How BlackBerry Messenger set texting free
How BlackBerry Messenger set texting free It’s important to remember that two decades ago, text messages cost 10 cents. Each. Back when we measured our cell phone plans in minutes, and when even 3G connections felt fast, text messages were a huge business for wireless carriers and a huge expense for anyone whose kids learned […]
The AI industry is at a major crossroads
The AI industry is at a major crossroads Hey there, and welcome to Decoder! I’m Hayden Field, senior AI reporter at The Verge and your Thursday episode guest host. I’m subbing in for Nilay while he’s still out on parental leave, and I’m excited to keep diving into the good, the bad, and the questionable […]
Version History is live — here’s how to find it
Version History is live — here's how to find it We’ve been working on a new show for the last few months, called Version History, and the first episode is now live! It’s called “Hoverboards: so hot right now,” and it’s an hour-long tour of the biggest rideable gadget of the 2010s. Hidden inside the history […]
The real price of a free TV
The real price of a free TV Back in 2023, Telly CEO Ilya Pozin came on The Vergecast and made a surprisingly compelling case for the existence of a TV that doesn’t cost you a dime – but shows ads all the time. It’s a reasonable business model, and a pretty good deal for consumers! […]
The good, the bad, and the future of AI agents
The good, the bad, and the future of AI agents Hey there, and welcome to Decoder! I’m Hayden Field, senior AI reporter at The Verge and your Thursday episode guest host. I’ll be subbing in for Nilay for a couple more episodes, and I’m excited to keep diving into the good, the bad, and the […]
Ford’s CEO isn’t impressed with Apple CarPlay Ultra
Ford's CEO isn't impressed with Apple CarPlay Ultra Apple CarPlay Ultra, as featured in the Aston Martin DBX | Image: Apple The list of car companies looking askance at Apple’s newly release, all-encompassing version of CarPlay is growing longer. In an interview on Decoder, Ford CEO Jim Farley said he is taking a wait-and-see approach […]
Tick tock, TikTok
Tick tock, TikTok After more than five years of machinations, secret meetings, legislative actions, and confusing messaging, it appears a deal is coming to keep TikTok alive in the US. On Thursday, President Trump signed an executive order that didn’t quite make a deal, but at least gave everyone space to make deal. It’s a […]
How AI safety took a backseat to military money
How AI safety took a backseat to military money Hey there, and welcome to Decoder! I’m Hayden Field, senior AI repoter at The Verge — and your Thursday episode guest host. I have another couple of shows for you while Nilay is out on parental leave, and we’re going to be spending more time diving into […]
Meta’s quest to own your face
Meta's quest to own your face Meta obviously believes in smart glasses. It’s not alone: Google, Apple, Samsung, and others all appear to be heavily invested in the idea that the next big gadget will be on your face. But at least for now, it appears Meta is the company building the best, most interesting, […]
Who is the iPhone Air really for?
Who is the iPhone Air really for? It’s very thin. And very light. And quite nice to look at. It also only has one camera, the battery life isn’t amazing, and it’s not like Apple saved some special new software feature for its fanciest phone. The new iPhone Air is just… the nice one. So […]