Episode Summary
Executive Summary: The episode centers on a long debate about Apple’s new Smart Battery Case for iPhone 6s: its odd design, chin, battery placement, and whether Apple should have simply made the phone thicker instead. The hosts also discuss Lightning vs USB-C audio support, USB 3 speeds on Lightning accessories, the Apple TV remote app, and recent OS updates on iOS, OS X, and watchOS, with particular attention to stability, performance, and the limits of the Apple Watch as an app platform.
Main Topics: Apple Smart Battery Case design and strategy: A sprawling critique of Apple’s first-party battery case: its protruding chin, unusual back lump, lower-than-expected capacity, and the tradeoff between aesthetics, functionality, and battery life. The hosts debate whether Apple should have built more battery into the phone instead of making an accessory. Battery life vs thicker iPhones: A repeated argument that Apple’s phones could benefit from being slightly thicker to gain meaningful battery life, reducing the need for battery cases and the complexity of external power accessories. Audio connectivity and connector standards: Discussion of Lightning, USB-C, and analog audio support, including Apple’s claim that Lightning offers flexibility, and the revelation that USB-C already supports analog audio in accessory mode. USB 3 accessories and iPad Pro workflows: The hosts talk about the new USB 3-speed Lightning SD card reader and the practical benefits for photo transfer and local backups, especially for people who still sync or back up to computers instead of relying on iCloud. Apple TV remote app and text entry: The new Apple TV remote-app support sparks discussion about on-screen keyboards, touchpads, and how Sony’s PS4 interface feels faster and more usable than Apple TV’s text entry. OS updates and platform stability: iOS 9.2, OS X 10.11.2, and watchOS updates are discussed as bug-fix releases, including fixes for USB audio issues on Mac and improved watch workflows. Apple Watch usefulness and speed: The conversation shifts to the watch as a platform: it’s useful mainly for glanceable information and quick actions, but the device is too slow for many interactions, and its long-term value depends on whether future hardware and software make it faster and more ambient.
Key Arguments: Apple’s Smart Battery Case is visually awkward, but the real issue is that Apple chose an accessory solution instead of modestly increasing battery capacity in the phone itself. A thicker iPhone with more built-in battery would eliminate the need for a battery case and all of its extra complexity. USB-C already supports analog audio, so Lightning’s audio flexibility is not unique in the way it was previously implied to be. The new Lightning SD card reader is appealing because it can solve real-world photo-transfer problems that wireless camera apps fail to solve reliably or quickly. Apple TV’s text entry remains frustrating; a touchpad-based input method feels substantially better than the current interface. OS X 10.11.2 appears to be a meaningful stability update, especially for USB audio users, even if release notes are minimal. The Apple Watch is best when it acts as a glanceable, context-aware device rather than a tiny phone; anything requiring prolonged interaction feels like a failure. Apple’s yearly release cycle encourages disciplined scope control, but also means some major rewrites land before they are fully ready.
Data Points: Battery case capacity: about 1800 mAh - Estimated capacity of Apple’s Smart Battery Case discussed as roughly enough for about one extra partial charge. Phone charge boost: about 80% - Hosts estimate the case can recharge the phone to around 80%. Apple battery case price: $99 - Referenced as the likely first-party accessory price point. Lightning Dock price: $40 - Apple’s Lightning to headphone jack adapter/charging dock mentioned as existing but not matching the discussion’s use case. Backblaze price: $5/month per computer - Sponsored backup service pricing mentioned during the episode. Backblaze customer data: over 150 petabytes - Statistic cited in the sponsor copy. Backblaze file restores: over 10 billion files - Statistic cited in the sponsor copy. Casper twin mattress price: $500 - Sponsor pricing for Casper mattresses. Casper full mattress price: $750 - Sponsor pricing for Casper mattresses. Casper queen mattress price: $850 - Sponsor pricing for Casper mattresses. Casper king mattress price: $950 - Sponsor pricing for Casper mattresses. Casper trial period: 100 nights - Risk-free mattress trial window described in the ad read. Case fit: iPhone 6s, not Plus - The Smart Battery Case is described as fitting the regular 6s/6 but not the larger Plus models. Apple Watch relative speed: roughly iPhone 3GS-level CPU, about 16x slower than iPhone 6s - Used to explain why watchOS operations and updates feel slow. Apple iPhone case adoption: 78% - Stat cited to support Apple making first-party cases because many iPhone owners use them.
Pivotal Quotes: "If everyone is busy making everything, how can anyone perfect anything?" — John: Used as a critique of Apple’s spread-thin product strategy and the battery case as evidence of it. "Let each element be true to itself." — John: Applied to the battery on the back of the phone as an explanation for the case’s exposed, separate battery aesthetic. "The real criminal act of iOS 8 and 9." — Marco: Referring to Safari View Controller’s dismiss button disappearing while scrolling, not the button’s position.
Implications: Apple is still optimizing for thinness and accessory ecosystems instead of maximizing battery life in-device. For users, that means more add-ons and more tradeoffs; for Apple, it suggests future battery improvements may come incrementally unless the phone lineup changes.