The Vergecast

How much smartphone is too much smartphone? Why is it so hard to switch from one phone to another, even in 2026? And is your smartwatch finally ready to replace your phone, even for a few things? These are the questions you have, and The Verge's Allison Johnson is here to answer them. If you have others, keep 'em coming! Call the Vergecast Hotline at 866-VERGE11, email ⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠, tell us everything.

Further reading:

Google announces Pixel 11 launch event in August | The Verge

The whole Pixel line could get more expensive this year | The Verge

Meta’s glasses will turn off the camera if you tamper with the privacy light | The Verge

This jumping $800 robot camera dog filled me with joy

⁠Ditching my phone for an LTE smartwatch was a humbling experience⁠

⁠I switch phones once a week — here’s how I manage the chaos⁠

⁠Welp, I bought an iPhone again⁠

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We have all become desensitized. Every place is like every other place, every experience is happening at a remove and on a screen. And Ian Bogost, a Washington University professor and a writer at The Atlantic, argues that this "dematerialization" is making our life worse. Ian joins David to explain how to once again commune with the world. He tells us of the magic of paper tickets, why he's kind of obsessed with the rubber on his water bottle, and why you don't need to throw phone into the ocean — but you should probably watch more ASMR videos.

The Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life

The Cult of Delayed Gratification Is a Lie

Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11.
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We've been tracking the Trump Phone for more than a year. We weren't sure it was real, or that it would ever ship — and we were pretty darn sure it wasn't going to be made in America. Whatever the Trump Phone is, though? We finally got our hands on one. Dom Preston and some other Verge friends will join David to talk about the device, our first impressions, and whether this is could be the best phone of 2026. (Just kidding.)

Further reading:

⁠I finally got my Trump phone⁠

Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11.
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For many of us in the US, it's the beginning of a holiday weekend. So we figured we'd try and help you out. We grabbed a bunch of Verge staffers, and asked them all a simple question: How do you disconnect? We have ideas about Wi-Fi, about phone hygiene, about smartwatches, and much more. We're certainly not here to tell you to ditch screens entirely, but... screen responsibly, you know? Send us your tips, and have a great summer vacation!

Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11.
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Things don't look great for console and game makers right now. With Xbox and PlayStation sales flagging, Microsoft preparing for big layoffs in its gaming division, and the price of everything on the rise, maybe it makes sense to save money where you can. You know, like making discs? David and Nilay discuss the end of the physical video game, before wondering whether Microsoft might be getting ready to get rid of Xbox altogether. After that, they talk about the new wave of hardware for AI coders, and the ongoing attempt to replace your laptop keyboard with... something, plus the latest iPhone 18 rumors and leaks. Finally, it's time for the Hype Desk, Brendan Carr is a Dummy, some breaking SpaceX phone news, and some truly wild BMW headlights.

Further reading:

Sony is killing all physical PlayStation game discs

Xbox testing disc-to-digital feature that digitizes a physical game collection

Xbox weighs canceling Blade game and shuttering Arkane 

Xbox: “We’re not reducing our overall investment in games.” 

Sony’s next-gen PlayStation will go ‘beyond the living room’ 

PlayStation and Xbox hardware had a tough May. 

Xbox prices spike another $100 or more

With GTA looming, consoles are getting expensive at the worst possible time

007 First Light’s developer lays off staff but claims its next franchise will continue

Rockstar workers push to unionize ahead of GTA VI’s launch

OpenAI is teasing new hardware… for Codex 

Here’s a photo of OpenAI’s Codex hardware. 

iPhone 18 Pro ‘drop test’ leaks get yanked from X 

Leaked iPhone 18 Pro photos reportedly wound up on the dark web 

 A future Qi standard could bring 50W wireless charging to more devices. 

Exclusive | SpaceX Showed Investors Prototype of Elon Musk’s New AI Device - WSJ

Comcast is splitting in two

The Supreme Court stops Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship

WhatsApp is launching usernames: here’s how to reserve yours 

Supreme Court allows firing of FTC commissioners, ends agency independence 

Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.

We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11.

(Timestamps are approximate.)

00:00:00 Intro

00:02:00 Book Pitch and Grill Week

00:04:00 Discs Are Dying

00:08:00 Live Service Shopping Malls

00:11:00 Microsoft Xbox Layoffs Talk

00:16:00 Console Sales Slump and Prices

00:20:00 PlayStation Beyond Living Room

00:24:00 OpenAI Codex Macro Keyboard

00:27:00 Voice Coding and Verification Loops

00:31:00 Dictation Hype and AI Limits

00:39:00 iPhone 18 Pro Leak Mystery

00:44:00 Battery Life Tradeoffs

00:48:00 Fast Wireless Charging Heat

00:52:00 CarPlay Beta Workarounds

00:56:00 Netflix Horror Unhinged

01:03:00 Cozy Repair Game Restory

01:06:00 Brendan Carr is a Dummy

01:16:00 SpaceX AI Phone Rumors

01:22:00 Grok OS App Problem

01:25:00 Comcast Splits In Two

01:33:00 WhatsApp Username Land Grab

01:35:00 BMW Headlights Go Bananas

01:40:00 Wrap Up And Plugs
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