Episode Summary
Executive Summary: The episode centers on Apple’s 2016 product changes: the MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar, keyboard, battery life, and the loss of small “delight” features like MagSafe and cable management; the iPhone 7’s headphone-jack removal and awkward Lightning accessories; and Apple’s decision to discontinue AirPort routers. The hosts balance admiration for the hardware with frustration over decontenting, arguing Apple is removing ecosystem conveniences without clearly reinvesting the gains elsewhere. The show also touches on The Grand Tour and Microsoft’s ARM/x86 emulation plans.
Main Topics: MacBook Pro first impressions (Priority: 5/5): The hosts compare notes after trying the new MacBook Pro, focusing on the Touch Bar, shallower keyboard, louder keystrokes, big trackpad, and mixed feelings about the Force Touch click mechanism. Both think it is usable and at least somewhat improved over the MacBook’s keyboard, but not an ideal typing experience. Battery life and thermal behavior (Priority: 5/5): Marco says the new 15-inch is quieter under load and the fan behavior is much better than before, but battery life is disappointing in real-world use. He argues Apple’s battery claims are based on light workloads and that moderate use quickly drops runtime. Apple’s loss of ‘small delights’ (Priority: 5/5): A long discussion argues that Apple products used to include thoughtful details—MagSafe, charge indicators, pulsing sleep lights, cable wraps, and better power bricks—that made them feel premium. The hosts view these removals as decontenting that erodes the luxury experience. iPhone 7 tradeoffs (Priority: 4/5): John discusses the jet black iPhone 7, concluding that he needed a case because the glossy finish, seam lines, and camera bump made him treat the phone too carefully. He also dislikes that Lightning headphones and adapters feel clunkier than the old headphone jack. Apple ecosystem and AirPort discontinuation (Priority: 5/5): The hosts debate Apple ending its Wi‑Fi router line. One side sees it as rational focus; the other worries about ecosystem shrinkage and a broader pattern of Apple leaving accessory categories while not clearly improving core products enough to compensate. The Grand Tour debut (Priority: 3/5): The final portion reviews the new Amazon series from the former Top Gear trio. The opening and car segments are praised, while some studio jokes and celebrity bits are criticized as too long or unfunny. The chemistry remains the show’s biggest draw. Microsoft ARM emulation and future platform transitions (Priority: 3/5): They discuss Microsoft’s move toward x86 emulation on ARM Windows devices as a possible model for future architecture transitions, noting its relevance to Apple if it ever shifts Macs away from Intel again.
Key Arguments: Apple is improving some hardware fundamentals, but it is also removing many tiny conveniences that made its devices feel special and premium. The new MacBook Pro is quieter and feels more solid than the MacBook, but its battery life in real-world use is only mediocre. The Touch Bar is interesting and potentially useful, but its Escape replacement and context-dependent controls are awkward. The iPhone 7’s lack of headphone jack is less annoying than the oversized Lightning adapter and the need to manage audio/charging separately. Apple’s AirPort line being discontinued may be rational business focus, but it weakens the idea of a cohesive Apple ecosystem for Mac users. The Grand Tour succeeds mainly because of the three hosts’ chemistry, while some segments show the limits of repeating old Top Gear formulas. If Microsoft can make x86-on-ARM emulation work well, it could inform future Apple architecture transitions.
Data Points: MacBook Pro battery life on light browsing: about 10 hours - Marco says this is achievable only with very light web use and no heavier apps or GPU-intensive pages. MacBook Pro battery life on typical light workload: about 6–7 hours - Estimated for web, Slack, Twitter, and similar casual use. MacBook Pro battery life on Xcode/iOS dev: about 5 hours - Typical development workload with builds and simulator use. Touch Bar test duration: 2–3 minutes - Initial in-store impressions before giving longer commentary. MacBook Pro weight reduction: roughly 4.5 lb to 4.0 lb - John compares the older Retina MacBook Pro with the 2016 model and says the difference is welcome but not dramatic. Apple battery shrinkage: 25% smaller batteries - Marco argues Apple reduced battery size because idle power improvements make that seem acceptable. Porsche 918 lap time: 154.2 - Grand Tour supercar comparison on the track. Ferrari LaFerrari lap time: 154.4 - Grand Tour supercar comparison on the track. McLaren P1 lap time: 155.5 - Grand Tour supercar comparison on the track. AirPort routers discontinued after: about 3 years without a major update - Used as evidence that Apple had already been neglecting the line. Home Try-On glasses: 5 pairs for 5 days - Warby Parker sponsor copy describing their trial program. Warby Parker eyeglasses starting price: $95 - Sponsor ad copy. Automatic Pro price reduction: $20 off - Sponsor ad copy with ATP code.
Pivotal Quotes: "a luxury product being a series of small delights" — Marco: Explaining why missing cable-management arms, MagSafe, and indicator lights matter so much. "I think this is one of many areas where Jason Snell is right. It's fine. I can use it, but I don't like it." — Marco: Summarizing the new MacBook Pro keyboard and overall typing experience. "We design tools to be used, and she definitely uses them." — Jony Ive (quoted via Apple book context): Discussing a photo of a beat-up iPhone in a design book and how Apple presents products.
Implications: Listeners should expect Apple to keep trimming accessory lines and legacy comforts unless core products clearly benefit. The broader tech takeaway is that ecosystem lock-in weakens when convenience features disappear, pushing users toward third-party alternatives.