451: ‘Taking Drugs to Get Fat’, With John Moltz
Summary
John Gruber and David Sparks analyze Apple’s recent price hikes, attributing them to rising RAM and SSD costs driven by AI data center demand. They discuss the disproportionate impact on the Apple TV 4K and MacBook Air, while noting iPhones and Apple Watches were spared for now. The hosts also speculate on future iPhone release strategies and the Vision Pro’s minor price increase as a signal of continued support.
Topics discussed
Apple price increases and product lineup changes
AI costs, inflation, and the rationale for higher prices
Apple's engineering culture and margin protection
Mac Pro pricing, specs, and user upgrade dilemmas
Apple TV 4K pricing and market perception
Sponsor: Coax app for Apple TV
Vision Pro price hike and future iPhone rumors
iPhone 17 lineup speculation and folding phones
Sponsor: Even G2 smart glasses and R1 Ring
Geopolitics: Chinese RAM, supply chains, and security
Nostalgia: Disk Doubler and old Mac software
Sponsor: Squarespace website builder
macOS Tahoe UI changes and menu bar debates
iOS 26/27 betas and Siri AI capabilities
Historical perspective on backups and data loss
TV recommendations: Widows Bay and Legends
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