The Vergecast

Fresh off a day filled with new Apple products, The Verge’s ground team reports back on everything they’ve seen — and touched. Allison Johnson walks us through the new iPhone Air, iPhone 17, and iPhone 17 Pro lineups, making sense of all the new camera features and wondering just how thin a phone really can be. After that, Victoria Song talks about why the AirPods Pro 3 may have been the big hit of the day, plus all the details on the three new models of Apple Watch. Finally, Jake Kastrenakes tells us about his first experience live at an Apple event, explains the appeal of a crossbody strap, and has a theory about why an orange phone is such a big deal. Further reading: * The eight biggest announcements during Apple’s iPhone Air event | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/news/774502/apple-biggest-announcements-fall-event-iphone-17-air-pro-max-watch-series-ultra-se-airpods] * All the news from Apple’s iPhone 17 event | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/news/772434/apple-iphone-17-event-news] * Apple announces the ultra-slim iPhone Air | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/news/771942/apple-iphone-17-air-announcement] * iPhone Air hands-on | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/tech/773244/apple-iphone-air-hands-on-photos-awe-dropping] * Apple iPhone 17 hands-on | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/hands-on/772556/iphone-17-hands-on-first-look-apple-event-photos-features-price] * Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro has the biggest battery of any iPhone | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/news/772666/apple-iphone-17-pro-specs-features-price-release-date] * Apple’s iPhone 17 drops the Plus, but gains a bigger, faster display | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/apple/772543/apple-iphone-17-launch-price-availability] * iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max: our initial hands-on impressions | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/tech/773082/iphone-17-pro-max-hands-on-apple-event-photos-price-features] * The 2TB iPhone 17 Pro Max costs $1,999. | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/news/774833/the-2tb-iphone-17-pro-max-costs-1999] * The iPhone 17 comes with Apple’s new in-house networking chip | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/news/774941/apple-iphone-17-n1-wi-fi-bluetooth-thread-networking-chip] * Apple’s new iPhone Air accessories include a slim MagSafe battery, TechWoven case, and crossbody strap [https://www.theverge.com/news/773226/apple-iphone-air-accessories-magsafe-awe-dropping-event] * Apple’s new MagSafe battery is only designed for the new iPhone Air | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/news/774515/apples-new-magsafe-battery-is-only-designed-for-the-new-iphone-air] * All right, what new Apple stuff are we buying? | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/apple/774660/all-right-what-new-apple-stuff-are-we-buying] * The new iPhones all have Center Stage front-facing cameras | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/iphone/774679/iphone-17-front-facing-camera-center-stage] * Apple announces AirPods Pro 3 with ‘world’s best ANC’ and heart rate sensing | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/news/772410/apple-airpods-pro-3-release-date-pricing-announcement] * The Apple Watch Ultra 3 has 42 hours of battery life and satellite connectivity | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/news/770763/apple-watch-ultra-3-awe-dropping-event] * Apple announces new entry-level $249 Apple Watch SE 3 with always-on display | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/news/772862/apple-watch-se-2025-iphone-event-announcement-specs-price] * The iPhone Air’s battery pack is slim, but not as slim as the iPhone Air [https://www.theverge.com/apple-event/775048/iphone-air-magsafe-battery-pack-hands-on-photos] * Apple’s new MagSafe battery is only designed for the new iPhone Air [https://www.theverge.com/news/774515/apples-new-magsafe-battery-is-only-designed-for-the-new-iphone-air] * Phone 17 Pro “clear” case that is MOSTLY NOT CLEAR [https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MGFT4LL/A/iphone-17-pro-clear-case-with-magsafe?fnode=ff361df2c74e1613a47cac310042b0d0a380d90c9b88cea504e741af3882bf66edc8bb804b5e8ec0749a139ed2b8c6deb8d9c665d12e5b46de8f7e4d5f2bad73ae487643a66931e44908a7750edb0694a6cf760c759bb34f7072dcc69cad34a872d9347e9d633937998a7d3c62c13836]  * Apple barely talked about AI at its big iPhone 17 event | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/apple-event/774963/apple-september-launch-event-ai-apple-intelligence] * iOS 26 is out on September 15th | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/news/770784/apple-ios-26-release-date-liquid-glass] * Apple’s macOS Tahoe 26 update releases September 15th | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/news/772630/apple-macos-tahoe-26-update-launch-iphone-event] * Apple reveals iPadOS 26 release date | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/news/773018/apple-ipados-26-release-date-launch] * Apple will launch watchOS 26 on September 15th | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/news/772968/apple-watch-watchos-26-release-date-upgrade-september-15] * Apple’s using more recycled materials in its iPhones and watches [https://www.theverge.com/news/774547/apple-recycled-material-titanium-iphone-watch] Email us at vergecast@theverge.com [vergecast@theverge.com] or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

It's a big week for the smart home. Jake, Vee, and Jen sit down to chat about all the new tech out of IFA, from robots that carry robot vacuums up stairs to upgrades that turn 10-year-old Hue bulbs into motion sensors. Then, Lauren joins the show to talk about the Google antitrust remedies ruling and what Google is going to have to do to allow more competition in the search market. Finally, the Thunder Round is back and better than ever. We're talking $2,000 smart watches, Amazon yanking a major Prime perk, the Pixel 10 Pro's 100x AI zoom, Instagram for iPad, and drama at the FTC. Further reading: * Eufy built a stairlift for its robovacs [https://www.theverge.com/ifa-berlin/769976/eufy-marswalker-stair-climbing-robotic-vacuum-price-specs-release-date] * Inside Philips Hue’s plans to make all your lights motion sensors [https://www.theverge.com/smart-home/768585/philips-hue-motion-aware-rf-sensing-lights-motion-ivani] * Philips Hue responds to cheaper competitors with major product overhaul [https://www.theverge.com/smart-home/768554/philips-hue-essentials-smart-lighting-cheaper-support-matter-thread] * SwitchBot has ambitions to be the AI that powers your smart home [https://www.theverge.com/ifa-berlin/770638/switchbot-has-ambitions-to-be-the-ai-that-powers-your-smart-home] * Samsung’s Galaxy S25 FE and Tab S11 are thinner, lighter, and otherwise about the same [https://www.theverge.com/phones/768658/samsung-galaxy-s25-fe-tab-s11-ultra] * Google gets to keep Chrome, judge rules in search antitrust case [https://www.theverge.com/policy/717087/google-search-remedies-ruling-chrome] * Google critics think the search remedies ruling is a total whiff [https://www.theverge.com/news/769738/google-doj-antitrust-remedies-ruling-critics] * Here’s what Google and the DOJ had to say about the search remedies ruling [https://www.theverge.com/23869483/us-v-google-search-antitrust-case-updates] * The tech antitrust renaissance may already be over [https://www.theverge.com/policy/771409/break-up-big-tech-movement-google-search-remedies-ruling] * Garmin’s Fenix 8 Pro series finally lets you leave your phone at home — sort of [https://www.theverge.com/news/770034/garmin-fenix-8-pro-satellite-lte-microled-price] * Instagram is coming to iPad, 15 years later [https://www.theverge.com/news/769460/instagram-ipad-app-launch-reels] * Amazon ends shared Prime free shipping outside your home [https://www.theverge.com/news/769051/amazon-prime-free-shipping-benefit-sharing-ending] * Ousted Democratic FTC commissioner can return (again) for now [https://www.theverge.com/news/769683/fired-democratic-ftc-commissioner-rebecca-slaughter-reinstated] * Here’s how the Pixel’s AI zoom compares to a real 100x lens [https://www.theverge.com/tech/769360/google-pixel-10-pro-res-zoom-100x-sample-photos-nikon-coolpix-p1100] Email us at vergecast@theverge.com [vergecast@theverge.com] or call us at 866-VERGE11. We love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Hooked on LinkedIn’s Queens? Gotta extend your Wordle streak in the New York Times games app before you start your day? You’re in good company on today’s Vergecast episode. Allison Johnson is joined by Simon Anthony and Mark Goodliffe, world-class puzzle champs and hosts of the delightful Cracking the Cryptic, a YouTube channel where they solve a puzzle on camera every single day. They specialize in Sudoku — and not just the classic number games you might be familiar with. Simon and Mark tackle mind-bending, seemingly impossible puzzles, working through it all in realtime, sometimes over the course of several hours. What happens when you get stuck? How can you tell the difference between a puzzle made by a human and a computer-generated one? Why are we addicted to puzzle games all of a sudden? They help us crack the clues. Then Allison sits down with Marc Levoy, one of the pioneers of computational photography, to talk about his new camera app: Project Indigo. Levoy is known for his earlier work on the Pixel camera, and was a driving force in shaping phone photography into what it is now. We last caught up with him in 2020 [https://www.theverge.com/21427188/marc-levoy-interview-adobe-smartphone-computational-photography-vergecast] when he left Google for Adobe, so we got up to speed on what the heck he’s been doing for the last five years — and the important difference between HDR and an HDR-ish photo. Finally, Allison takes a hotline question from someone who is not particular about their phone camera’s image quality, but does have a beef with camera bumps. * Cracking the Cryptic — YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/CrackingTheCryptic] * This 25-minute video is the most riveting sudoku puzzle you will ever watch [https://www.theverge.com/tldr/2020/5/18/21262771/sudoku-puzzle-cracking-the-cryptic-watch-this-video-simon-anthony] * The Atlantic is making a big push into games [https://www.theverge.com/news/687721/the-atlantic-games-hub-bracket-city] * I regret to inform you that LinkedIn’s games are very fun [https://www.theverge.com/24152045/linkedin-games-crossclimb-queens-pinpoint] * The mastermind of Google’s Pixel camera quietly left the company in March [https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/13/21257297/google-pixel-4-camera-marc-levoy-mario-queiroz-leaving] * The brain behind the Google Pixel camera is building a universal camera app for Adobe [https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/20/21331331/google-pixel-camera-app-lead-adobe-marc-levoy] * Marc Levoy on the balance of camera hardware, software, and artistic expression [https://www.theverge.com/21427188/marc-levoy-interview-adobe-smartphone-computational-photography-vergecast] * Adobe launches a new ‘computational photography’ camera app for iPhones [https://www.theverge.com/news/690115/adobe-project-indigo-camera-app-marc-levoy] * Adobe’s new camera app is making me rethink phone photography [https://www.theverge.com/tech/694014/adobe-project-indigo-camera-app-hands-on-hdr] Email us at vergecast@theverge.com [vergecast@theverge.com] or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

The Pixel 10 is in the house, and we’ve been testing them for over a week now. Allison and Vee sit down with Jake to discuss their tests — the good, the bad, and the poorly translated. They demo the Pixel 10's live phone call translations and dive into Pro Res Zoom, which uses AI to enhance photos zoomed in up to 100x. Then, it’s time to talk Dish, Intel, and Elon. Dish is giving up on being a major mobile carrier, Intel is now partially owned by the US government, and Elon has filed a questionable lawsuit against Apple. Finally, we wrap up with a Thunder Round to discuss K-Pop Demon Hunters, YouTube Shorts’ secret “AI,” Android’s registration requirement for developers, Taco Bell’s drive through AI attempt, and a delivery locker on wheels. Further reading: * Google Pixel 10 Pro review: AI, Qi2, and a spec bump too [https://www.theverge.com/reviews/766613/google-pixel-10-pro-review-ai-magic-cue-camera-pro-res-zoom] * Apple’s iPhone 17 launch event is set for September 9th [https://www.theverge.com/apple/766062/apple-iphone-17-launch-event-awe-dropping] * Dish gives up on becoming the fourth major wireless carrier [https://www.theverge.com/report/766038/dish-echostar-spectrum-att-sale-fourth-carrier] * The Trump administration promised a fourth wireless carrier — America got a hot mess instead [https://www.theverge.com/tech/766795/dish-echostar-wireless-network-trump] * US government takes 10 percent stake in Intel in exchange for money it was already on the hook for [https://www.theverge.com/news/764480/intel-donald-trump-lip-bu-tan-deal] * Elon Musk’s xAI is suing OpenAI and Apple [https://www.theverge.com/news/765171/elon-musk-apple-openai-antitrust-lawsuit] * Elon Musk’s xAI quietly dropped its status as a public benefit corporation [https://www.theverge.com/x-ai/765465/elon-musks-xai-quietly-dropped-its-status-as-a-public-benefit-corporation] * My new beat is K-Pop Demon Hunters [https://www.theverge.com/netflix/766280/kpop-demon-hunters-netflix-record] * Taco Bell AI Drive thru sna-fu [https://www.theverge.com/news/767421/taco-bell-ai-drive-thru-trolls-glitches] * Is YouTube’s Shorts experiment using AI or just upscaling? | The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/youtube/765485/is-youtubes-shorts-experiment-using-ai-or-just-upscaling] * This new delivery robot will bring the entire grocery store to you [https://www.theverge.com/news/765167/robomart-autonomous-food-delivery-locker-rm5] * Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store [https://www.theverge.com/news/765881/google-android-apps-side-loading-developer-verification] Email us at vergecast@theverge.com [vergecast@theverge.com] or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

This week on The Vergecast, Chris Niccolls and Jordan Drake of PetaPixel’s YouTube channel join The Verge’s Allison Johnson and Vjeran Pavic to geek out about the last half-decade of camera advancements — the good, the bad, and the Sigma BF of it all. Then, Allison is joined by Verge News Editor and fellow phone nerd Dominic Preston to help answer a boatload of listener questions from people contemplating which smartphone to buy next. They help navigate the intricacies of living in a mixed iOS/Android household to the best options for someone who wants a headphone jack (spoiler alert: there aren’t many). It’s a mega-hotline-turned-therapy session for iPhone Mini owners reluctant to let go of their tiny phones in a world where phones come in two sizes: big and bigger. Further reading: * Sigma BF review: Beautiful Foolishness — PetaPixel [https://youtu.be/a2r5CST0nVU?si=cgFKbZgLXZFes1hN] * The Fujifilm X half is Just Plain FUN! — PetaPixel [https://youtu.be/Dk77g7scnn0?si=5qvsLWMMyxBwnRss] * Fujifilm X Half hands-on: whimsical, refreshing, and simply fun [https://www.theverge.com/tech/673538/fujifilm-x-half-camera-hands-on] * Sigma BF review: the perfect camera for a minimalist [https://www.theverge.com/camera-review/628519/sigma-bf-camera-review-photography-specs] * In pursuit of a viral, five-year-old compact camera [https://www.theverge.com/tech/649145/canon-powershot-g7x-iii-tiktok-how-to-buy] * Samsung Galaxy S25 review: incredibly iterative [https://www.theverge.com/reviews/610404/samsung-galaxy-s25-plus-review-screen-battery-camera] * Nothing Phone 3 review: flagship-ish [https://www.theverge.com/mobile/709093/nothing-phone-3-review] * If you really want a smaller phone, try the tiny Jelly 2 [https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/21/21332385/jelly-2-phone-size-screen-kickstarter-price-specs-features] * Oppo Find N5 review: the final evolution of foldables [https://www.theverge.com/reviews/615107/oppo-find-n5-review-screen-thickness-crease-battery-camera] * Honor launches the ‘world’s thinnest’ foldable [https://www.theverge.com/news/696456/honor-magic-v5-thinnest-foldable-phone-launch-specs] * Motorola spoiled a good budget phone with bloatware [https://www.theverge.com/24105894/motorola-moto-g-power-2024-review-specs-features-apps-bloatware] * The Xperia 1 VII is a greatest hits of Sony R&D [https://www.theverge.com/news/665068/sony-xperia-1-vii-alpha-bravia-walkman-release-date-price-specs] * The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra isn’t so ‘ultra’ anymore [https://www.theverge.com/reviews/604154/samsung-galaxy-s25-ultra-review-ai-screen-battery] * The Fairphone 6 no longer feels like a compromise (except in the US) [https://www.theverge.com/phones/762755/fairphone-6-review-no-longer-compromise] * My first DIY phone fix made me a self-repair believer [https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/1/24284078/hmd-skyline-repair-ifixit-battery-replacement] * Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold review: in great shape [https://www.theverge.com/24237586/google-pixel-9-pro-fold-review-screen-camera-battery] * Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review: stunning, bendy, and spendy [https://www.theverge.com/reviews/709990/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-7-review] * Ditching my phone for an LTE smartwatch was a humbling experience [https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/756945/smartwatch-lte-minimalist-phone] * I took my own advice and bought a last-gen iPhone — I regret nothing [https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/20/23730130/apple-iphone-13-mini-apple-phones] * How Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip failed me without actually breaking [https://www.theverge.com/editorial/626356/galaxy-z-flip-folding-phone-didnt-last-two-years-battery] Email us at vergecast@theverge.com [vergecast@theverge.com] or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]