185: ‘Warmest Regards’ With Dan Frommer

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The episode ranges across Apple’s product choices, the collapse of The Deck ad network, Amazon’s abrupt shutdown of Gruber’s affiliate account, Twitter’s UI changes, Samsung’s S8 launch, privacy legislation affecting ISPs, and a hands-on look at Apple’s new Clips app. The dominant thread is how platform shifts, ad markets, and design decisions are reshaping publishing and consumer tech.

Main Topics: The Deck’s shutdown and the decline of web ads: Discussion of the end of The Deck, a long-running ad network for independent sites, and why traditional web advertising has weakened versus social and podcast sponsorships. Amazon affiliate account termination: Gruber describes Amazon closing his Associates account without appeal, alleging he encouraged bookmarking affiliate links; he questions the process and recency of the alleged violation. Apple’s new hardware and product strategy: Conversation about the red iPhone, iPhone SE storage changes, lack of new iPad Pro updates, and whether Apple is falling behind in edge-to-edge phone design. Clips and Apple’s software design philosophy: A detailed preview of Clips, Apple’s new short-form video creation app, praised as a thoughtful, highly polished creative tool with AR-adjacent features and strong UX. Twitter’s reply and interface changes: Criticism of Twitter’s redesign of replies, metadata display, and the push away from third-party clients, with concern that the company is solving the wrong problems. Samsung Galaxy S8 and smartphone industrial design: Analysis of Samsung’s new S8, including edge-to-edge display trends, removal of the front logo, rear fingerprint sensor placement, and the Bixby button. ISP privacy rollback and surveillance concerns: The hosts condemn the U.S. Congress/Senate move to repeal FCC privacy protections for ISPs, arguing it enables monetization of browsing history and is unjustified.

Key Arguments: Traditional web ad networks are fading because advertisers are shifting budgets to social platforms, Google, and podcasts rather than small independent sites. The Deck’s model was strong because it limited ads, avoided tracking, and curated advertisers, but interest from sponsors declined anyway. Amazon’s account closure was extraordinary because it appears to punish a 12-year-old post without showing where current site behavior violated the rules. Affiliate monetization has become less attractive for Gruber because Amazon is now more of an industry player than a simple retailer, and the income had dwindled. Clips is not just a Snapchat clone; it is a carefully designed creation tool that combines elements of Keynote, iMovie, and early AR-style computer vision. Separating Clips into its own app is preferable to stuffing it into the camera app, which would risk iTunes-like bloat and clutter. Twitter’s redesign seems to obscure rather than clarify conversations, and the company may be optimizing for imagined problems instead of real user needs. Apple may be behind Samsung on bezel reduction and edge-to-edge design, though the ultimate impact depends on what Apple ships in its next iPhone. The ISP privacy rollback is a utility-style privacy issue, not a partisan one; phone and cable companies should not be able to sell browsing histories. VPNs are not a complete solution because they shift trust to another provider and do not fully solve the privacy problem.

Data Points: The Deck lifespan: 11 years - The ad network had been active for 11 years before ending at the end of March. Amazon affiliate income in recent years: about $15/month - Gruber says his affiliate revenue had fallen sharply from earlier years. Amazon affiliate income at peak: hundreds of dollars/month, sometimes a couple thousand in December - Historical affiliate earnings from holiday traffic and larger purchases. iPad price: $329 - New lower-cost iPad discussed as a move toward affordability. Apple Pencil support: not included - The cheaper iPad lacks Pencil support, likely to keep costs down. Apple free device management offer: first 3 devices free, then $2/month per device - Jamf Now sponsorship details. Twitter following count: 5,104 accounts - Gruber cites his large follow list as a reason he prefers the chronological flow of the old Twitter Mac app. Closed-loop Twitter reply display: 1 other / 5 others - Example of the new reply UI collapsing handles into summary text. Amazon review date cited: October 11 - Date of the email notifying Gruber that his Associates account was closed. Apple iOS version requirement for Clips: iOS 10.3 - Clips requires iOS 10.3 and was said to be coming in April. Clip video aspect ratio: square - Clips is square-format only, despite being used on a tall-screen phone. Samsung vulnerability context: Galaxy Note 7 recall - The S8 launch is framed as a comeback after the Note 7 battery fires. Driver’s license renewal: this month - Used as a personal example of bureaucracy and government interaction.

Pivotal Quotes: "My brain is basically at the same speed of the computer." — John Gruber: On preferring the fastest Mac and how quickly he works on computers. "I think Clips is going to be pretty popular, but it's not out yet." — John Gruber: His conclusion after an extensive preview of Apple’s Clips app. "I don't think it's great. Whether it will affect sales or not, which is ultimately I think what matters." — Dan Frommer: On Apple being behind Samsung in edge-to-edge smartphone industrial design.

Implications: The episode suggests a shift away from old web ads toward platform sponsorships and creator monetization, while Apple, Twitter, Samsung, and regulators each face pressure to rethink design, UX, and privacy in ways users will feel directly.