The Vergecast

How the tech world is responding to tariff chaos

Listen Later

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 [email protected] or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

        Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

        ...more
        View all episodesView all episodes
        Download on the App Store
        The VergecastBy The Verge
        • 4.3
        • 4.3
        • 4.3
        • 4.3
        • 4.3

        4.3

        3,688 ratings

        More shows like The Vergecast

        View all
        Explain It to Me by Vox

        Explain It to Me

        7,865 Listeners

        The Gray Area with Sean Illing by Vox

        The Gray Area with Sean Illing

        10,729 Listeners

        Switched on Pop by Vulture

        Switched on Pop

        2,680 Listeners

        Pivot by New York Magazine

        Pivot

        9,622 Listeners

        Gastropod by Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley

        Gastropod

        3,654 Listeners

        MacBreak Weekly (Audio) by TWiT

        MacBreak Weekly (Audio)

        2,013 Listeners

        The Talk Show With John Gruber by Daring Fireball / John Gruber

        The Talk Show With John Gruber

        3,145 Listeners

        Decoder with Nilay Patel by The Verge

        Decoder with Nilay Patel

        3,150 Listeners

        Channels with Peter Kafka by Vox Media Podcast Network

        Channels with Peter Kafka

        554 Listeners

        Accidental Tech Podcast by Marco Arment, Casey Liss, John Siracusa

        Accidental Tech Podcast

        2,144 Listeners

        Daily Tech News Show by Tom Merritt

        Daily Tech News Show

        1,395 Listeners

        Uncanny Valley | WIRED by WIRED

        Uncanny Valley | WIRED

        506 Listeners

        AppleInsider Podcast by AppleInsider

        AppleInsider Podcast

        986 Listeners

        9to5Mac Happy Hour by 9to5Mac

        9to5Mac Happy Hour

        729 Listeners

        Upgrade by Relay

        Upgrade

        1,220 Listeners

        Good One by Vulture

        Good One

        1,488 Listeners

        Tech Brew Ride Home by Morning Brew

        Tech Brew Ride Home

        963 Listeners

        Land of the Giants by Vulture

        Land of the Giants

        2,161 Listeners

        Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast by MKBHD

        Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast

        37 Listeners

        Unlocking Us with Brené Brown by Vox Media Podcast Network

        Unlocking Us with Brené Brown

        23,567 Listeners

        Why Are You Like This? with Megan Rapinoe by Vox Media Podcast Network

        Why Are You Like This? with Megan Rapinoe

        747 Listeners

        Hard Fork by The New York Times

        Hard Fork

        5,530 Listeners

        Good Noticings by Vox Media Podcast Network

        Good Noticings

        6,477 Listeners

        Unexplainable by Vox

        Unexplainable

        2,306 Listeners

        Cover Story by New York Magazine

        Cover Story

        1,217 Listeners

        Not Just Football with Cam Heyward by Cam Heyward

        Not Just Football with Cam Heyward

        152 Listeners

        Networth and Chill with Your Rich BFF by Vivian Tu

        Networth and Chill with Your Rich BFF

        1,774 Listeners

        The 404 Media Podcast by 404 Media

        The 404 Media Podcast

        392 Listeners

        Prof G Markets by Vox Media Podcast Network

        Prof G Markets

        1,489 Listeners

        Bird's Eye View with Sue Bird by Sue Bird

        Bird's Eye View with Sue Bird

        446 Listeners

        Solutions with Henry Blodget by Vox Media Podcast Network

        Solutions with Henry Blodget

        25 Listeners

        Version History by The Verge

        Version History

        50 Listeners