253: ‘An Italicized “Finally”’ With Rene Ritchie

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: A long WWDC 2019 preview centered on likely iOS 13 and macOS 10.15 changes, with heavy emphasis on Apple’s long-awaited fixes to the iPad, fonts on iOS, a redesigned Reminders app, deeper Siri/Shortcuts integration, and the potential Mac Pro reveal. The hosts also debated Marzipan’s future, ARM-on-Mac prospects, and Apple’s continuing focus on performance and older-device support.

Main Topics: WWDC 2019 expectations and rumor landscape (Priority: 5/5): The hosts frame the episode as a preview of WWDC 2019, noting that most of the strongest leaks come from Guy Rambo and Mark Gurman, but that many significant details still remain unknown. iOS 13 features: dark mode, fonts, Reminders, Home screen, Safari (Priority: 5/5): They discuss expected iOS updates including dark mode, system font support, a heavily redesigned Reminders app, possible Springboard/home screen changes, improved Safari downloads, and desktop-site forcing on iPad. iPad multitasking and input improvements (Priority: 5/5): A major thread is the need to rethink iPad workflows, including better multitasking, clearer focus states, undo gestures, mouse support, and a more coherent desktop-class interface. Marzipan and the future of Mac app development (Priority: 5/5): The hosts are cautious but hopeful about Marzipan phase two, wanting it to produce real Mac-quality apps rather than simplistic iOS ports, and tying it to a broader modernized developer framework. macOS 10.15 and platform unification (Priority: 4/5): They speculate about macOS feature parity with iOS concepts such as Shortcuts, Screen Time, and shared frameworks, while also debating the next macOS name and whether it will continue the current naming convention. Hardware and platform transitions: Mac Pro and Apple silicon (Priority: 4/5): They expect a Mac Pro preview and discuss the possibility of a future Intel-to-ARM transition on Mac hardware, comparing Apple’s current position to the 2005 PowerPC-to-Intel shift. Apple Watch, sleep tracking, and AirPods usability (Priority: 3/5): Follow-up topics include automatic sleep tracking with Apple Watch, Nintendo’s sleep accessory announcement, and the need for easier AirPods switching and better handling in Control Center.

Key Arguments: Apple can only sustain new platforms when the scope is manageable; Playdate is praised because Panic can build it without the scale of a phone OS. iOS sleep tracking apps are valuable because the Apple Watch already collects the needed biometric data automatically, making sleep monitoring nearly zero-effort. AirPods switching remains too friction-filled, especially when moving between devices or during phone calls, and should be simplified in iOS and macOS. Apple’s anti-fingerprinting font policy can have side effects, such as Daring Fireball rendering incorrectly when Microsoft Office installs duplicate Verdana fonts. iPad needs more serious system-level rethinking because its current home screen and multitasking model feel like an afterthought compared with the device’s capability. Marzipan should be judged by whether it enables excellent Mac apps and modern developer workflows, not by whether it merely runs iOS apps in a window. Apple’s focus on older-device performance is both customer-friendly and strategically wise because efficient code benefits new and old hardware alike. An ARM transition for Mac is plausible because Apple wants better power-per-watt efficiency and has long been constrained by Intel’s roadmap and supply issues.

Data Points: WWDC location year: Third year in San Jose - They discuss the conference being held in San Jose for the third year and compare it to the older San Francisco venue. Sleep tracking apps used: 2 apps - John mentions using Sleep Plus Plus and Sleep Watch for Apple Watch sleep tracking. AirPods battery replacement cost: $50 per AirPod - Referenced during follow-up about Apple’s battery replacement program for AirPods. Apple Watch sleep-tracking behavior: 0 manual start/stop actions - The apps automatically detect sleep without the user pressing start or stop. App access window at hands-on area: About 1 hour to 90 minutes - They note the limited time available after the keynote to shoot B-roll and try devices. Apple internal beta distribution: Hundreds of employees (unspecified) - They reference widespread internal iOS 13 beta distribution inside Apple, without giving an exact count. Mac upgrade timing rumor: 2019 preview, possible shipping later in year or early 2020 - Discussing the possible Intel-to-ARM transition and Mac Pro timing. Line of supported OS updates: 4 to 5 years - They emphasize Apple’s commitment to keeping devices and OS versions running well for several years. Apple TV remote layout issue: 1 buried settings path vs 1 prominent Control Center button - They note the asymmetry of making AirPods/remote listening easy to access while the enabling toggle is buried. Video production cadence: 4 to 5 videos per week - Rene says he tries to publish five YouTube videos weekly and usually gets four.

Pivotal Quotes: "What makes Playdate such a brilliant idea, that the scope of it is something that's totally within their capabilities." — John Gruber: Explaining why Panic can successfully build a new platform unlike a phone OS competitor. "I really want this whole thing to be basically we've always had great developer tools and great developer APIs and frameworks... here's our story for this is the future of making apps on all of our platforms." — John Gruber: Describing the ideal Marzipan/Apple platform strategy for Mac development. "We can imagine hardware products, great new hardware products that we can't build based on the chips in the PowerPC roadmap." — Steve Jobs (referenced by John Gruber): Used to argue that Apple’s future Mac hardware ambitions may again exceed Intel’s roadmap and motivate a transition.

Implications: Listeners should expect WWDC 2019 to focus on meaningful platform polish, especially for iPad, Mac development, and system consistency. The discussion suggests Apple may be preparing deeper unification across devices and possibly an eventual Mac silicon shift.