Apple Leadership Changes, Music Streaming, and The Quizzies

Apple Leadership Transitions

• 🍎 Lisa Jackson is retiring as VP of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives, with Jennifer Newstead from Meta set to take over some of her responsibilities and eventually become General Counsel.
• ⚠️ There was a report that Johny Srouji, head of Apple Silicon, was considering leaving, but a leaked memo indicated he plans to stay.
• 🤔 The discussion touches on the possibility of Apple creating a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) role, a position previously held by Ellen Hancock in the late 90s.
• 📱 iOS 26 is rolling out, with mixed initial reactions from users, some finding it glitchy and others likely to adapt over time.

Music Streaming Service Dilemmas

• 🎧 The hosts explore the complexities of music streaming, particularly the conflict between Spotify's superior discovery engine and its low artist payouts, versus services like Tidal that pay artists more but struggle with market share.
• 💔 Tidal, now owned by Block (Jack Dorsey's company), is praised for its high-quality audio options and good credit views but is seen as likely to fail due to its small market share and past layoffs.
• 🎶 The discussion highlights the difficulty of finding a streaming service that aligns with principles while also offering a good user experience, with Spotify and Apple Music being the primary contenders.

Audio Gear and Tech Trends

• 🎧 The exploration of audio gear includes trying Bowers & Wilkins PI8 wireless earbuds and considering the PX8 S2 headphones.
• 🔌 A focus is placed on Bluetooth dongles, like the Creative BT-W6, which enable lossless audio playback on iPhones by bypassing the default SBC codec for codecs like aptX Adaptive.
• 🚗 The possibility of installing streaming apps like Tidal directly into car systems, such as Volvo, is mentioned.

The Quizzies: Annual Predictions

• 🏆 The show features a segment called "The Quizzies," where hosts guess who made past predictions and in what year, with Federico currently leading Steven in points.
• 🎯 Predictions discussed include the non-existence of the iPhone 7S/7S Plus, the naming of Apple's streaming service, and the eventual appearance of Apple Pencil support on Macs.
• 💡 The segment reveals how certain predictions led to rule changes in the show's scoring system, such as the introduction of the "riskies" round.