Episode Summary
Executive Summary: The episode blends listener follow-up, sponsor reads, and a long year-end wish list focused on Apple’s 2015–2016 product line. The hosts praise the new Apple TV, iPad mini 4, Plex, and Apple Watch while repeatedly criticizing incomplete software, weak App Store processes, and the need for Apple to mature 1.0 products into reliable 2.0s. They also discuss Mac Pro, Retina displays, Swift on the server, and iPhone battery life.
Main Topics: Apple TV first impressions and frustrations: Casey reviews the new Apple TV: setup is smooth, Bluetooth remote works well, volume can be learned via IR, Siri search is useful, and Plex is excellent. But he is disappointed by the lack of Spotify, the weak App Store content, and the sparse app ecosystem. iPad mini 4 and multitasking: Casey loves the Retina iPad mini 4, especially its new multitasking features and cellular support. The conversation expands into how split view, slide over, and picture-in-picture materially change iPad use, and how apps still need to adopt these features. App Store process and developer relations: Marco and Casey want Apple to improve App Store review, search, transparency, and communication with developers. They emphasize that even if Apple is unsure about fixes like trials or upgrade pricing, it should at least show movement and offer clearer, more humane review feedback. 2016 Apple wishlist: maturing 1.0 products: A major theme is that Apple shipped many new platforms in 2015 and should spend 2016 refining them. The speakers want Apple TV, Apple Watch, App Store, iPad multitasking, and other new services to become more polished and consistent rather than adding more unproven 1.0s. Mac hardware roadmap: Mac Pro, Retina displays, and Skylake: The hosts want a new Mac Pro, a 5K external display, and a fuller Retina transition across the Mac lineup. They discuss Skylake as the likely enabler for thinner/lighter MacBook Pros, Thunderbolt 3, and possibly a more relevant MacBook Air successor path. Apple Watch refinement and UI redesign: The Apple Watch is described as highly promising but only about 75% there. The speakers want better reliability, faster performance, smarter watch faces, and a rethink of app launching and notifications; they also note that its fashion factor may shorten upgrade cycles. Broader technology wishes: Swift on the server and file systems: The discussion turns to infrastructure wishes, including a real Swift server package/framework and a new file system for OS X and iOS. These are framed as plausible but still needing time and standardization.
Key Arguments: Apple is shipping many 1.0 products, and 2016 should be about turning those into polished 1.1/2.0 releases instead of launching more new platforms. The new Apple TV is better in core usability than the old one, but its UI and store experience still feel designed for screenshots rather than real-world use. The iPad becomes genuinely more useful when multitasking works; app developers need to support split view and other modern behaviors or the iPad Pro will feel hamstrung. The App Store’s biggest problem is not any single policy, but Apple’s lack of visible movement, transparency, and direct communication with developers. A new Mac Pro and 5K display would signal that Apple still cares about pro desktop users and is moving the Mac lineup forward. The Apple Watch succeeds as a concept but still fails too often in details like notifications, app speed, and smart behavior on the watch face. Better battery life, better ergonomics, and better UI design matter more than cosmetic thinness alone for iPhone and Apple hardware generally. Plex is a standout example of an app experience that makes a platform feel worth owning, especially when it eliminates noisy hardware or awkward AirPlay workflows.
Data Points: Backblaze restored files: over 10 billion files - Sponsor read used to emphasize reliability and recovery performance Backblaze backup scale: over 150 petabytes - Sponsor read describing total data backed up Backblaze price: $5/month per computer - Sponsor read highlighting unlimited unthrottled backup pricing Backblaze restore share: 25% - Sponsor read noting the share of restores that are just one file Casper mattress price range: $500 twin to $950 king - Sponsor read comparing Casper pricing to traditional mattresses Casper trial period: 100 days - Sponsor read describing free returns within the trial window Blue Apron meal price: less than $10 per meal - Sponsor read describing cost per serving Blue Apron calories: 500–700 calories per portion - Sponsor read describing meal nutrition range Apple Watch usability estimate: about 75% good - Marco’s assessment of the watch as compelling but not fully polished Plex server hardware: Synology 1813 Plus - Discussion of Plex transcoding limitations on the NAS Plex server alternative: wife’s iMac - Used to successfully transcode video when the Synology could not Apple TV examples: Plex, Netflix, ESPN - Casey’s description of the handful of apps he had installed iPad multitasking modes: slide over, picture-in-picture, split view - Conversation about iPad OS multitasking capabilities and app support iPhone design issue: iPhone 6/6S slippery; 7 hoped to improve grip - Discussion of hand-holdability and case use
Pivotal Quotes: "I really hope to see that change and to see a lot more iPad software get updated for modern devices." — Marco: On the need for iPad app developers to support multitasking and the iPad Pro "The attitude has been: really, nothing here needs to be changed. Everything is fine." — Marco: On Apple’s App Store posture and lack of visible reform "I want a new Mac Pro." — Marco: Core wish-list item for pro desktop hardware in 2016
Implications: The episode suggests Apple’s next phase should be polish, not novelty: better App Store governance, stronger Mac pro hardware, smarter watch/TV software, and broader developer support for multitasking and new APIs.