Upgrade

307: Big Sur Sosumi

20 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Apple's big design changes in macOS Big Sur aren't limited to visuals. The system's alert sounds have changed, too. What better way to run down those ...

306: That's Beta Life!

13 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Myke and Jason discuss John Gruber's essay about Apple's App Store priorities and then assemble a list of apps that are missing key operatin...

305: A High School Production of Dracula

06 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Apple's services are in the spotlight, as Apple TV+ adds material, Apple News gets kicked to the curb by the New York Times, and Apple Arcade grapples...

304: Somebody’s Gotta Do It and It’s Gonna Be Us

29 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week we welcome Apple's Bob Borchers and Ronak Shah to the show to discuss macOS Big Sur, including all the new features in Safari. There's also ...

303: The Return of Two Old Friends

22 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Myke and Jason break down the WWDC 2020 keynote, which featured changes to the Mac both expected and unexpected and some long-wanted updates for iOS. ...

302: The WWDC Keynote Draft 2020

15 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It’s time for our fifth annual competition regarding what will happen at next week's WWDC keynote! Will there be a stage? Will there be enormous Ma...

301: Show Me You’re Serious

08 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With WWDC two weeks away, Myke and Jason share their wishes for iPadOS updates. They also analyze why they love certain kinds of games but are repelle...

300: It's So Hard to Predict the Future

01 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It's episode 300! This week we look to the future by drafting stories we'll be talking about over the next hundred episodes of Upgrade, and then we an...

299: My Gut Says Yes and No

25 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

There's a raft of media news this week, as Spotify removes a popular podcast from the ecosystem and Apple TV+ makes more content deals. We've got ques...

298: Copy Copy Copy, Paste Paste Paste Paste

18 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Apple Stores are reopening in many parts of the world, but should you go? (Not unless you must.) Also, Taiwan Semiconductor plans to build a factory i...

297: Factual Controller

11 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Jason and Myke ponder the mysteries of the 13-inch MacBook Pro(s), including why the Touch Bar is frozen in time and whether there's a bigge...

296: You Wouldn't Believe The Stuff I Know

04 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman joins Myke and Jason to discuss how Apple's responding to the pandemic, the current state of iPhone development, and how he ha...

295: Leave the Podcast at the Beep

27 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Myke and Jason are the target audience for Apple's new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro, and they're here with their full reviews. (And Myke trolls the Int...

294: The Phone Was Full of Sawdust

20 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Apple tweaks the Mac's battery settings, a new iPhone SE arrives, the first reviews of the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro are in, and Apple's over-ear Ai...

293: Opt In Your Face

13 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Apple and Google join up to start tracing COVID-19 contacts, Apple makes a bunch of TV shows available to watch for free, Disney faces strong headwind...

292: Don't Look Over There!

06 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How will COVID-19 change the future of consumer technology? Why is Zoom the videoconferencing tool of the moment, and why has it had so many security ...

291: The Ugly Potatoes Are Used for Fries

30 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Myke has taken possession of a "new" iPad Pro, so he and Jason compare notes and enter the Conspiracy Room to ponder why it exists. While they're ther...

290: You Are The Button

24 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jason's got the new MacBook Air and iPad Pro, so it's time to dig in. But the most exciting new Apple development is an iPad accessory we won't see un...

289: Not So Fast, Uma Thurman

16 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week we discuss how the global pandemic has affected Apple, from retail to TV shows to Apple Park workers, and potentially even product launches....

288: Are We Being Punked?

09 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The COVID-19 virus continues to upend tech industry conference plans, product roll-outs, and supply chains, but we've still got news about new display...

287: Constant Applause

02 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

So is Apple really releasing a Smart Keyboard with a built-in trackpad? That's the latest report, and Jason and Myke have a lot of questions about it....

286: You Can't Make Me Change My Pocket

24 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week begins with us clearing up controversies about pockets and malware. The spread of the coronavirus is affecting Apple's business, and making ...

285: Mac Pros for Mac Pros

17 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Myke met the people for whom the Mac Pro was made, and reports back with details. Jason tries to combat confusion about whether the Mac is really bein...

284: We're In the Ear Business

10 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Why did Apple surprise developers with beta releases with intriguing new features this month? What does it mean for the future of Mac app development?...

283: The Anger of the Panel

03 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It's time for our annual dive into the Six Colors Apple Report Card, as Jason and Myke interpret the scores and comments of 65 Apple-watchers and add ...

282: The iPad at 10

27 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It's the 10th anniversary of the announcement of the iPad! Myke and Jason discuss why the seeds of the iPad's success were visible on day one, the cha...

281: Your Historical Knowledge Has Been Noted

21 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We close the book on the 2010s with a special draft of Apple keynotes and media events from the past decade, joined by special guest Stephen Hackett. ...

280: De Niro Can’t Bend

13 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With Myke reporting live from Hollywood, we discuss Netflix's record Oscar nominations, and Apple's first TV award and TV critic press tour. Jason mak...

279: I Predict It Every Year, Why Stop Now?

06 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With a new year come Jason's predictions for Apple in 2020. How varied can the iPhone product line get? Will Apple make its most interesting laptop ye...

278: The 2019 Upgradies

30 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As the year comes to an end, it's time for the Sixth Annual Upgradies! Myke and Jason discuss their favorites of 2019, take the input of 1500 Upgradia...

277: Who Killed the Butterfly Keyboard?

23 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we try to solve a technology mystery. What if there was a murder, but no body? What if there were victims, but no crime? We all want answers...

276: It’s Always the Chips

16 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

How is Apple TV+ like a bicycle? Is the Mac Pro made in the USA? Why can you play Apple Podcasts from the Amazon Echo? This week Jason and Myke answer...

275: Remove All of the Holes

09 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Rumors of a forthcoming iPhone without any lightning or USB ports make us ponder why Apple would consider such a move and what its ramifications would...

274: More Clunky!

02 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we get caught up on Apple services (Apple Pay, Apple News+, Apple Arcade), Jason gives Myke a tour of CarPlay in iOS 13, and we feed the tec...

273: Sideways the Game

25 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we discuss Tim Cook's political high-wire act, Apple's attempts to reduce bugs in future iOS releases, and Jason's wishes for iOS 14. Finall...

272: Double Secret Vice President of Keyboards

18 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A week later, we're pondering the 16-inch MacBook Pro and what it means about how Apple listens to customers and criticism. We also look into the futu...

271: The 16-inch MacBook Pro

13 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The butterfly keyboard era is over! Apple is releasing a new 16-inch MacBook Pro this week, featuring a Magic Keyboard, upgraded audio, the biggest ba...

270: The Toughest Compare

04 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Apple TV+ has finally arrived, and we discuss Apple's first round of new shows--as well as an unimpressive performance from the TV app itself. We've a...

269: A Beep Beep from Far Away

29 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Jason has no power or Internet, so Myke gives him the details about the new AirPods Pro, the first reviews of Apple TV+ shows, iOS 13.2 and ...

268: Featchas in the Beatas

21 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Everything old is new for Myke, as he tries out his "new" Mac (released in 2017) running a "new" version of macOS (it's Mojave). With Apple TV+ launch...

267: The Quiet Death of the Newton

14 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

James Thomson joins Jason to discuss converting an app from iOS to Mac via Catalyst, the prospects for using Catalyst on his most profitable app, and ...

266: Two iPads in a Sandwich

07 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

macOS Catalina has arrived and Jason's got his full review, plus we dig into the new multi-screened mobile device announcements from Microsoft (and wh...

265: Nothing But Canned Answers

30 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Jason finished his iPhone 11 review nearly two weeks after the fact, Myke is back in the Apple Watch game with a new Series 5 model, and we hear from ...

264: Beautiful Breakable Glass Objects

23 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We've got the new iPhones and it's time for our first hands-on impressions. How has Apple improved the upgrade experience? Could the Apple Store pick-...

263: Extra Professional

16 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Upgrade turns five and we're waiting for our new Apple hardware to arrive. But there's still time to reflect on last week's announcements, d...

262: The Skyscrapers of Camera Bump City

11 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Jason has returned from Cupertino, where he watched Apple unveil the new iPhone 11 models, a new Apple Watch that adds a feature we had given up hope ...

261: The 2019 iPhone Event Draft

02 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s time for Jason and Myke to reveal their picks for what will happen on stage at the Steve Jobs Theater next week! They draft 10 different things...

260: It's Not Just a Desk

26 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

There's a lot that separates the U.S. and the UK, like the definition of "lemonade" and the launch date for the new Disney+ streaming service. But not...

259: Get Ripped with Pro Max

19 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Special guest Stephen Hackett joins us to discuss the current state of the Mac in both hardware and software. We also ponder Apple's choices in naming...

258: Ten Hours Is Not All Day

12 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

With Apple's new operating-system releases due next month, Jason and Myke check in on how their beta experiences are going so far, especially the ups ...

257: The Amount of Money Available on the Planet

06 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Commerce is in the air as Apple reports more money for wearables and services and less money for the iPhone, and begins to roll out the Apple Card. Ho...

256: The Billion Dollar Show

29 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The trouble with Apple sending Siri audio to human beings, macOS Catalina's overly aggressive approach to app security, and the possibility of Apple i...

255: Peacock Plus

22 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

There's a lot of streaming media news in the mix this week, as Apple is rumored to be pondering premium podcasts and Netflix loses subscribers just at...

254: Downgrade

15 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We answer a lot of your #askupgrade questions, then break down how Apple's changing its laptop line and retail stores. Also, Warner Media makes a big ...

253: Steal The Ball

08 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Guest Marco Arment joins Jason and Myke to discuss the possibility of new Apple laptop keyboards at last, his Overcast priorities over the next year, ...

252: The Hippie Gets a Haircut

01 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week the Summer of Fun goes old school, as two of Jason's colleagues from back in the 1990s compare Apple's many transitions over the years to th...

251: And Then You Eat the Ice Cream

24 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's Public Beta season, and Jason's spent the last week reviewing macOS Catalina. Are the Catalyst apps better this year? And what features were plea...

250: Building a Home Screen Together

17 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

After a brief commentary about Twitterrific 6 and the difficult world of App Store pricing, we kick off the The Upgrade Summer of Fun by building the ...

249: A Bridge to the Future

10 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Myke and Jason get over their WWDC hangover with a discussion of our favorite new iPadOS 13 features. Then we take a look at the future of Apple's pla...

248: Seven Layer Burrito of Innovation

03 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The WWDC 2019 keynote was packed full with new announcements. Now, live from San Jose, Jason and Myke come together to talk about iOS 13, macOS Catal...

247: The WWDC Keynote Draft 2019

27 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s time for our fourth annual competition regarding what will happen on stage next week at WWDC! Will there be new hardware? What will macOS be ca...

246: You Can't Fight the Magnets

20 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

With the WWDC draft a week away, Jason and Myke engage in a flight of fancy, discussing all their wishes for iOS and macOS developments that probably ...

245: Get Ready for the Sensor Square

13 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's a busy week for Myke as Jason as they discuss hanging on to old software, how third-party apps react to Apple's app updates, the Supreme Court's ...

244: Push All the Sales Buttons

06 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Apple's financial results lead us to discuss the company bringing a new focus to iPhone sales and throwing Intel under the bus. Then Mark Gurman of Bl...

243: Fiddling Around With Folders

29 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Jason struggles between the Mac's insistence on file management and iOS's lack of it, Podcasts take a step toward going viral with some help from Over...

242: Myke and the Modems

23 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What's next for macOS and iOS? This week we discuss all of last week's reporting by Guilherme Rambo about the future of Apple's platforms, from Find M...

241: The Tweaky Features

15 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Disney finally unveils its streaming service at a price that makes us wonder just what game Apple thinks it's playing; we get a sneak peek at some pos...

240: Dance on the Grave of iTunes

09 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

John Siracusa joins Jason to discuss how 2019 is potentially an enormous year for the Mac in both hardware and software. Also, we make time to swap Ti...

239: Fighting Against the Laws of Physics

01 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we say goodbye to AirPower, ponder the place of the new iPad Mini, speculate a bit about Apple Arcade, and take a hard look at Apple News+. ...

238: The Future of TV Was Apps

26 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Apple spent two hours on stage unveiling a bunch of new services, and now it's time to break them down. We discuss the method of the Apple TV+ rollout...

237: New iMacs, iPads, and the 2019 March Event Draft

19 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

After nearly two years, Apple has released new iMacs, and Jason has an exclusive interview with Apple’s iMac product manager, Colleen Novielli. We a...

236: Whatever Keyboard Pleases Me

11 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Disney opens the vault for its streaming service, we rank our own MacBook Hierarchy of Needs, and Jason goes against Myke's advice and records some po...

235: Don’t Be So Mean

04 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This episode covers all the hot-button issues of the day! Is Apple micromanaging the content of its forthcoming video service? Is Face ID really super...

234: The Ideological Folding Wars

25 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Major players Samsung and Huawei have introduced expensive smartphones with foldable screens, but do their different approaches tell us anything about...

233: Let's Start a Rumor

18 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A 16-inch MacBook Pro? A 6K Apple external display? Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has dropped the first detailed report of Apple's 2019 hardware plans, and Myk...

232: De-emphasis on Trees

11 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's been reported that the iPad's home screen will be evolving in 2019, but what form will that evolution take? Myke and Jason make a wish list, and ...

231: The Upgrade Cycle Is Extending

04 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What Apple's quarterly results had to say about iPhone sales and prices, Apple reaches a fork in the road when it comes to keyboard design, and just a...

230: The General Drift of Sentiment

28 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's time once again for Jason's annual poll of more than four dozen Apple watchers and commentators, who have shared their judgments of how the compa...

229: A More Intentional Folding

22 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This year Samsung plans to release a smartphone with a foldable OLED display. Is this technology that Apple would use in future iPhones, and if so, ho...

228: The Proof is In the Dust Tray

14 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we officially open 2019 iPhone Rumors season, as the Wall Street Journal reports that Apple may be adding more cameras to the back of this y...

227: Twenty Nine TeeVee

07 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The new year starts with a bang, as Apple misses its iPhone sales forecast and announces surprising partnerships with Samsung and other TV makers in a...

226: The 2018 Upgradies

31 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

As the year comes to an end, it's time for the Fifth Annual Upgradies! Myke and Jason discuss their favorites of 2018, take the input of more than a t...

225: An Upgrade Christmas Carol

24 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Then it was, as Myke and Jason began their preparations for the Christmas holiday, that they were visited by three ghosts, representing the spirit of ...

224: A Bearded Man Is The Hero

17 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week we try to understand Apple's plans to build a "Netflix for magazines" inside of Apple News, Jason confesses his love for the new Apple Penci...

223: Impressive and Stupid

10 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Are Apple's recent aggressive promotional deals for iPhone an indicator that its aggressive pricing strategy isn't working, or is this all part of a l...

222: That's Not a Plan

03 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

John Siracusa joins Jason to discuss the future of Apple's ARM processors and how they might change the Mac, Apple Music coming to the Amazon Echo and...

221: Dongleton-on-Sea

26 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Where does iOS go from here? This week Myke and Jason discuss the top 10 iPad features for iOS 13 they'd like to see. Also, Myke at the Movies returns...

220: Mr. Apple Pencil

19 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week we follow up on our iPad Pro reviews, as Jason integrates the new iPad Pro into his writing set-up and starts using the Apple Pencil for mor...

219: The Chicken Just Laid an Egg

12 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

After a week with the new iPad Pro, it's time for our in-depth review of what we like and don't like about Apple's latest tablet hardware. Which size ...

218: Previously, on Apple Laptops

06 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's review time! Hear Jason's thoughts on the new MacBook Air and Mac mini. How do they fit in to Apple's product line? Who are these machines for? A...

217: People in Dongletown Want to Dance

30 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Apple's New York event is in the books! Two new iPad Pros, a new Mac Mini, and the return from the dead of the MacBook Air! Jason reports in live from...

216: The 2018 October Event Draft - LIVE in Chicago

23 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's time for your Upgrade hosts to go for glory and risk the agony of defeat--all in view of a studio audience in Chicago, Illinois. Jason and Myke p...

215: The Future of TV is the TV App

15 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

If watch faces are the main interface of the Apple Watch, why are they so inconsistent? And why are developers suddenly showing off what faces they'd ...

214: Nobody Seems to Know Anything

09 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What is going on with Businessweek's report that servers (including Apple's) got hacked by China? Apple, Amazon, and U.S. and UK agencies flat-out say...

213: The California Environment

01 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week Jason and Myke discuss where the iPad Pro might go next, including whether it's primarily a horizontal or vertical device, and if adding a U...

212: The Chocolate Phone Is No Good

24 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The iPhone XS and Apple Watch Series 4 are here, and Myke and Jason offer their first impressions of all the new devices. Plus macOS Mojave arrives an...

211: You Will Pay

17 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What a time! iOS 12 has arrived and we're waiting for delivery of new Apple products. This week Jason and Myke discuss their favorite features of the ...

210: Tennis Macs

13 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Jason's back from Apple Park, where he watched Apple unveil a new Apple Watch and three new iPhone models. We break down the naming choices and new fe...

209: The 2018 iPhone Event Draft

03 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It’s time for Jason and Myke to reveal their picks for what will happen on stage at the Steve Jobs Theater next week! They draft 10 different things...

208: The Villain of the Macintosh

27 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

As Apple's much-rumored fall product launches get closer, Jason and Myke consider what the future holds for Macs and iPhones. And the Summer of Fun su...