The Vergecast: Ad-Free Edition

The Verge’s Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss the announcement of Google’s Pixel 8 phone, along with the new AI tools that raise lots of questions.Further reading: Google Pixel 8 launch event: the 7 biggest announcements Google Pixel 8 hands-on: a little bit smaller and a little bit smarter  The Pixel 8 Pro hands-on: better cameras, a brighter screen, and new AI  Google Pixel 8 will get seven years of Android updates Google Photos’ new AI tools for Pixel 8 raise messy questions  Google releases Android 14 for Pixel phones Android 14 gets AI-generated wallpapers on Google’s latest Pixels Google Pixel Watch 2 hands-on: new sensors, longer battery, better accuracy Google announces new colors and features for its Pixel Buds Pro earbuds  Netflix is planning to raise prices... again Streaming service price increases: the latest on Netflix, Disney Plus, Max, Hulu, and more Paramount uploads Mean Girls to TikTok across 23 video clips  The Humane Ai Pin makes its debut on the runway at Paris Fashion Week  https://www.threads.net/@mosseri/post/Cx8M6xqAWeC/ Apple addresses iPhone 15 overheating with a new iOS 17 update Paris Hilton gets special deal to post on X LG is dropping ATSC 3.0 from its TVs next year  The Verge and dbrand have partnered on new skins for the Pixel 8, iPhone 15, and more iPhone 15 Pro Max camera: 1000 photos later, it’s still missing something 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on the flagship podcast of The Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890: 01:43 - The Verge’s David Pierce chats with policy editor Adi Robertson and reporter Makena Kelly about US v. Google, and what we’ve learned so far. They also talk about the FTC’s lawsuit against Amazon, which could be the next big tech trial.  US v. Google antitrust trial: updates  Amazon reportedly used a secret algorithm to jack up prices Satya Nadella tells a court that Bing is worse than Google — and Apple could fix it Why the US is suing Amazon 28:46 - Later, senior correspondent Liz Lopatto joins the show to preview the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX.FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried is on trial for fraud and conspiracy52:36 - Keep listening for this week’s Vergecast hotline question with Alex Cranz.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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Verge's David Pierce, Nilay Patel, and Alex Cranz break down an awkward interview out of the Code Conference from X (formerly Twitter) CEO Linda Yaccarino. Then, the crew gets into all the big news from Meta's Connect event where the Quest 3 and Meta Smart Glasses were announced.Further reading: The Code Conference 2023: news, interviews, and more Linda Yaccarino defends Elon Musk, X, and herself at Code 2023 [FULL INTERVIEW]  AMD CEO Lisa Su on the GPU shortage, the AI revolution, and Nvidia | Decoder Yoel Roth warns new X CEO about Elon and company status [FULL INTERVIEW] Artifact is becoming Twitter, too, thanks to new posts feature The Quest 3 is Meta’s last chance to win the headset war before it truly begins The Meta Quest 3 is sharper, more powerful, and still trying to make mixed reality happen Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg on Threads, the future of AI, and Quest 3 Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses: livestreaming, headphone-replacing eyewear Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses hands-on: in pursuit of content The new WGA contract will change how Hollywood works Summary of the 2023 WGA MBA Streaming giants have banded together for lobbying power Apple and Google are changing how you listen to podcasts Google Podcasts shut down in 2024 as podcasts debut globally for YouTube Music Logitech now sells a $299 folding chair Former Amazon hardware boss Dave Limp will take over as CEO of Blue Origin 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on the flagship podcast of the laserdisc resurgence: While Netflix’s DVD.com service shuts down later this week, The Verge's David Pierce chats with Bill Rouhana, the CEO of Chicken Soup for The Soul Entertainment, about the potential of Redbox and physical media in 2023. Netflix’s DVD service shuts down: here’s the complex tech behind it Later, David and Alex Cranz talk with New York Magazine’s John Herrman about his recent story on social media metrics and what they actually mean. Lies, Damned Lies, and Social-Media MetricsKeep listening for this week’s Vergecast hotline question. 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In part three of our AI mini series, David Pierce dives into the decades-long endeavor to build a virtual assistant. What can a virtual assistant do? What do we want it to do?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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss all the announcements from Amazon's fall product launch event and Microsoft's Surface and AI event.Further reading: Amazon’s fall 2023 product launch event: live news, announcements, and more Amazon is set to supercharge Alexa with generative AI  The Fire TV should be at the heart of Amazon's smart home  The new $269.99 Echo Frames look a whole lot more like glasses.  Alexa Eye Gaze offers a new way to control Alexa on a Fire tablet  In the new Echo Show 8, Alexa will be 40 percent faster.  Finally some hardware...for kids. YouTube is going all in on AI with background and video topic suggestions YouTube made a video editing app — just like TikTok  Microsoft Surface event: the 6 biggest announcements  Microsoft’s new Xbox controller borrows great ideas from Stadia, Steam, and Sony This is Microsoft’s new disc-less Xbox Series X design with a lift-to-wake controller Microsoft’s next Xbox, coming 2028, envisions hybrid computing Microsoft addresses the huge Xbox leaks: here’s Phil Spencer’s full memo Microsoft’s Phil Spencer says acquiring Nintendo would be ‘a career moment’  Microsoft announces the Surface Laptop Studio 2 with upgraded chips and ports A first look at Microsoft’s upgraded Surface Laptop Studio 2  Microsoft announces the new Surface Laptop Go 3 Hands-on with the Surface Laptop Go 3  The Surface Go 4 comes with a much-needed performance boost  Microsoft 365 Copilot launches in November Windows 11’s next big update arrives on September 26th with Copilot, RAR support, and more Microsoft announces Surface Hub 3 with portrait mode  The cable bundle of the future is officially here Google’s Bard chatbot can now find answers in your Gmail, Docs, Drive The Home Assistant Green is here to make the most powerful smart home platform more accessible 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on the flagship podcast of the Action Button:03:34 - The Verge's David Pierce chats with Allison Johnson and Dan Seifert about their reviews of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro.41:02 - Victoria Song joins the show to talk about her review of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.1:07:58 - David chats with Isaac Mosna and Widgetsmith's David Smith about customizing your iPhone wallpaper and widgets.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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In episode two of The Vergecast's AI mini series, David Pierce sits down with Switched on Pop's Charlie Harding and music producer Ian Kimmel to share how they made an entire song from scratch using a bunch of AI tools.Later, Nilay Patel joins the discussion to talk about the future of AI in the music industry.Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's been a week! The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz rejoin the studio to process all the tech news and announcements. Apple had its annual hardware event where the iPhone 15 and new Apple Watch lineup were shown off.Later, senior tech and policy reporter Adi Robertson joins the show to walk us through the US v Google antitrust trial that kicked off earlier in the week.Further reading: iPhone 15 event: all the news on Apple's new phones  Here's why Apple put a Thread radio in the iPhone 15 Pro  Rumors of Lightning’s death are just slightly exaggerated The iPhone Mini is officially gone, long live the iPhone Mini USB-C Backbone One controllers will be ‘upgraded’ to work with the iPhone 15 lineup. The iPhone is getting new ringtones with iOS 17 Apple announces more iOS 17 features coming later this year: Apple Music updates How Google plans to win its antitrust trial What to expect from the Google Search antitrust trial  US v. Google antitrust trial: updates Developers respond to Unity’s new pricing scheme Unity cancels town hall over reported death threats What happens when Google Search doesn't have the answers? Google AMP: how Google tried to fix the web by taking it over A storefront for robots The little search engine that couldn't Who killed Google Reader? 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After attending Apple's fall hardware event, The Verge's Nilay Patel, Allison Johnson, Dan Seifert and Victoria Song break down the biggest announcements: the iPhone 15, 15 Pro, the new Apple Watch Series 9 and the Ultra 2.Further Reading: All the big conferences and events in tech, entertainment, and automotive coming this fall iPhone 15 event live blog: all the news from Apple's keynote Apple iPhone 15 event: the seven biggest announcements  Apple announces iPhone 15 with USB-C, a camera upgrade, and the Dynamic Island Apple iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max announced with titanium bodies and an Action Button iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max hands-on A first look at the new iPhone 15 with USB-C and a big camera upgrade Apple's cheapest iPhone 15 Pro Max now costs more — but also has double the storage  Apple is releasing iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 on September 18th Apple announces Apple Watch Series 9, and it has a handy double-tap feature  Apple Watch Ultra 2: price, release date, and features  Apple is switching the AirPods Pro charging case to USB-C Apple’s USB-C AirPods Pro will support lossless audio with the Vision Pro Apple's Lightning connector was the first great port — and USB-C might be the last Post-process: why the smartphone camera changed photography forever The iPhone 7 Plus vs. the original iPhone: a camera showdown  The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are the first smartphones with Thread 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices