The Vergecast

This week, everything is a HomePod. And has ads. The Verge’s Jen Pattison-Tuohy joins the show to talk about all of Amazon’s new hardware, the current state of Alexa Plus, and whether the new Kindle Scribe is the one we’ve been waiting for. Then, The Verge’s Emma Roth tells Jen and David about her experience with Telly, the TV that ships to your house for free in exchange for showing you ads all the time. Telly may not be for everyone. Finally, in the lightning round, the gang talks about a handy new Spotify feature, Emma’s first Waymo ride, and the glory that is Chunk. Further reading: Amazon’s 2025 hardware event: the 8 biggest announcements Here’s where to preorder all of Amazon’s new Alexa devices and when they arrive Amazon finally did the damn hardware right Amazon’s new Echo Dot Max smart speaker bumps up the bass Alexa Plus is smarter — but it’s not yet smart enough Alexa Plus on the TV is made to save you from your phone  Alexa Plus is smarter — but it’s not yet smart enough Alexa Plus on the TV is made to save you from your phone  Amazon sticks two cameras together for the 180-degree Blink Arc The new Google Home Speaker is built for Gemini Hey Google, meet Gemini: the new voice of your smart home | The Verge I spent three months with Telly, the free TV that’s always showing ads OpenAI made a TikTok for deepfakes, and it’s getting hard to tell what’s real Spotify now lets you exclude specific songs from your algorithm All hail the new Fat Bear Champion Ring launches upgraded cameras with ‘Retinal Vision’ 4K recording Microsoft is giving Copilot AI faces you can chat with Waymo adds YouTube Music Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sure, you could drive to the grocery store and to school. But wouldn’t you rather grab a few hundred of your friends and bike-bus everywhere? The Verge’s Andy Hawkins joins the show to tell us all about his adventures with electric cargo bikes, and why he thinks they’re the ride of the future. After that, Lauren Feiner calls in from just outside a courthouse in Virginia, where she’s watching the remedies trial in Google’s adtech monopoly case. Google already lost the case; what happens next is still anyone’s guess. Finally, David answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about how to feel about summarizing YouTube videos with AI. The short version: you should feel a lot of things. Further reading: Why your next car should be an electric cargo bike Electric cargo bikes are rewiring cities Can Google be trusted without a break up? US v. Google redux: all the news from the ad tech trial Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After more than five years of backing and forthing, secret meetings and loud screeds, it appears the fate of TikTok in the US has finally been decided. Maybe. There are still a lot of unknowns, but we're pretty sure we know the bones of the deal — and we know which of President Trump's allies stand to benefit the most. Before we get to all that, though, David and Jake run through some big news in future gadgets, including the long-awaited-and-maybe-happening combination of Android and ChromeOS and the possibilities for a touchscreen MacBook. Then, The Verge's Liz Lopatto joins to talk TikTok. And Trump. Then, in the lightning round, the three hosts talk through Jimmy Kimmel's return, Nvidia's money problems, a surprising AmEx perk, and much more. Further reading: Google’s Android for PC: ‘I’ve seen it, it is incredible’  Our biggest questions about ChromeOS and Android merging The foldable iPhone might look like two iPhone Airs stuck together  The touchscreen MacBook rumors are never ending  OpenAI might also be developing AI glasses, a voice recorder, and a pin  Trump claims the US is about to get a tremendous fee for taking TikTok out of China Trump signs executive order approving TikTok deal Some details of the TikTok deal have been worked out. What Trump Wants from a TikTok Deal with China American Investors Will License and Oversee TikTok’s U.S. Version, White House Says TikTok Deal Could Make Oracle Founder Larry Ellison a New Kind of Media Mogul Anker’s party speaker projector hits Kickstarter with a sizable discount.  Montblanc is getting into the digital notepad game  Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro can be easily scratched  It costs $895 per year to get American Express’ premium app theme Nvidia is partnering up with OpenAI to offer compute and cash  Kimmel returns to television to mock FCC Chair Brendan Carr  Sinclair won’t air Kimmel.  Trump on Truth Social Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In all the tech news and world news last week, YouTube's Made On event got a little lost. So we circled back: The Verge's Mia Sato explains why YouTube is suddenly all-in on livestreaming, why it seems to be rapidly turning into a shopping mall, and whether all these AI features will improve YouTube or destroy it. After that, it's time for a second round of David's Summer Takes, in which he subjects The Verge's Jake Kastrenakes and Hayden Field to his thoughts on Threads, podcasts, and social media. Finally, Hayden sticks around to answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about the words we use when we talk AI. Further reading: YouTube makes it easier and more lucrative to go live YouTube is inching closer to becoming a shopping channel YouTube is going all in on AI New YouTube AI tools help creators give viewers what they want Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s a lot of gadget news this week! But we begin the show in an unprecedented way: with a bit of Brendan Carr is a Dummy, America’s favorite podcast within a podcast. Nilay pops on the show to discuss what happened to Jimmy Kimmel, why the FCC’s assault on speech is so dangerous, and why a couple of broadcast TV companies matter so much to the story. After that, Jake Kastrenakes and Richard Lawler join to talk about all of Meta’s new smart glasses, including the company’s first pair with a built-in display. Finally, in the lightning round, we talk about Reddit’s new AI deal with Google, Nvidia’s new chip deal with Intel, and Samsung’s terrible plan to put ads on your fridge. Further reading: Here’s the Jimmy Kimmel clip that got him pulled off the air  Jimmy Kimmel Live pulled after FCC threat over Charlie Kirk joke  Republicans are honoring Charlie Kirk’s memory by declaring war on the First Amendment  Charlie Kirk’s death got complicated by “extremely online” culture  The right wing is creating a society of snitches Meta Ray-Ban Display hands-on: the best smart glasses I’ve ever tried  Oakley Meta Vanguard hands-on: what athletes actually want Meta’s new Ray-Ban smart glasses have twice the battery life Conversation focus is the first new feature on deck. I sat down with Mark Zuckerberg to try Meta’s impressive new Ray-Ban Display glasses Meta is opening up its smart glasses to developers | The Verge Snap OS 2.0 is a small step towards AR glasses you might actually wear Android’s next flagship processor is the ‘Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5’  Nothing wants you to talk to your earbuds’ charging case  Nvidia invests $5 billion into Intel to jointly develop PC and data center chips  The US and China might finally have a TikTok deal  U.S. Investors, Trump Close In on TikTok Deal With China Samsung brings ads to US refrigerators Reddit wants a better AI deal with Google: users in exchange for content YouTube is inching closer to becoming a shopping channel  Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's been a busy week for The Verge's product reviewers! We've got three new phones, three new watches, and a set of earbuds on the docket, and the team is ready to talk about (almost) all of it. First, Allison Johnson and Jake Kastrenakes join to talk about their experiences with the iPhone Air, iPhone 17, and iPhone 17 Pro. One is fabulous with some compromises, one is just a down-the-middle excellent phone, and the other is for camera nerds. After that, Victoria Song talks about the AirPods Pro 3, which are also a stellar upgrade, and then helps us make sense of the new lineup of Apple Watches. There's the SE 3, the Series 11, and the Ultra 3, but there's only one clear winner for most people. Finally, we answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about Apple's up-and-down focus on AI Further reading: ⁠The iPhone 17 is the one to get this year⁠ Apple iPhone Air review: statement piece Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro is a bold redesign but a basic upgrade AirPods Pro 3 review: tripling down on a good thing The Apple Watch SE 3 is the one to buy Apple Watch Series 11 review: stuck in the middle The unbearable sameness of Liquid Glass Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One thing you should know about the iPhone launch is that there’s... not usually a lot of other tech news around the iPhone launch. So David and Jake start this episode with some more information about the iPhone launch, including some controversial details we missed about the AirPods Pro 3 and the argument in favor of the crossbody strap. After that, with David back on the mic, it’s time for a round of AI-focused hot takes with The Verge’s Hayden Field. The gang talks ChatGPT, Claude, money, more money, and what counts as a real friend. (And money.) Finally, in the lightning round — yes, once again the LIGHTNING ROUND — the three co-hosts talk about Canon’s confusing new camera, the future of Reddit, Claude’s spreadsheet-y future, and much more. Further reading: Apple isn’t packing a charging cable in with the AirPods Pro 3  Apple’s misunderstood crossbody iPhone strap might be the best I’ve seen  Apple says the iPhone 17 comes with a massive security upgrade  New Beats earbuds leak hours before Apple’s big event  Nothing’s Ear 3 earbuds have a microphone and ‘talk’ button on their charging case Google pulls the Pixel 10’s Daily Hub to ‘enhance its performance’ David Zaslav thinks HBO Max is ‘way underpriced’ Exclusive | Paramount Skydance Prepares Ellison-Backed Bid for Warner Reddit is dropping subscriber counts on subreddits  Reddit is testing a way to read articles without leaving the app  Canon is bringing back a point-and-shoot from 2016 with fewer features and a higher price (it’s viral Spotify adds lossless streaming after 8 years of teasing Anthropic’s Claude can now make you a spreadsheet or slide deck. The MechaHitler defense contract is raising red flags Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fresh off a day filled with new Apple products, The Verge’s ground team reports back on everything they’ve seen — and touched. Allison Johnson walks us through the new iPhone Air, iPhone 17, and iPhone 17 Pro lineups, making sense of all the new camera features and wondering just how thin a phone really can be. After that, Victoria Song talks about why the AirPods Pro 3 may have been the big hit of the day, plus all the details on the three new models of Apple Watch. Finally, Jake Kastrenakes tells us about his first experience live at an Apple event, explains the appeal of a crossbody strap, and has a theory about why an orange phone is such a big deal. Further reading: The eight biggest announcements during Apple’s iPhone Air event | The Verge All the news from Apple’s iPhone 17 event | The Verge Apple announces the ultra-slim iPhone Air | The Verge iPhone Air hands-on | The Verge Apple iPhone 17 hands-on | The Verge Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro has the biggest battery of any iPhone | The Verge Apple’s iPhone 17 drops the Plus, but gains a bigger, faster display | The Verge iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max: our initial hands-on impressions | The Verge The 2TB iPhone 17 Pro Max costs $1,999. | The Verge The iPhone 17 comes with Apple’s new in-house networking chip | The Verge Apple’s new iPhone Air accessories include a slim MagSafe battery, TechWoven case, and crossbody strap Apple’s new MagSafe battery is only designed for the new iPhone Air | The Verge All right, what new Apple stuff are we buying? | The Verge The new iPhones all have Center Stage front-facing cameras | The Verge Apple announces AirPods Pro 3 with ‘world’s best ANC’ and heart rate sensing | The Verge The Apple Watch Ultra 3 has 42 hours of battery life and satellite connectivity | The Verge Apple announces new entry-level $249 Apple Watch SE 3 with always-on display | The Verge The iPhone Air’s battery pack is slim, but not as slim as the iPhone Air Apple’s new MagSafe battery is only designed for the new iPhone Air Phone 17 Pro “clear” case that is MOSTLY NOT CLEAR  Apple barely talked about AI at its big iPhone 17 event | The Verge iOS 26 is out on September 15th | The Verge Apple’s macOS Tahoe 26 update releases September 15th | The Verge Apple reveals iPadOS 26 release date | The Verge Apple will launch watchOS 26 on September 15th | The Verge Apple’s using more recycled materials in its iPhones and watches Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a big week for the smart home. Jake, Vee, and Jen sit down to chat about all the new tech out of IFA, from robots that carry robot vacuums up stairs to upgrades that turn 10-year-old Hue bulbs into motion sensors. Then, Lauren joins the show to talk about the Google antitrust remedies ruling and what Google is going to have to do to allow more competition in the search market. Finally, the Thunder Round is back and better than ever. We're talking $2,000 smart watches, Amazon yanking a major Prime perk, the Pixel 10 Pro's 100x AI zoom, Instagram for iPad, and drama at the FTC. Further reading: Eufy built a stairlift for its robovacs Inside Philips Hue’s plans to make all your lights motion sensors Philips Hue responds to cheaper competitors with major product overhaul SwitchBot has ambitions to be the AI that powers your smart home Samsung’s Galaxy S25 FE and Tab S11 are thinner, lighter, and otherwise about the same Google gets to keep Chrome, judge rules in search antitrust case Google critics think the search remedies ruling is a total whiff Here’s what Google and the DOJ had to say about the search remedies ruling The tech antitrust renaissance may already be over Garmin’s Fenix 8 Pro series finally lets you leave your phone at home — sort of Instagram is coming to iPad, 15 years later Amazon ends shared Prime free shipping outside your home Ousted Democratic FTC commissioner can return (again) for now Here’s how the Pixel’s AI zoom compares to a real 100x lens Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11. We love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hooked on LinkedIn’s Queens? Gotta extend your Wordle streak in the New York Times games app before you start your day? You’re in good company on today’s Vergecast episode. Allison Johnson is joined by Simon Anthony and Mark Goodliffe, world-class puzzle champs and hosts of the delightful Cracking the Cryptic, a YouTube channel where they solve a puzzle on camera every single day. They specialize in Sudoku — and not just the classic number games you might be familiar with. Simon and Mark tackle mind-bending, seemingly impossible puzzles, working through it all in realtime, sometimes over the course of several hours. What happens when you get stuck? How can you tell the difference between a puzzle made by a human and a computer-generated one? Why are we addicted to puzzle games all of a sudden? They help us crack the clues. Then Allison sits down with Marc Levoy, one of the pioneers of computational photography, to talk about his new camera app: Project Indigo. Levoy is known for his earlier work on the Pixel camera, and was a driving force in shaping phone photography into what it is now. We last caught up with him in 2020 when he left Google for Adobe, so we got up to speed on what the heck he’s been doing for the last five years — and the important difference between HDR and an HDR-ish photo. Finally, Allison takes a hotline question from someone who is not particular about their phone camera’s image quality, but does have a beef with camera bumps. Cracking the Cryptic — YouTube This 25-minute video is the most riveting sudoku puzzle you will ever watch The Atlantic is making a big push into games I regret to inform you that LinkedIn’s games are very fun The mastermind of Google’s Pixel camera quietly left the company in March The brain behind the Google Pixel camera is building a universal camera app for Adobe Marc Levoy on the balance of camera hardware, software, and artistic expression Adobe launches a new ‘computational photography’ camera app for iPhones Adobe’s new camera app is making me rethink phone photography Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Pixel 10 is in the house, and we’ve been testing them for over a week now. Allison and Vee sit down with Jake to discuss their tests — the good, the bad, and the poorly translated. They demo the Pixel 10's live phone call translations and dive into Pro Res Zoom, which uses AI to enhance photos zoomed in up to 100x. Then, it’s time to talk Dish, Intel, and Elon. Dish is giving up on being a major mobile carrier, Intel is now partially owned by the US government, and Elon has filed a questionable lawsuit against Apple. Finally, we wrap up with a Thunder Round to discuss K-Pop Demon Hunters, YouTube Shorts’ secret “AI,” Android’s registration requirement for developers, Taco Bell’s drive through AI attempt, and a delivery locker on wheels. Further reading: Google Pixel 10 Pro review: AI, Qi2, and a spec bump too Apple’s iPhone 17 launch event is set for September 9th Dish gives up on becoming the fourth major wireless carrier The Trump administration promised a fourth wireless carrier — America got a hot mess instead US government takes 10 percent stake in Intel in exchange for money it was already on the hook for Elon Musk’s xAI is suing OpenAI and Apple Elon Musk’s xAI quietly dropped its status as a public benefit corporation My new beat is K-Pop Demon Hunters Taco Bell AI Drive thru sna-fu Is YouTube’s Shorts experiment using AI or just upscaling? | The Verge This new delivery robot will bring the entire grocery store to you Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on The Vergecast, Chris Niccolls and Jordan Drake of PetaPixel’s YouTube channel join The Verge’s Allison Johnson and Vjeran Pavic to geek out about the last half-decade of camera advancements — the good, the bad, and the Sigma BF of it all. Then, Allison is joined by Verge News Editor and fellow phone nerd Dominic Preston to help answer a boatload of listener questions from people contemplating which smartphone to buy next. They help navigate the intricacies of living in a mixed iOS/Android household to the best options for someone who wants a headphone jack (spoiler alert: there aren’t many). It’s a mega-hotline-turned-therapy session for iPhone Mini owners reluctant to let go of their tiny phones in a world where phones come in two sizes: big and bigger. Further reading: Sigma BF review: Beautiful Foolishness — PetaPixel The Fujifilm X half is Just Plain FUN! — PetaPixel Fujifilm X Half hands-on: whimsical, refreshing, and simply fun Sigma BF review: the perfect camera for a minimalist In pursuit of a viral, five-year-old compact camera Samsung Galaxy S25 review: incredibly iterative Nothing Phone 3 review: flagship-ish If you really want a smaller phone, try the tiny Jelly 2 Oppo Find N5 review: the final evolution of foldables Honor launches the ‘world’s thinnest’ foldable Motorola spoiled a good budget phone with bloatware The Xperia 1 VII is a greatest hits of Sony R&D The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra isn’t so ‘ultra’ anymore The Fairphone 6 no longer feels like a compromise (except in the US) My first DIY phone fix made me a self-repair believer Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold review: in great shape Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review: stunning, bendy, and spendy Ditching my phone for an LTE smartwatch was a humbling experience I took my own advice and bought a last-gen iPhone — I regret nothing How Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip failed me without actually breaking Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s Pixel week. Jake, Vee, and Allison are chatting about all things Google. First, there’s the Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL, and 10 Pro Fold, which get a mix of hardware upgrades (dust-proofing on a foldable!) and downgrades (a worse camera on the Pixel 10?) and a ton of new AI features, including Magic Cue and Pro Res Zoom, which puts AI right inside the camera app. Next, there’s the Pixel Watch 4, Fitbit’s AI fitness coach, the Pixel Buds 2A, and a tease of Google’s next smart home speaker. Finally, we wrap it up with the Thunder Round and a discussion of Hank Green’s Focus Friend, Ricoh’s GR IV, Netflix’s new content strategy, Masimo’s attempt to sue over the Apple Watch again, and most importantly, Chipotle’s drone delivery. Further reading: The Made by Google event felt like being sucked into an episode of Wandavision The Google Pixel 10 and 10 Pro come with magnets, a new chip, and AI everywhere The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold is the first fully dust-resistant foldable  Google says the quiet part out loud: IP68 protection doesn’t last  The best new features of the Pixel 10 lineup The Pixel 10 Pro puts generative AI right inside the camera  The magnets are the coolest thing about the Pixel 10 Google is launching its first magnetic wireless charging accessories  Building a more empathetic big phone.  The Pixel Pro 10 phones include a certified Thread radio. Google’s Pixel Watch 4 has big ideas — and an even bigger focus on AI  Fitbit’s AI health coach is the first I might actually be interested in The unbearable obviousness of AI fitness summaries Google’s Pixel Buds 2A add Gemini, noise cancellation, and a replaceable battery  Google’s Pixel Buds Pro 2 are getting new AI-powered features in September Gemini for Home is Google’s biggest smart home play in years Is that a new Nest smart speaker I spy? Hank Green’s Focus Friend swapped my screen time for bean time  Now Masimo is suing US Customs over Apple Watch imports  Ricoh GR IV will cost $1500 It's Raining Chips & Guac: Chipotle Is Testing Drone Delivery YouTuber Mark Rober is getting a Netflix series YouTube star Ms. Rachel is coming to Netflix The Duffer Brothers are joining the Paramount family Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on The Vergecast, the co-founder and former CEO of iRobot, Colin Angle, joins The Verge’s smart home reviewer, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, to discuss what the ideal home robot is. Are we close to creating a Rosie the Robot — an all-in-one humanoid robot that can take care of our homes, or should we take an entirely different approach to home robotics? They dive into the advances in technology powering this shift and ponder what purpose robotics in the home should really serve. Then, Jen takes a journey back into smart home history to help us understand its future. Grant Erickson, Principal of Nuovations, a former Apple, Nest, and Google engineer who was part of the team that developed Thread, joins the show. He shares the story of how and why, back in 2011, the Nest team, led by Tony Faddell and Matt Rogers, decided to create a smart home protocol. It involves a thermostat, fragmented ecosystems, and one of the best smart home products ever made. They discuss how Thread became the foundation of the Matter smart home standard — an unprecedented industry collaboration with a herculean task — to make the smart home simpler. To close out the show, Grant sticks around to help answer a Vergecast hotline question (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com) about how Matter manages your data. Further reading: Maybe I don’t want a Rosey the Robot after all Amazon left Roomba with a huge mess to clean up Figure will start ‘alpha testing’ its humanoid robot in the home in 2025 Amazon Astro review: too much Alexa, not enough arms Samsung is finally releasing Ballie This Pixar-style dancing lamp hints at Apple’s future home robot iRobot’s founder is working on a new kind of home robot iRobot OS is the newest ‘brain’ for your Roomba Amazon bought iRobot to see inside your home I tested a robot vacuum with an arm, and my dog may never forgive me Inside the Nest: iPod creator Tony Fadell wants to reinvent the thermostat Nest CEO Tony Fadell on Google acquisition Fire drill: Can Tony Fadell and Nest build a better smoke detector? How big companies kill ideas — and how to fight back, with Tony Fadell Situation: there are too many competing smart home standards Matter’s plan to save the smart home Nest’s home security system costs $499 and comes with magnetic door sensors Google says Matter is still set to fix the biggest smart home frustrations Thread is Matter’s secret sauce for a better smart home Nanoleaf launches a smart switch after eight years of trying Thread count: Ikea is stitching together a smarter home Why Thread is Matter’s biggest problem right now The four changes in Thread 1.4 that could fix the protocol It could be 2026 before all your Thread border routers work together Matter will be better in 2025 — say the people who make it The Nest Learning Thermostat gets its biggest upgrade in over a decade killedbygoogle.com Google’s ADT partnership finally has a new home security product to show for it Google discontinues Nest Protect smoke alarm and Nest x Yale door lock Google discontinues its Google Nest Secure alarm system Appliance makers are teaming up to reduce your electricity usage — and save you cash Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GPT-5 is here, and it’s not going so well. This week on The Vergecast, Jake, Vee, and Hayden discuss the bumpy launch of OpenAI’s latest model and why GPT-5 isn’t as big of a leap as GPT-4. Then, everyone shares their vibe coding projects and the bumpy journey to making anything usable. After that, our newest segment: Corporate Shenanigans, where we rate the week in strange corporate moves on a scale from “actually serious” to “total joke.” Finally, the Thunder Round returns, new and improved, to discuss ditching your phone for a smartwatch, doctors relying too much on AI, AOL dial-up shutting down, the Pebble Time 2, and why you shouldn’t trust what AI chatbots say about themselves. Further reading: ChatGPT won’t remove old models without warning after GPT-5 backlash OpenAI will update GPT-5’s “personality” after user backlash ChatGPT is bringing back 4o as an option because people missed it Sam Altman shared more about what went wrong with those GPT-5 graphs OpenAI gives some employees a ‘special’ multimillion-dollar bonus Anthropic just made its latest move in the AI coding wars Anthropic’s Claude chatbot can now remember your past conversations Perplexity offers to buy Google Chrome for $34.5 billion Apple is suing Apple Cinemas Apple Cinemas responds to Apple lawsuit Apple returns blood oxygen monitoring to the latest Apple Watches Elon Musk says he’s suing Apple for rigging App Store rankings Ditching my phone for an LTE smartwatch was a humbling experience Here’s a look at the final Pebble Time 2 design  Some doctors got worse at detecting cancer after relying on AI Google’s healthcare AI made up a body part — what happens when doctors don’t notice? Chatbots aren’t telling you their secrets AOL is finally shutting down dial-up Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on The Vergecast, we enter the Jen-era of Hot Girl Vergecast Summer, with a deep dive into the business of the smart home. The Verge’s smart home reviewer, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy (aka Jen), chats with Ken Fairbanks, a longtime customer of Insteon who ended up buying the smart lighting company when it went into bankruptcy. Ken shares the story of how one of the original smart lighting protocols, founded in the post-X10 era when home automation moved from wired to wireless, floundered, and how he and a band of users brought it back from the dead. He dishes what he’s learned about how to keep the lights on — from customer loyalty and the value of subscriptions, to what tariffs are doing to the industry and how some hardware companies are just pyramid schemes. Then, in a special supersized (and we mean SUPER) Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com), Jen is joined by smart home expert Richard Gunther, co-host of The Smart Home Show, to tackle a bunch of your burning smart lighting questions. They answer everything from how to move your smart home to which Thread border router you should buy for your Matter setup. Plus, they run down their own smart lighting set-ups. Further reading: Insteon’s troubles are a smart home tale as old as time Insteon Raises the Curtain for the Next Act Someone turned Insteon’s lights back on Insteon customers turned Insteon’s lights back on Thread count: Ikea is stitching together a smarter home Smart switches or smart bulbs? How to choose the right smart lighting for your home Controller for HomeKit Philips Hue Play sync box and gradient lightstrip review: wholly unnecessary, totally delightful Taming Wi-Fi in the Smart Home: Leviton’s new smart light switches don’t require a neutral wire Every smart home device that works with Matter Aqara’s new seven-inch home control tablet can replace a light switch These smart lights could solve the kitchen cabinet problem Hue launches a pricey new sunrise lamp Smart string light showdown: Nanoleaf versus Lifx The best floodlight camera to buy right now How to move a smart home Moving a smart home - The Smart Home Show Living with the ghost of a smart home’s past Smart ceiling light showdown: Aqara T1M versus Nanoleaf Skylight Binding should be the next big thing for smart home devices Aqara adds support for 50 new Matter device types Flic is ready to control all your Matter devices Thread is Matter’s secret sauce for a better smart home Google Nest Thread border routers Google TV Streamer review: smarter than your average set-top box Google Nest Hub (2nd-gen) review: sleep on it Why Thread is Matter’s biggest problem right now The four changes in Thread 1.4 that could fix the protocol Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this bonus episode of The Vergecast, Senior Reviewer Victoria Song sits down with a bunch of Verge staffers to talk about how they use AI tools in their everyday lives. Not all of it went smoothly — we definitely get into the ways these tools fall short — but we explore how AI can be used to help bedtime go more smoothly for parents, plan big cross-country moves, supplement your internet searches (always double-check!), and even vibe code an app for your next tabletop role-playing game. If you have any examples where AI was useful to you, we’d love to hear them. (For what it’s worth, we’d also love to hear stories where it spectacularly failed.) Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a huge week in AI, with OpenAI releasing GPT-OSS and GPT-5, Grok getting deeply problematic again with its “spicy” video generator, and Tim Cook admitting that Apple may need to cut some deals. Then we talk the age gating of the internet and how you might soon need an ID card to get just about anywhere online. Finally, the Lightning Round gets re-rebranded. Adi Robertson and Alex Heath join the show to discuss. Further reading: GPT-5 is being released to all ChatGPT users OpenAI releases a free GPT model that can run on your laptop Why open-source AI became an American national priority Mark Zuckerberg promises you can trust him with superintelligent AI xAI’s new Grok image and video generator has a ‘spicy’ mode Grok’s ‘spicy’ video setting instantly made me Taylor Swift nude deepfakes I tested Grok’s Valentine sex chatbot and it (mostly) behaved Tim Cook says Apple ‘must’ figure out AI and ‘will make the investment to do it’ Tim Cook says Apple is ‘open to’ AI acquisitions Ready or not, age verification is rolling out across the internet The UK is now age-gating the internet The UK is slogging through an online age-gate apocalyps The UK’s new age-gating rules are easy to bypass Reddit and Discord’s UK age verification can be defeated by Death Stranding’s photo mode Reddit rolls out age verification in the UK to comply with new rules Five EU states to test age verification app to protect children The EU approach to age verification Commission presents guidelines and age verification app prototype for a safer online space for children Porn age-gating is the future of the internet, thanks to the Supreme Court The Supreme Court just upended internet law, and I have questions Florida Sues Huge Porn Sites Including XVideos and Bang Bros Over Age Verification Law  “Over the last two and a half years, 19 states – home to more than a third of Americans – have passed laws that require pornography websites to confirm a user’s age by checking a government-issued ID or scanning their face, among other methods.” Google is using AI age checks to lock down user accounts Today's Supreme Court Decision on Age Verification Tramples Free Speech and Undermines Privacy Age Verification Harms Users of All Ages Blocking Access to Harmful Content Will Not Protect Children Online, No Matter How Many Times UK Politicians Say So Zero Knowledge Proofs Alone Are Not a Digital ID Solution to Protecting User Privacy Age Verification in the European Union: The Commission's Age Verification App RFK Jr. pulls $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccine contracts Epic just won its Google lawsuit again, and Android may never be the same Google has just two weeks to begin cracking open Android, it admits in emergency filing Instagram adds a reposts feed and rips off Snap Maps OpenAI charts crime OpenAI gets caught vibe graphing Nintendo raises the Switch 1 price from $299 to $339 Apple says Trump’s tariffs are adding another $1 billion to its costs Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on The Vergecast, guest host Mia Sato talks to YouTube fitness pioneer Cassey Ho (better known as Blogilates) about the well-oiled machine that is the dupe economy. Ho shares her experience creating her own line of athletic wear that sooner or later gets ripped off by countless copycats — and how she tries to fight back. Then, Mia brings an audio diary from a visit to Fabscrap, a textile recycling facility in Brooklyn, that is working to save fabric and other materials from the landfill. Fashion is a wasteful industry, not unlike tech — luckily, there are people like Fabscrap staff and volunteers who are working towards solutions. Finally, Victoria Song swings by to help answer a hotline question about how to make the high-tech Clueless closet a reality. If you have a question for us, call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com. Further reading How dupes turned online shopping upside down Lululemon sues Costco over viral alleged “dupes” The US finally acknowledges textile waste in new report Your stuff is actually worse now Ghana becomes dumping ground for the world’s unwanted used clothes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s time. The public betas for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and more are finally out for everyone to try. Jake Kastrenakes, Vee Song, and Antonio G. Di Benedetto give their takes on Apple’s Liquid Glass design language after two months of living with it. Antonio shares his experiences with macOS and the upgraded Spotlight, and Vee dives into the ups and downs of watchOS’s AI fitness coach. Then, Andy Hawkins and Eater's Matthew Kang talk about Tesla’s rough quarter, the new Tesla Diner, and what Epic Bacon has to do with it all. Finally, the Thunder Round returns, and we all learn what Labubus are. Further reading: ⁠Apple releases public betas of its new software updates with Liquid Glass⁠ How to install the iOS 26 public beta The biggest changes coming to your iPhone with iOS 26 ⁠Liquid Glass is fine, I guess⁠ ⁠Apple’s Liquid Glass redesign is shaping up to be a snoozer on Macs⁠ You can actually multitask on an iPad now and it’s the best new feature in 15 years watchOS 26 preview: a subtler take on AI ⁠Apple launches $20 subscription service to protect your gadgets⁠ Tesla’s earnings hit a new low, with largest revenue drop in years Elon Musk finally admits the new, more affordable Tesla is just a stripped down Model Y Undeterred by limits, Elon Musk plots a big robotaxi expansion Everything Eater Editors Ate at the Tesla Diner in Los Angeles The Full Tesla Diner Menu, Revealed The Tesla Diner Will Track When Guests Are Nearby to Prepare Their Orders Inside the New Tesla Diner in Los Angeles Anti-Elon Musk protesters are coming for Tesla’s new diner Faraday Future is back with another wild EV that probably will never get made Amazon buys Bee AI Jake: AppleCare One is a good deal, but not for everyone Uber’s making it easier for women riders and drivers to find each other The frenzied, gamified chase for Labubus Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices