127: ‘A Sack Full of Plucked Feathers’ With Guest John Moltz

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The conversation ranges from audio gear and Bluetooth headphone frustrations to an extended critique of Apple Music’s complexity versus the relative clarity of iCloud Photo Library. The hosts also discuss device storage limits, the future iPhone lineup, smartwatch market share, and media properties including upcoming Steve Jobs and James Bond films, all with a mix of practical takeaways and skeptical Apple-focused commentary.

Main Topics: Audio hardware, interfaces, and headphone upgrades: The hosts compare old and new recording setups, joke about complicated interfaces, and discuss replacing aging wired headphones with Bluetooth models and then newer over-ear headphones with adapters. Apple Music confusion and discovery value: They debate Apple Music’s messy interface, the tension between streaming and owned music, the usefulness of curated radio and playlists, and whether the service should have been a separate app. iCloud Photo Library as a stronger cloud product: They contrast music frustrations with a largely positive experience using iCloud Photo Library, including near-seamless sync across devices, while noting storage concerns and Apple’s small free tier. iPhone storage strategy and future hardware rumors: The discussion turns to Apple’s 16GB/8GB device tiers, how cloud dependence conflicts with low storage, and predictions for upcoming iPhone 6S/6S Plus/6C models and color changes. Podcasts, apps, and platform fragmentation: They question why podcasts remain inside iTunes on the Mac while iOS has a separate Podcasts app, and broader Apple design choices that make one app do too much. Media: Steve Jobs documentary and Bond trailer: They react to a new Steve Jobs documentary trailer and poster, then analyze the Spectre trailer and speculate about possible Bond continuity and the risk of a family-connection twist. Smartwatch market share and Pebble feedback: The host revisits the Pebble Time after a software update and comments on Apple Watch market share claims, noting the lack of reliable reporting from competitors.

Key Arguments: Apple Music’s biggest problem is not necessarily functionality but confusion: too many tabs, mixed responsibilities, and a fragile transition from owned music to streaming. Separating Apple Music into its own app could have reduced complexity and made the product clearer, even if Apple chose a unified approach for strategic reasons. iCloud Photo Library is presented as the opposite case: a conceptually simple service that mostly works well across devices, especially for users with adequate storage. Apple’s free 5GB iCloud tier feels too small given the company’s cash position and the heavy use cases it encourages. Low-storage iPhones are increasingly mismatched with modern camera and cloud usage; 16GB and especially 8GB devices are portrayed as unrealistic for many users. Podcast functionality should be a standalone app on the Mac, mirroring iOS, because podcasts are now primarily a mobile experience. The new Spectre trailer looks strong, but any plot move tying Bond and Blofeld together through a family or childhood connection would be too close to parody. Smartwatch market-share figures are interesting but limited by incomplete industry reporting; Apple and Samsung numbers are especially hard to compare across vendors.

Data Points: Podcast episode number: 127 - Referenced while discussing the show’s age and headphone wear over time. Apple Music trial length: A couple of months - One speaker notes he signed up during vacation because the service was free for a couple of months. Photo library size: 17,000–18,000 photos - Used to illustrate how long iCloud Photo Library synchronization can take initially. Photo library size on disk: Almost 50 GB - One host checks his Photos library size while considering iCloud Photo Library. Other host’s library size: 8,500 photos - Compared against the larger library to discuss sync and storage needs. Apple iCloud free tier: 5 GB - Criticized as too small for Apple’s ecosystem and modern photo usage. Apple music library estimate: 40–50 GB - Used to show why the 'My Music' tab matters for users with large personal libraries. Apple Watch market share Q2 2015: 75% - Cited from Strategy Analytics when discussing smartwatch shipment reporting. Casper mattress price range: $500 twin to $950 king - Advertised as a simpler, fairer alternative to mattress-store pricing. Hullo pillow pricing: $49 small, $79 standard, $129 king - Used in the ad read for buckwheat hull pillows. Podcast listening client data: Overcast 29,000; Apple Core Media iPhone 17,000; iTunes 4,500 - Shown from the host’s download stats for a previous episode. Alternate podcast clients: Apple Core Media iPad 2,700; Mozilla 2,400; Downcast 1,900; Pocket Casts 1,700 - Further breakdown of listener client usage.

Pivotal Quotes: "I think maybe it's a little bit of column A, a little bit of column B." — John Gruber: On whether getting older or software complexity explains difficulty with modern interfaces and devices. "I would rather have an Apple Music app and iTunes be iTunes." — John Gruber: His argument for splitting Apple Music from iTunes into separate apps to reduce complexity. "It's all of your photos and all of your albums across all your devices." — John Gruber: A concise summary of why iCloud Photo Library feels conceptually cleaner than Apple Music.

Implications: Listeners are left with a sharper skepticism toward Apple’s all-in-one software approach, a stronger case for higher device storage and cloud quotas, and a sense that Apple’s best new services are the ones with the simplest mental model.