It's another emergency draft! In this bonus episode, Jason and Myke predict what will happen at Tuesday’s Apple media event. What form will the new iPhones take? Will a new Apple Watch make an appearance? And what special bits of stagecraft might propel one of us to a decisive draft victory?
Sep 10, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep 370•Transcript available on Metacast As Jason and Myke wait for the announcement of an iPhone launch event, they discuss Apple's curious set of incremental changes to App Store policies, what those changes mean, and how they inform Apple's possible future strategies.
Sep 06, 2021•2 hr 37 min•Ep 369•Transcript available on Metacast It's the first-ever Upgrade Call-In Show! This week, Myke and Jason answer listener questions about Apple, themselves... and popular dance steps. Go ahead caller--we're listening.
Aug 30, 2021•2 hr 5 min•Ep 368•Transcript available on Metacast This week we kick off our annual fundraising for St. Jude, ask listeners to call in with their questions, and discuss how Apple approaches putting features in--and taking them out--of its public betas.
Aug 23, 2021•2 hr 30 min•Ep 367•Transcript available on Metacast This week Jason and Myke ponder what it means to be a native Mac app in the era of SwiftUI, Catalyst, and Electron. They also consider the fallout and further disclosures from Apple's child-protection announcements, celebrate Ted Lasso Christmas, and talk about how they're traveling with iPads and Macs today.
Aug 16, 2021•2 hr 34 min•Ep 366•Transcript available on Metacast We discuss Apple's multiple announcements related to child safety, including what prompted Apple's actions, the different ways any technological tool can be used, where Apple has chosen to intervene, and the dangers of sliding down a slippery slope. In lighter news, we also talk about Apple's rediscovery of its online store and various attempts for streaming services to build new franchises. Also, alert Broadway and the West End: we may have invented a new segment.
Aug 09, 2021•2 hr 56 min•Ep 365•Transcript available on Metacast Myke's headed off on vacation, but before he goes, he's made time to discuss last week's Apple financial results. Then Jason welcomes special guest Julia Alexander for a mega-Upstream about ScarJo v. Disney, the future of the movies, and the current state of affairs for streaming services.
Aug 02, 2021•2 hr 48 min•Ep 364•Transcript available on Metacast This week Myke and Jason join Netflix in pretending to be gamers while cable TV channels pretend to be streaming services. We also ponder a smarter Apple display, and Apple has designs on fancy Hollywood real estate. And Myke goes to the Streaming Services as we discuss "Loki" and the first episode of "Ted Lasso."
Jul 26, 2021•2 hr 50 min•Ep 363•Transcript available on Metacast Jason's back, and Myke has a lot of questions about his vacation. They also discuss a load of Apple TV+ news, new Safari betas, the MagSafe battery pack, and a bunch of Apple hardware rumors.
Jul 19, 2021•2 hr 36 min•Ep 362•Transcript available on Metacast For the first time Jason is (mostly) off this week! After discussing who’s winning the streaming wars, Myke challenges John Siracusa to describe his ideal Mac, asks Merlin Mann to share what he’s excited about, and answers a #myketalk from Jay Miller. But don’t worry, lasers return later on.
Jul 12, 2021•2 hr 16 min•Ep 361•Transcript available on Metacast Presenting Upgrade 360, a new program designed to improve your podcast listening experience by letting you choose the level of podcast quality you wish to receive. Perhaps you want to hear us talk about the podcast bubble without any audio artifacts! Maybe you'd like our discussion of the macOS Public Beta to be delivered at a shockingly low bit rate! It's the same old Upgrade, but delivered in a few new ways--plus the usual way, we should be clear it's also just being delivered the usual way.
Jul 05, 2021•1 hr 27 min•Ep 360•Transcript available on Metacast The Upgrade Summer of Fun kicks into gear with new beachwear, a very special summer-themed edition of Ask Upgrade, dreams of larger iPads, and a bunch of streaming news. On the less fun side, we discuss why Apple has reacted the way it has to threats of new laws and regulations that might change how it does business.
Jun 28, 2021•2 hr 9 min•Ep 359•Transcript available on Metacast We discuss the future of the Apple Watch, from new materials to new shapes to all the sensors Apple might want to put on any product that touches your body. And then we talk about the risks Apple might face by failing to learn the right lessons from the pandemic about altering its corporate culture.
Jun 21, 2021•2 hr 41 min•Ep 358•Transcript available on Metacast WWDC 2021 is over! This week we discuss a lot of the hidden details of Apple's announcements, and share our first reactions to using the first developer betas. (Jason isn't mad at Safari, just disappointed.)
Jun 14, 2021•2 hr 42 min•Ep 357•Transcript available on Metacast Myke and Jason break down the WWDC 2021 keynote, which brought Apple's various devices together in some surprising ways. Were the changes to iPadOS exciting or disappointing? Are we excited about Shortcuts on the Mac? Will Focus modes keep us focused? And the Upgrade Draft results take an unexpected turn.
Jun 08, 2021•2 hr 23 min•Ep 356•Transcript available on Metacast It’s time for our sixth annual competition regarding what will happen at Apple's WWDC keynote! Is this the year iPadOS gets all the love? Will there be Mac hardware? Can Myke and Jason figure out the future of HomeKit and watchOS? It's time to let our imaginations run wild--we'll leave the harshness of reality for next week.
May 31, 2021•2 hr 34 min•Ep 355•Transcript available on Metacast Jason reviews the new iPad Pro, Myke reviews the new 24-inch iMac, and the future of Apple silicon might be coming into focus.
May 24, 2021•2 hr 34 min•Ep 354•Transcript available on Metacast Jason's been using an orange 24-inch iMac for the last week and we've got his review. Also, Apple Music goes for high quality and spatial audio, WarnerMedia is on the move again, and Jeff Bezos is a television genius.
May 18, 2021•2 hr 44 min•Ep 353•Transcript available on Metacast This week Myke and Jason debate the form of future Mac laptops, discuss Apple and Epic's first week in court (complete with angry emails!), and then imagine what's next for iOS and iPadOS.
May 10, 2021•1 hr 22 min•Ep 352•Transcript available on Metacast Apple had a record-breaking quarter that showed strong growth in all areas of its business, but clouds loom on the horizon. A global semiconductor shortage threatens Mac and iPad sales, the EU ruled that the App Store is anticompetitive, and Apple's court case with Epic Games is about to kick off. Did Tim Cook suggest that Apple is ready to change its policies to avoid even harsher sanctions? And upon further consideration, does Apple Podcasts Subscriptions create another barrier to competition ...
May 03, 2021•2 hr 40 min•Ep 351•Transcript available on Metacast Apple's Colleen Novielli and Navpreet Kaloty visit the show to discuss the new 24-inch iMac in depth. Then Jason and Myke discuss the positioning of the new iPad Pro, and what it means that Apple has given it an M1 processor and added other hardware features previously available only on the Mac.
Apr 26, 2021•2 hr 36 min•Ep 350•Transcript available on Metacast New iMacs and iPads! The long-anticipated debut of AirTags! Podcast subscriptions! A new Apple TV remote! Ted Lasso's secret shortbread recipe! Fresh from viewing Apple's latest event, Jason and Myke break down all the announcements.
Apr 20, 2021•1 hr 28 min•Ep 349•Transcript available on Metacast Emergency draft! In this bonus episode, Jason and Myke predict what will happen at Tuesday’s Apple media event. Will there be new iPad Pro models, and if so, will new accessories accompany them? Will we finally see a new iMac design? What other unexpected announcements might await us?
Apr 16, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep 348•Transcript available on Metacast This week we ponder Apple's moves both outdoors (additions to the Find My network) and in (possible new smart home products). Apple's also launching new original podcasts tied to Apple TV+ projects, and we discuss why some of Apple's product launches this year may have been delayed.
Apr 12, 2021•1 hr 27 min•Ep 347•Transcript available on Metacast It’s a big news week! Myke and Jason break down Tim Cook’s podcast interview with Kara Swisher, and discuss some big changes at Apple Arcade. There’s also WWDC 2021 and Apple’s rumored augmented-reality headset to talk about.
Apr 05, 2021•2 hr 37 min•Ep 346•Transcript available on Metacast Myke and Jason celebrate 20 years of OS X by discussing how we use our Macs today and whether the arrival of Apple silicon is changing how we work, not just today but over the rest of this year. We also discuss whether Apple should do "events" anymore, big news in the conflict between streaming and theatrical movies, and the possibility of a more rugged Apple Watch.
Mar 29, 2021•2 hr 30 min•Ep 345•Transcript available on Metacast This week we consider the future of the iPad Pro, watch as the 21.5-inch iMac begins to fade away, and ponder what the HomePod mini means for Apple's overall home strategy. Myke gets recommendations for soundbars, and Jason explains the NFL's new TV deals.
Mar 22, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Ep 344•Transcript available on Metacast Myke's on a quest for new TV speakers as we ponder the misfire of Apple's high-end speaker and the potential fate of Apple's high-end headphones. Jason runs with his Apple Watch, and more apps go native on Apple Silicon. Thanks for following Upgrade!
Mar 15, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Ep 343•Transcript available on Metacast This week we ponder the future of WWDC, say goodbye to the iMac Pro, investigate a new iPad stand, and wonder about the misplaced priorities of the Paramount+ roll-out.
Mar 08, 2021•2 hr 38 min•Ep 342•Transcript available on Metacast This week we grapple with rumors of colorful new Macs and additional ports on MacBook Pro models, note the arrival of Paramount+ to the Streaming Wars, debate the merits of Twitter's attempt to actually do something resembling anything, and wonder if Apple's content to run the only music service without a high-quality tier.
Mar 01, 2021•1 hr 22 min•Ep 341•Transcript available on Metacast