Upgrade

This week we say goodbye to AirPower, ponder the place of the new iPad Mini, speculate a bit about Apple Arcade, and take a hard look at Apple News+. Also, Jason literally sits in the iMac Pro Gap.

Apple spent two hours on stage unveiling a bunch of new services, and now it's time to break them down. We discuss the method of the Apple TV+ rollout, whether Apple Channels and a revamped TV app will change Apple's fortunes, what Apple Arcade means for how the App Store works, and the possibility that Apple News+ will make an impact.

After nearly two years, Apple has released new iMacs, and Jason has an exclusive interview with Apple’s iMac product manager, Colleen Novielli. We also discuss the surprising new iPad Air and iPad mini announcements, and then it’s time for another Upgrade draft, as we make our choices for what will be on stage at Apple’s services event next Monday!

Disney opens the vault for its streaming service, we rank our own MacBook Hierarchy of Needs, and Jason goes against Myke's advice and records some podcasts using only an iPad.

This episode covers all the hot-button issues of the day! Is Apple micromanaging the content of its forthcoming video service? Is Face ID really superior to Touch ID? Will the arrival of iOS apps be good for the Mac? Why do British TV licence fees exist? Is the Netflix 'Skip Intro' button evil? Should Netflix be banned from the Oscars? Prepare your complaint emails now!

Major players Samsung and Huawei have introduced expensive smartphones with foldable screens, but do their different approaches tell us anything about the future of the category? And where goes Apple fit in to the equation? We also take some time to contemplate the roll-out of Marzipan and what it means for the future of macOS.

A 16-inch MacBook Pro? A 6K Apple external display? Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has dropped the first detailed report of Apple's 2019 hardware plans, and Myke and Jason take turns dissecting them and wildly speculating about possible features. Also we ponder what a services-themed Apple event might look like, which is a lovely discussion until someone mentions Drake.

It's been reported that the iPad's home screen will be evolving in 2019, but what form will that evolution take? Myke and Jason make a wish list, and also discuss Angela Ahrendts's departure from Apple Retail, Spotify's investment in podcasting, and Apple and Disney's latest streaming-media moves.

What Apple's quarterly results had to say about iPhone sales and prices, Apple reaches a fork in the road when it comes to keyboard design, and just after the official opening of 2019 iPhone Rumor Season comes the official opening of 2020 iPhone Rumor Season.

It's time once again for Jason's annual poll of more than four dozen Apple watchers and commentators, who have shared their judgments of how the company fared in 2018. We break down the categories on the rise (look at you, Apple Watch!) and the ones that are on the decline (iPhone, Apple Watch). Also, we discuss Apple's possible new game app subscription service -- and how it strongly suggests a forthcoming Apple services bundle.

This year Samsung plans to release a smartphone with a foldable OLED display. Is this technology that Apple would use in future iPhones, and if so, how? We also discuss Apple's new videos that highlight the iPad Pro, and Jason tries to explain NBC Universal's interesting new streaming service announcement.

This week we officially open 2019 iPhone Rumors season, as the Wall Street Journal reports that Apple may be adding more cameras to the back of this year's high-end iPhone. Will this restore bragging rights to the members of the Max Club? Also, it was a smart-devices Christmas at the Snell house, as Jason took delivery of a smart lock and a Roomba.

The new year starts with a bang, as Apple misses its iPhone sales forecast and announces surprising partnerships with Samsung and other TV makers in advance of the launch of its new video service. We discuss these earth-shattering issues in detail, not to mention Jason's world-exclusive trial of a new iPad Pro keyboard.

As the year comes to an end, it's time for the Fifth Annual Upgradies! Myke and Jason discuss their favorites of 2018, take the input of more than a thousand Upgradians, and hand out awards in numerous categories! Only the finest will walk away with the most coveted of titles: Upgradies Winner.

Then it was, as Myke and Jason began their preparations for the Christmas holiday, that they were visited by three ghosts, representing the spirit of Apple past, present, and future.

This week we try to understand Apple's plans to build a "Netflix for magazines" inside of Apple News, Jason confesses his love for the new Apple Pencil, and we celebrate the season with a special Myke at the Movies about "Miracle on 34th Street".

Are Apple's recent aggressive promotional deals for iPhone an indicator that its aggressive pricing strategy isn't working, or is this all part of a larger strategy? Are the old rules giving way to a whole new set of Apple strategies? We also discuss WarnerMedia's strange streaming strategy and Jason's attempt to merge Shortcuts with ancient Web APIs.

John Siracusa joins Jason to discuss the future of Apple's ARM processors and how they might change the Mac, Apple Music coming to the Amazon Echo and what that might mean about the future of Apple's forthcoming TV service, whether they're using their TiVos as much as they used to, and the prospects for an Apple-built external touchscreen display.

Where does iOS go from here? This week Myke and Jason discuss the top 10 iPad features for iOS 13 they'd like to see. Also, Myke at the Movies returns, as Myke watches "My Neighbor Totoro" for the first time.

This week we follow up on our iPad Pro reviews, as Jason integrates the new iPad Pro into his writing set-up and starts using the Apple Pencil for more than just drawing doodles. Plus there's more about external keyboards, Apple's dream of Academy Awards, and a heaping dose of #askupgrade.

After a week with the new iPad Pro, it's time for our in-depth review of what we like and don't like about Apple's latest tablet hardware. Which size is the best? Why does Jason want to cover his Smart Keyboard Folio with stickers? Does the new Apple Pencil pass Myke's tests? And why is Jason so angry about Apple's pro apps?

It's review time! Hear Jason's thoughts on the new MacBook Air and Mac mini. How do they fit in to Apple's product line? Who are these machines for? Also: The iPhone XR – is it a 'budget' iPhone, or is it the right iPhone for most people?

Apple's New York event is in the books! Two new iPad Pros, a new Mac Mini, and the return from the dead of the MacBook Air! Jason reports in live from Apple's event in the Big Apple with first impressions about all the announcements. Plus: The winner of the latest Upgrade Draft is crowned! Will Jason reign supreme or has Myke managed a last-minute tie? All will be revealed.

It's time for your Upgrade hosts to go for glory and risk the agony of defeat--all in view of a studio audience in Chicago, Illinois. Jason and Myke pick what they think will happen at Apple's October 30 event in New York City. And they're joined by guest draft experts Alex Cox and Stephen Hackett, who provide instant analysis of all the picks--and harsh judgment of our hosts. In one week, we'll know who was horrendously wrong and who reigns supreme as draft champion!

If watch faces are the main interface of the Apple Watch, why are they so inconsistent? And why are developers suddenly showing off what faces they'd design if they had the ability? It's complicated. Also: Photoshop is coming to the iPad for real, and Apple may be offering some of its new TV shows for free.

What is going on with Businessweek's report that servers (including Apple's) got hacked by China? Apple, Amazon, and U.S. and UK agencies flat-out say it didn't happen. Jason uses his decades of experience in journalism to make some guesses about what might be going on. We also tackle a 9to5 Mac report with more exciting details about new iPad Pro models, which may come with their own special ticket to Dongletown. And in Upstream news, everyone's looking for the next Game of Thrones, which is really good news if you're the author of a series of fantasy novels.

This week Jason and Myke discuss where the iPad Pro might go next, including whether it's primarily a horizontal or vertical device, and if adding a USB-C port makes sense. Then pull up a chair, because it's time for Jason to tell you the story of his summer-long battle with the IKEA supply chain: Frösönquest 2018.

The iPhone XS and Apple Watch Series 4 are here, and Myke and Jason offer their first impressions of all the new devices. Plus macOS Mojave arrives and Apple sets some interesting standards for its forthcoming video service.

What a time! iOS 12 has arrived and we're waiting for delivery of new Apple products. This week Jason and Myke discuss their favorite features of the new update, which new devices they've bought, why phone carriers ruin everything, and the fallout from Apple's decision to focus on larger and more expensive phones this time around.

Jason's back from Apple Park, where he watched Apple unveil a new Apple Watch and three new iPhone models. We break down the naming choices and new features, the surprises and reveals, and (perhaps most importantly) the results of the 2018 Apple iPhone Event Draft.

It’s time for Jason and Myke to reveal their picks for what will happen on stage at the Steve Jobs Theater next week! They draft 10 different things they expect will happen--or _not_ happen--next Wednesday. Did Myke's competitiveness serve him well, or do him harm? Is Jason convinced that the Mac won't make an appearance on stage? The winner could be crowned Upgrade Draft Champion for 2018.

As Apple's much-rumored fall product launches get closer, Jason and Myke consider what the future holds for Macs and iPhones. And the Summer of Fun surfs into the sunset while hanging ten off of our favorite boards--keyboards, that is.

Is it finally time for the iPhone to support an Apple Pencil? Myke and Jason discuss the possibilities. And then the Summer of Fun rolls on with a mega-sized #askupgrade!

This week Myke breaks his iPad, Jason visits the Microsoft Store and leaves with an Xbox, and we pick our favorite video games of all time.

It was a huge week: Apple broke a trillion dollars in market cap and Jason bought a new TV. And since money is on everyone's minds, Myke and Jason take Apple's $243B and go on a corporate shopping spree as a part of the ongoing Upgrade Summer of Fun.

Myke's back from his honeymoon, and the Summer of Fun continues as we discuss our dream iOS devices, YouTube's attempt to get into premium streaming, Adobe bringing Photoshop to the iPad, and the MacBook Pro performance scandal that turned out to be a minor bug.

Federico Viticci and Serenity Caldwell join Jason and Myke to dive deep into how we use our iPads for business as well as creative pursuits, including writing and illustration. Why did Federico transform from a Mac user into one who rarely strays from his iPad? What keyboard and stand does Jason use to write? What apps is Ren using to draw? We break it all down.

Guest co-host Stephen Hackett joins Jason to discuss the new MacBook Pros and what they mean for Apple's product line at large, adventures with the macOS Mojave beta, and the new Sonos AirPlay 2 update. And since this is the summer of fun, we cap it all off with a quick Mac OS X draft!

Myke got married, Jason’s back from his vacation, and the Summer of Fun continues with discussion of the Shortcuts app in the iOS 12 beta, potential colorful new iPhones, and AT&T’s plans to make HBO more like Netflix. Then at the very end, it’s time for the official wedding recap with Myke at the Matrimony.

To welcome the Summer of Fun and to celebrate hitting episode 200, Jason and Myke take a deep dive in to the history of Upgrade, and provide the Upgradians with all their knowledge on the hows, whys, and whats of podcasting.

This week we take a deep dive into Apple’s forthcoming video service, as Jason and Myke make predictions about what it will cost and how Apple’s billion-dollar content purchases will roll out. Also, Instagram gets into TV, Google gets back into podcasting, and we prepare for the beginning of the Upgrade Summer of Fun!

Apple has said that it’s not merging iOS and macOS, but that sneak peek of iOS apps coming to macOS opens up a lot of questions about just what the Mac might look like in five years. Jason’s optimistic, but Mac users may be in for the biggest changes to the platform since the introduction of Mac OS X nearly two decades ago. Also, what’s up with no new Mac hardware announcements? And just when you thought you had a handle on Apple’s unannounced video service, here comes Oprah!

It’s time to reflect on WWDC week, so Jason and Myke are joined by special guest developer James Thomson. We discuss our first impressions of the iOS 12 and macOS Mojave betas, the future of Mac apps in and out of the Mac App Store, and what new features are now at the top of James’s priority list as a developer.

Live from WWDC, Jason and Myke break down the major announcements for iOS, macos, and watchOS, including a close result in the Upgrade Keynote Draft, the emergence of user automation on iOS via Siri, potentially big changes to the Mac App Store, and the upcoming workout battle between our two hosts.

It’s time for our third annual predictions of what will happen on stage at Apple’s developer conference keynote! Jason and Myke compete for points by drafting 20 different items they expect will get a mention next week. Will there be new hardware, or will it all be about operating systems? Will your hosts shy away from picking items that have burned them during past WWDC drafts? All will be revealed.

Myke just built a gaming PC, which prompts us to discuss the current state of the art of Windows and macOS, as well as a broader discussion of living a multi-ecosystem lifestyle.

The 25th anniversary of BBEdit and a visit with a friend lead Jason to take a deep dive into Mac history, Google shows a disappointing lack of forethought in its AI demo, and the future of TV is apparently Apple’s TV app.

The 20th anniversary of the iMac prompts a discussion of how it changed Apple and continues to define how Apple designs products, Jason has a theory about why so many people thought iPhone X sales were crashing when they weren't, and Upstream ponders the Arrested Development "remix edition."

This week the Grim Reaper comes for AirPort, we imagine a future Apple AR/VR headset, and at the very end it’s time for Myke at the Movies to take on “Avengers: Infinity War.”

Tim Cook totally has an Mac on his desk and an iPad at home, but how can Apple advance both its platforms while allowing them to retain their individuality? Also, Amazon Prime has a big number and Apple puts a chill into leakers.