the 2022 Apple Report Card, and now it's time for him and Myke to once again share their grades for Apple for the year gone by. Also, Tim and Eddy go to the Super Bowl, and Apple gets a new Chief People Officer.

Feb 13, 20232 hr 48 minEp. 446

445: Headwinds

How you read Apple's financial results really depends on what you want to see in them. We break down the numbers, ponder the state of Apple's design group, and reconsider what Apple may or may not be folding in the near future.

Feb 06, 20231 hr 19 minEp. 445

444: Greg

This is the episode where our brains break as we try to process wild rumors of folding iPads and Siri-driven VR app development. Also, proving the raw interactive power of UpgradeFeedback.com, Myke hears from many listeners about why they choose to use the 16-inch MacBook Pro. Jason, meanwhile seems to hate plants.

Jan 30, 20232 hr 40 minEp. 444

443: Core Variations

Jason's spent most of the last week with an M2 Max MacBook Pro, so it's time for his full review. We also discuss the M2 Mac mini and the second-generation HomePod. This naturally leads into a discussion of Apple's future home products and what form the M3 processor might take.

Jan 23, 20232 hr 36 minEp. 443

442: Zombie Arms and Toaster Fridge

Does the report that Apple may build a touchscreen Mac laptop mean that the futures of the Mac and iPad are about to converge--or is nothing much really going to change? Then Jason and Myke then pour one out for third-party Twitter apps. It was a good run.

Jan 16, 20232 hr 36 minEp. 442

441: Qi2: Qi Harder

As the new year begins, reports about Apple's forthcoming headset product arrive to confuse and perplex us. We also discuss a potentially quiet year for the rest of Apple's product line, the fundamental dignity of a circular pizza, and a handful of things we cared about at CES 2023.

Jan 09, 20232 hr 30 minEp. 441

440: Apple Bricked My House!

It's a new year, and Jason has made his fearless predictions about what will happen in 2023! (Myke has questions.) We also consider the fate of the iPhone Plus, discuss Apple pausing its HomeKit architecture roll-out, and pour one out for Dark Sky.

Jan 02, 20232 hr 39 minEp. 440