Episode Summary
Executive Summary: The episode ranges across Apple rumors and product analysis: a beloved ASCII-art coding resource, iFixIt findings on the revised MacBook Pro butterfly keyboard, possible Apple Watch App Store and independence from iPhone, App Review leadership commentary, a rumored read-only macOS system partition, and extensive WWDC expectations including iOS 13 dark mode, new Mac apps, Marzipan, a Pro Display, and the redesigned Mac Pro. The hosts debate likely hardware specs, pricing, and whether Apple’s pro and platform strategies are finally converging.
Main Topics: ASCII art and code comments follow-up: The show opens with a listener link to a blog explaining code using ASCII art. The hosts praise it as an elegant way to visualize structures, memory layout, and relationships, while also joking about comment terminator hazards in code comments. MacBook Pro butterfly keyboard revisions: They dissect iFixIt’s teardown of the refreshed MacBook Pro keyboard, noting material changes in the dome and metal cap. The discussion centers on whether Apple fixed dust intrusion or deeper wear/design flaws, with skepticism that material tweaks alone can solve the fundamental butterfly mechanism issues. Apple Watch independence and an App Store: Rumors about an app store on Apple Watch are interpreted as a sign the watch must become independent of iPhone, much like the iPod and iPhone eventually detached from the Mac. The hosts discuss why independence matters commercially and technically, while cautioning that WWDC session titles are often misleading. Apple App Review perspective and policy history: A Bloomberg interview with former App Review head Philip Schiller/"Shoemaker" is discussed as fascinating but worth taking with salt because the information is old and the speaker left Apple. They still recommend it for insight into App Review and platform governance. macOS 10.15 read-only system volume: A rumor suggests macOS 10.15 may ship with a read-only system partition. The hosts compare this to System Integrity Protection, arguing that a mounted read-only volume is simpler and more secure, but worrying it will break third-party workflows and Apple’s own tooling. WWDC rumors: iOS 13, Marzipan, Mac Pro, display, and keynote predictions: A long segment forecasts WWDC themes: iOS 13 dark mode and screenshot tools, new Music/TV apps on the Mac, Marzipan as the central developer story, a possible Pro Display, and the redesigned Mac Pro. They also predict which platform areas may or may not be mentioned in the keynote and debate the chances of a 16-inch MacBook Pro teaser.
Key Arguments: ASCII art in code comments can be genuinely useful when it conveys structure or memory layout better than prose, even if it can be dangerous around comment terminators. The revised MacBook Pro keyboard likely addresses some material-wear problems, but the butterfly mechanism still has an inherent debris-jamming design flaw that material changes cannot fully fix. Apple Watch must become independent of iPhone for the platform to grow beyond existing Apple customers, and an App Store would be part of that transition. A read-only system volume is a more straightforward security model than SIP, but it will break assumptions in apps and Apple-internal workflows that rely on writable system locations. Marzipan is not just a feature but a major platform strategy: it can bring UIKit apps to the Mac and eventually unify Apple’s development story. The Mac Pro will almost certainly be expensive and probably not fully modular across multiple boxes, but it should support upgradable RAM and likely standard GPU cards. Apple’s keynote likely prioritizes software platform changes and Marzipan over minor hardware, though a Mac Pro or display teaser remains possible. The iPod touch still has niche value for kids and enterprise devices, but it is mostly a legacy product kept alive at the minimum viable level.
Data Points: MacBook Pro keyboard revision: 2 materials changed - Hosts say iFixIt found changes to the main plastic dome and the metal cap in the butterfly keyboard. Butterfly keyboard clearance: 0.25 millimeter - A host cites the tiny space where a crumb can wedge under the butterfly mechanism. App Review podcast length: About 40 minutes - They recommend the Bloomberg interview as worth a listen despite the salt needed. Mac Pro base price speculation: $5,000 to $7,500 - Hosts debate expected starting price, with one arguing $7,500 and another favoring $5,000. Current Mac Pro base price: $3,000 - Used as a comparison point in Mac Pro pricing speculation. iMac Pro base price: $5,000 - Referenced as a benchmark for a plausible Mac Pro starting price. iPod touch price: $199 - Discussed as the price for the 32GB model of the refreshed iPod touch. iPod touch minimum storage: 32 GB - Part of the new iPod touch configuration discussion. WatchOS/iPhone dependence: Requires iPhone for setup - Used to argue the watch still needs independence to broaden sales. Mac Pro rumor screen size: 31.6 inches - Referenced when discussing the rumored Apple Pro Display dimensions.
Pivotal Quotes: "I still feel like there's definitely part of that mechanism that fails due to the inherent design of the mechanism itself." — John: On why butterfly keyboard material changes may not solve the core failure mode. "The watch has to become independent." — Marco: On why Apple Watch needs to move beyond requiring an iPhone. "Marzipan is the story of WWDC." — Marco: On the central platform narrative Apple is expected to emphasize.
Implications: Listeners should expect Apple’s next platform cycle to center on UI unification, especially Marzipan and watch independence, while hardware remains constrained by expensive, incremental pro-grade designs. Security changes and keyboard tweaks may improve things, but Apple’s fundamental design choices will still cause compatibility and usability tradeoffs.