Episode Summary
Executive Summary: The episode centers on Apple’s September event and the hosts’ reactions to major product updates: a substantially redesigned Apple Watch, three new iPhones, and the unresolved AirPower situation. They debate pricing, naming, size tradeoffs, health features like ECG/fall detection, camera and battery improvements, and the event’s heavy reliance on leaks and preannouncements. The show also includes sponsor reads and a nostalgic aftershow about a 10-year-old Mac Pro still in use.
Main Topics: Twitter and live-event commentary fatigue: The hosts open by lamenting how Twitter’s API changes and a degraded experience have made live-tweeting Apple events less fun, more cumbersome, and lower-volume than before. Apple Watch Series 4 redesign and sizing: They discuss the larger display, thinner body, new sizes (40mm/44mm), band compatibility, and the challenge of choosing a size without trying it on in person. Health features: ECG, AFib, fall detection: The new heart monitoring features are treated as the most meaningful upgrade, with discussion of FDA approval, possible life-saving value, and the Watch becoming a real health device. iPhone XS/XS Max/XR lineup and naming: They analyze the new iPhone family, criticizing the names while debating which model is most compelling, especially the XR’s value, colors, battery life, and near-flagship feature set. AirPower and AirPods delays: The near-absence of AirPower and the likely delay of updated AirPods prompts speculation about product readiness, Apple’s overpromising, and whether AirPower should exist at all. Event execution, leaks, and Apple’s marketing choices: The hosts note that sitemaps, tweets, and other leaks spoiled much of the event and praise Apple’s intro video and Tim Cook tweet gag despite some cheesy execution. Aftershow: 10-year-old Mac Pro nostalgia: A long aftershow segment celebrates a decade-old Mac Pro as an unusually durable, high-value machine, with reflections on Apple hardware pricing and long-term usability.
Key Arguments: Twitter’s post-API changes made live-event participation less enjoyable, reducing real-time banter and overall tweet volume. Apple Watch Series 4 is the most significant product in the event because its new health features could materially improve safety and medical awareness. The larger watch sizes are a real fit issue; people should try them on before buying because 2mm matters on a wrist. The ECG/AFib and fall-detection features are more meaningful than cosmetic updates because they can affect lives, not just convenience. The XR looks like the strongest consumer choice because it offers many flagship features at a lower price, plus better battery life and color options. The XS Max is mostly differentiated by size; Apple wisely did not artificially handicap the larger model with worse cameras or features. AirPower’s prolonged absence suggests Apple is struggling with a problem that could have been better handled by a simpler, standard Qi charger. The 10-year-old Mac Pro illustrates the long lifespan and value of older Apple hardware when it was still highly expandable and serviceable.
Data Points: Apple Watch size change: 38mm -> 40mm; 42mm -> 44mm - Series 4 watch case sizes increased by 2mm in each category. Apple Watch thickness change: 0.7 mm thinner - Hosts cite Apple’s claim that Series 4 is thinner than Series 3. Apple Watch wrist fit range: 40mm: 130-190 mm; 44mm: 145-220 mm - Apple’s sizing guidance discussed while comparing wrist circumference. User wrist size: ~7 inches / 177.8 mm - One host measured his wrist to judge watch fit. iPhone XR display size: 6.1-inch LCD - The XR uses an LCD instead of OLED, marketed as a “Liquid” display. iPhone XS Max price delta: $100 more than XS - The larger XS Max is positioned above the XS with the same core features. iPhone XR price tier: About two-thirds the cost of XS Max - Hosts characterize XR as a lower-cost flagship alternative. Apple Watch ECG rollout: US only at launch - Health features were said to be available first in the United States. iPhone storage tier: 512 GB - A new top-end storage option on the XS lineup. Mac Pro order total in 2008: $2,479 - Price of the featured tower Mac Pro configuration. Cinema Display price: $809 - Price of the 23-inch Apple Cinema Display purchased with the Mac Pro. Mac Pro age: 10 years - The aftershow celebrates a decade-old Mac Pro still in use. Apple Watch battery life: Same as previous generation - Apple claimed unchanged battery life despite thinner hardware. iPhone XR battery life: Best among the new iPhones - Hosts note XR outperforms XS and XS Max in battery life charts.
Pivotal Quotes: "This is our sports game." — John: Describing live-tweeting Apple events as a communal, competitive spectator experience. "The Apple Watch has gone from, what is this for? and there's no killer use case, to a fundamental improvement in human health and safety in daily life." — Quoted from Steve Sanoffsky: Used as a summary of why the new health features matter. "It is my computer, it is my preferred computer, and this is where I want to do my stuff." — John: Explaining why a 10-year-old Mac Pro remains his main workstation.
Implications: Apple’s hardware strategy is maturing: fewer radical spec jumps, more emphasis on health, battery life, and consumer segmentation. The Watch may become a genuine medical/safety device, while the XR could become the mass-market winner. AirPower remains a cautionary tale.