The Vergecast

5.0 (2)
TECHNOLOGY
UPDATED TWICE WEEKLY

The Vergecast is the flagship podcast from The Verge about small gadgets, Big Tech, and everything in between. Every Friday, hosts Nilay Patel and David Pierce hang out and make sense of the week’s most important technology news. And every Tuesday, David leads a selection of The Verge’s expert staffers in an exploration of how gadgets and software affect our lives – and which ones you should bring into yours.

5 HR AGO

The real price of a free TV

This week, everything is a HomePod. And has ads. The Verge’s Jen Pattison-Tuohy joins the show to talk about all of Amazon’s new hardware, the current state of Alexa Plus, and whether the new Kindle Scribe is the one we’ve been waiting for. Then, The Verge’s Emma Roth tells Jen and David about her experience with Telly, the TV that ships to your house for free in exchange for showing you ads all the time. Telly may not be for everyone. Finally, in the lightning round, the gang talks about a handy new Spotify feature, Emma’s first Waymo ride, and the glory that is Chunk. Further reading: Amazon’s 2025 hardware event: the 8 biggest announcements Here’s where to preorder all of Amazon’s new Alexa devices and when they arrive Amazon finally did the damn hardware right Amazon’s new Echo Dot Max smart speaker bumps up the bass Alexa Plus is smarter — but it’s not yet smart enough Alexa Plus on the TV is made to save you from your phone Alexa Plus is smarter — but it’s not yet smart enough Alexa Plus on the TV is made to save you from your phone Amazon sticks two cameras together for the 180-degree Blink Arc The new Google Home Speaker is built for Gemini Hey Google, meet Gemini: the new voice of your smart home | The Verge I spent three months with Telly, the free TV that’s always showing ads OpenAI made a TikTok for deepfakes, and it’s getting hard to tell what’s real Spotify now lets you exclude specific songs from your algorithm All hail the new Fat Bear Champion Ring launches upgraded cameras with ‘Retinal Vision’ 4K recording Microsoft is giving Copilot AI faces you can chat with Waymo adds YouTube Music 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

1h 52m
3 DAYS AGO

My other car is a cargo bike

Sure, you could drive to the grocery store and to school. But wouldn’t you rather grab a few hundred of your friends and bike-bus everywhere? The Verge’s Andy Hawkins joins the show to tell us all about his adventures with electric cargo bikes, and why he thinks they’re the ride of the future. After that, Lauren Feiner calls in from just outside a courthouse in Virginia, where she’s watching the remedies trial in Google’s adtech monopoly case. Google already lost the case; what happens next is still anyone’s guess. Finally, David answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about how to feel about summarizing YouTube videos with AI. The short version: you should feel a lot of things. Further reading: Why your next car should be an electric cargo bike Electric cargo bikes are rewiring cities Can Google be trusted without a break up? US v. Google redux: all the news from the ad tech trial 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

1h 6m
26 SEPT

Tick Tock, TikTok

After more than five years of backing and forthing, secret meetings and loud screeds, it appears the fate of TikTok in the US has finally been decided. Maybe. There are still a lot of unknowns, but we're pretty sure we know the bones of the deal — and we know which of President Trump's allies stand to benefit the most. Before we get to all that, though, David and Jake run through some big news in future gadgets, including the long-awaited-and-maybe-happening combination of Android and ChromeOS and the possibilities for a touchscreen MacBook. Then, The Verge's Liz Lopatto joins to talk TikTok. And Trump. Then, in the lightning round, the three hosts talk through Jimmy Kimmel's return, Nvidia's money problems, a surprising AmEx perk, and much more. Further reading: Google’s Android for PC: ‘I’ve seen it, it is incredible’ Our biggest questions about ChromeOS and Android merging The foldable iPhone might look like two iPhone Airs stuck together The touchscreen MacBook rumors are never ending OpenAI might also be developing AI glasses, a voice recorder, and a pin Trump claims the US is about to get a tremendous fee for taking TikTok out of China Trump signs executive order approving TikTok deal Some details of the TikTok deal have been worked out. What Trump Wants from a TikTok Deal with China American Investors Will License and Oversee TikTok’s U.S. Version, White House Says TikTok Deal Could Make Oracle Founder Larry Ellison a New Kind of Media Mogul Anker’s party speaker projector hits Kickstarter with a sizable discount. Montblanc is getting into the digital notepad game Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro can be easily scratched It costs $895 per year to get American Express’ premium app theme Nvidia is partnering up with OpenAI to offer compute and cash Kimmel returns to television to mock FCC Chair Brendan Carr Sinclair won’t air Kimmel. Trump on Truth Social 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

1h 37m
23 SEPT

YouTube wants you to go live

In all the tech news and world news last week, YouTube's Made On event got a little lost. So we circled back: The Verge's Mia Sato explains why YouTube is suddenly all-in on livestreaming, why it seems to be rapidly turning into a shopping mall, and whether all these AI features will improve YouTube or destroy it. After that, it's time for a second round of David's Summer Takes, in which he subjects The Verge's Jake Kastrenakes and Hayden Field to his thoughts on Threads, podcasts, and social media. Finally, Hayden sticks around to answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about the words we use when we talk AI. Further reading: YouTube makes it easier and more lucrative to go live YouTube is inching closer to becoming a shopping channel YouTube is going all in on AI New YouTube AI tools help creators give viewers what they want 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

1h 31m
19 SEPT

Meta's quest to own your face

There’s a lot of gadget news this week! But we begin the show in an unprecedented way: with a bit of Brendan Carr is a Dummy, America’s favorite podcast within a podcast. Nilay pops on the show to discuss what happened to Jimmy Kimmel, why the FCC’s assault on speech is so dangerous, and why a couple of broadcast TV companies matter so much to the story. After that, Jake Kastrenakes and Richard Lawler join to talk about all of Meta’s new smart glasses, including the company’s first pair with a built-in display. Finally, in the lightning round, we talk about Reddit’s new AI deal with Google, Nvidia’s new chip deal with Intel, and Samsung’s terrible plan to put ads on your fridge. Further reading: Here’s the Jimmy Kimmel clip that got him pulled off the air Jimmy Kimmel Live pulled after FCC threat over Charlie Kirk joke Republicans are honoring Charlie Kirk’s memory by declaring war on the First Amendment Charlie Kirk’s death got complicated by “extremely online” culture The right wing is creating a society of snitches Meta Ray-Ban Display hands-on: the best smart glasses I’ve ever tried Oakley Meta Vanguard hands-on: what athletes actually want Meta’s new Ray-Ban smart glasses have twice the battery life Conversation focus is the first new feature on deck. I sat down with Mark Zuckerberg to try Meta’s impressive new Ray-Ban Display glasses Meta is opening up its smart glasses to developers | The Verge Snap OS 2.0 is a small step towards AR glasses you might actually wear Android’s next flagship processor is the ‘Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5’ Nothing wants you to talk to your earbuds’ charging case Nvidia invests $5 billion into Intel to jointly develop PC and data center chips The US and China might finally have a TikTok deal U.S. Investors, Trump Close In on TikTok Deal With China Samsung brings ads to US refrigerators Reddit wants a better AI deal with Google: users in exchange for content YouTube is inching closer to becoming a shopping channel 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

1h 32m
17 SEPT

Who is the iPhone Air really for?

It's been a busy week for The Verge's product reviewers! We've got three new phones, three new watches, and a set of earbuds on the docket, and the team is ready to talk about (almost) all of it. First, Allison Johnson and Jake Kastrenakes join to talk about their experiences with the iPhone Air, iPhone 17, and iPhone 17 Pro. One is fabulous with some compromises, one is just a down-the-middle excellent phone, and the other is for camera nerds. After that, Victoria Song talks about the AirPods Pro 3, which are also a stellar upgrade, and then helps us make sense of the new lineup of Apple Watches. There's the SE 3, the Series 11, and the Ultra 3, but there's only one clear winner for most people. Finally, we answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about Apple's up-and-down focus on AI Further reading: ⁠The iPhone 17 is the one to get this year⁠ Apple iPhone Air review: statement piece Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro is a bold redesign but a basic upgrade AirPods Pro 3 review: tripling down on a good thing The Apple Watch SE 3 is the one to buy Apple Watch Series 11 review: stuck in the middle The unbearable sameness of Liquid Glass Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1h 21m
12 SEPT

Our hottest takes on AI's wild summer

One thing you should know about the iPhone launch is that there’s... not usually a lot of other tech news around the iPhone launch. So David and Jake start this episode with some more information about the iPhone launch, including some controversial details we missed about the AirPods Pro 3 and the argument in favor of the crossbody strap. After that, with David back on the mic, it’s time for a round of AI-focused hot takes with The Verge’s Hayden Field. The gang talks ChatGPT, Claude, money, more money, and what counts as a real friend. (And money.) Finally, in the lightning round — yes, once again the LIGHTNING ROUND — the three co-hosts talk about Canon’s confusing new camera, the future of Reddit, Claude’s spreadsheet-y future, and much more. Further reading: Apple isn’t packing a charging cable in with the AirPods Pro 3 Apple’s misunderstood crossbody iPhone strap might be the best I’ve seen Apple says the iPhone 17 comes with a massive security upgrade New Beats earbuds leak hours before Apple’s big event Nothing’s Ear 3 earbuds have a microphone and ‘talk’ button on their charging case Google pulls the Pixel 10’s Daily Hub to ‘enhance its performance’ David Zaslav thinks HBO Max is ‘way underpriced’ Exclusive | Paramount Skydance Prepares Ellison-Backed Bid for Warner Reddit is dropping subscriber counts on subreddits Reddit is testing a way to read articles without leaving the app Canon is bringing back a point-and-shoot from 2016 with fewer features and a higher price (it’s viral Spotify adds lossless streaming after 8 years of teasing Anthropic’s Claude can now make you a spreadsheet or slide deck. The MechaHitler defense contract is raising red flags 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

1h 40m
10 SEPT

The orange iPhone stole the show

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 All the news from Apple’s iPhone 17 event | The Verge Apple announces the ultra-slim iPhone Air | The Verge iPhone Air hands-on | The Verge Apple iPhone 17 hands-on | The Verge Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro has the biggest battery of any iPhone | The Verge Apple’s iPhone 17 drops the Plus, but gains a bigger, faster display | The Verge iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max: our initial hands-on impressions | The Verge The 2TB iPhone 17 Pro Max costs $1,999. | The Verge The iPhone 17 comes with Apple’s new in-house networking chip | The Verge Apple’s new iPhone Air accessories include a slim MagSafe battery, TechWoven case, and crossbody strap Apple’s new MagSafe battery is only designed for the new iPhone Air | The Verge All right, what new Apple stuff are we buying? | The Verge The new iPhones all have Center Stage front-facing cameras | The Verge Apple announces AirPods Pro 3 with ‘world’s best ANC’ and heart rate sensing | The Verge The Apple Watch Ultra 3 has 42 hours of battery life and satellite connectivity | The Verge Apple announces new entry-level $249 Apple Watch SE 3 with always-on display | The Verge The iPhone Air’s battery pack is slim, but not as slim as the iPhone Air Apple’s new MagSafe battery is only designed for the new iPhone Air Phone 17 Pro “clear” case that is MOSTLY NOT CLEAR Apple barely talked about AI at its big iPhone 17 event | The Verge iOS 26 is out on September 15th | The Verge Apple’s macOS Tahoe 26 update releases September 15th | The Verge Apple reveals iPadOS 26 release date | The Verge Apple will launch watchOS 26 on September 15th | The Verge Apple’s using more recycled materials in its iPhones and watches 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

1h 39m

See All (919)

David Pierce

Host
Nilay Patel

Host
Jake Kastrenakes

Guest
Richard Lawler

Guest
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

Guest
Ken Fairbanks

Guest
Richard Gunther

Guest
Victoria Song

Guest

5

out of 5

2 Ratings

The Vergecast is the flagship podcast from The Verge about small gadgets, Big Tech, and everything in between. Every Friday, hosts Nilay Patel and David Pierce hang out and make sense of the week’s most important technology news. And every Tuesday, David leads a selection of The Verge’s expert staffers in an exploration of how gadgets and software affect our lives – and which ones you should bring into yours.