About
Welcome to tech in 2025, where everything's made up and the numbers don't matter. Nilay, David, and The Verge's Jake Kastrenakes start the show by running down the latest tariff news, the uncertain future facing tech companies of all sizes, and what we're learning so far about how they're responding. After that, the hosts talk about a big week in AI news, including Meta's sketchy benchmark numbers and the latest damning reporting about the future of Siri. Finally, in the lightning round, it's time for America's favorite podcast within a podcast, Brendan Carr is a Dummy, along with some news about the TikTok ban and the Pixel 9A. And then some more tariff numbers, because they just never stop.
Further reading:
The Vergecast was nominated for a Webby, which means we can win a Webby People’s Voice Award and that’s voted online by you! So we’d love your support. You can vote at the link:https://bit.ly/3DXFgpN
Sony adds three new speakers to bass-boosted ULT Power Sound lineup
Sony seemingly bakes tariff penalty into its new US TV pricing
Samsung’s The Frame Pro was never going to be cheap — and it isn’t
Trump’s tariffs are officially in effect, including 104 percent on China
China retaliates with additional 50 percent tariff on US goods
Trump announces a ‘90-day pause’ on tariffs outside of China
Trump believes iPhones can be made in the US, says White House
Get your screwdrivers ready.
Apple quickly shipped 600 tons of iPhones to ‘beat’ the new tariffs
Trump triples tariffs on low value packages from China and Hong Kong
Some Shein and Temu ‘haul video’ creators are stocking up
Shein’s supply chain uncertainties.
Amazon is already changing its ultra-cheap Temu copycat
Framework stops selling some of its cheapest laptops due to Trump tariffs
Framework delays Laptop 12 orders in the US over tariffs
Framework will open US preorders for Laptop 12 after all: tomorrow, starting at $549.
Framework raised prices and then un-raised them an hour later because of Trump
Price hikes, idled factories, layoffs: how car companies are responding to Trump’s tariffs
China will show fewer US films in response to tariffs
Trump’s new tariffs leave small creators scrambling
Arduboy creator says his tiny Game Boy won’t survive Trump’s tariff
Trump’s latest tariffs may set the smart home industry back
Nintendo boss on Switch 2 and tariffs: ‘we are actively assessing what the impact may be’
Trump’s tariffs ‘pause’ could help Nintendo ship more Switch 2s
Musk calls Trump’s trade chief ‘dumber than a sack of bricks.’
We just declared a trade war with the world
Meta gets caught gaming AI benchmarks with Llama 4
Siri in The Information
Amazon plays catch-up with new Nova AI models to generate voices and video
Shopify CEO says no new hires without proof AI can’t do the job
Most Americans don’t trust AI — or the people in charge of it
Adobe is building AI agents for Photoshop and Premiere Pro
Samsung is finally releasing Ballie, its rolling home robot
Sam Altman and Jony Ive’s AI project could involve a screenless device.
Trump Is Now Mandating His Cabinet/Loyalist Wear "Trump Golden Bust" Pins
From Ars Technica: The speech police: Chairman Brendan Carr and the FCC’s news distortion policy
From Variety: FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez Sounds Alarm Over Trump Administration’s ‘Absolute Pattern of Censorship and Control’
From the FCC: Spectrum Is Back—Again!
FCC eyes major satellite rule revamp in spectrum-sharing shakeup
Trump delays TikTok ban again
Trump’s TikTok delay is ‘against the law’ top Senate Intelligence Democrat says
The US told Apple to keep TikTok in the App Store.
Instagram might finally release an iPad app
Google Pixel 9A review: a midrange phone done right
Pixel 9A hits stores, and it’s still $499.
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
Further reading:
The Vergecast was nominated for a Webby, which means we can win a Webby People’s Voice Award and that’s voted online by you! So we’d love your support. You can vote at the link:https://bit.ly/3DXFgpN
Sony adds three new speakers to bass-boosted ULT Power Sound lineup
Sony seemingly bakes tariff penalty into its new US TV pricing
Samsung’s The Frame Pro was never going to be cheap — and it isn’t
Trump’s tariffs are officially in effect, including 104 percent on China
China retaliates with additional 50 percent tariff on US goods
Trump announces a ‘90-day pause’ on tariffs outside of China
Trump believes iPhones can be made in the US, says White House
Get your screwdrivers ready.
Apple quickly shipped 600 tons of iPhones to ‘beat’ the new tariffs
Trump triples tariffs on low value packages from China and Hong Kong
Some Shein and Temu ‘haul video’ creators are stocking up
Shein’s supply chain uncertainties.
Amazon is already changing its ultra-cheap Temu copycat
Framework stops selling some of its cheapest laptops due to Trump tariffs
Framework delays Laptop 12 orders in the US over tariffs
Framework will open US preorders for Laptop 12 after all: tomorrow, starting at $549.
Framework raised prices and then un-raised them an hour later because of Trump
Price hikes, idled factories, layoffs: how car companies are responding to Trump’s tariffs
China will show fewer US films in response to tariffs
Trump’s new tariffs leave small creators scrambling
Arduboy creator says his tiny Game Boy won’t survive Trump’s tariff
Trump’s latest tariffs may set the smart home industry back
Nintendo boss on Switch 2 and tariffs: ‘we are actively assessing what the impact may be’
Trump’s tariffs ‘pause’ could help Nintendo ship more Switch 2s
Musk calls Trump’s trade chief ‘dumber than a sack of bricks.’
We just declared a trade war with the world
Meta gets caught gaming AI benchmarks with Llama 4
Siri in The Information
Amazon plays catch-up with new Nova AI models to generate voices and video
Shopify CEO says no new hires without proof AI can’t do the job
Most Americans don’t trust AI — or the people in charge of it
Adobe is building AI agents for Photoshop and Premiere Pro
Samsung is finally releasing Ballie, its rolling home robot
Sam Altman and Jony Ive’s AI project could involve a screenless device.
Trump Is Now Mandating His Cabinet/Loyalist Wear "Trump Golden Bust" Pins
From Ars Technica: The speech police: Chairman Brendan Carr and the FCC’s news distortion policy
From Variety: FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez Sounds Alarm Over Trump Administration’s ‘Absolute Pattern of Censorship and Control’
From the FCC: Spectrum Is Back—Again!
FCC eyes major satellite rule revamp in spectrum-sharing shakeup
Trump delays TikTok ban again
Trump’s TikTok delay is ‘against the law’ top Senate Intelligence Democrat says
The US told Apple to keep TikTok in the App Store.
Instagram might finally release an iPad app
Google Pixel 9A review: a midrange phone done right
Pixel 9A hits stores, and it’s still $499.
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