If you haven’t listened to this special version of The Talk Show, live from WWDC, take a few minutes and go here. It’s a great listen. Terrifically entertaining.
Next, go to Marco Arment’s absolutely brilliant insider’s look at the podcast, replete with pictures.
From the review:
But after a brief introduction from Merlin Mann and Adam Lisagor, John introduced, “and I shit you not,” Apple’s senior vice president of marketing, Phil Schiller.
Being familiar with John’s dry humor, I’m not sure most of the audience believed him. Many cheered. Some hesitated. For a few seconds, nobody walked out, and people started laughing, thinking they got the joke.
And then Phil Schiller really walked on stage.
And this next bit is critical:
Apple executives rarely speak publicly outside of Apple events, especially for live interviews. One of the highest-ranking executives of the world’s highest-profile company being subjected to questions, unprepared and unedited, in front of a live audience full of recording devices, is rarely worth the PR risk: the potential downside is much larger than the likely upside. Do well, and a bunch of existing fans will like you a bit more; do poorly, and it’s front-page news worldwide.
Both Apple and Phil Schiller himself took a huge risk in doing this. That they agreed at all is a noteworthy gift to this community of long-time enthusiasts, many of whom have felt under-appreciated as the company has grown.
Phil took the risk. John Gruber made it pay off. And Marco caught the true essence of the moment. Nice.
I’m eagerly waiting for the video version. 🙂
I suspect I will feel rage at Schiller’s explanation of the 16GB phone. I don’t think he realizes that many places only carry the base model, so having a 16GB iPhone means many people will get the 16GB iPhone that way: not because they’re price conscious, but because there’s no convenient option.
I am pretty sure he realizes the problems caused by that version and you can tell that by the improvements they have made to that front in app optimization in iOS9. But if they are replacing it or pushing it down to a lower price level he was sure not going to reveal it during this interview.
Let’s be honest, an Apple executive interviewed by Gruber is hardly any risk. Still nice to see them out in the open more often though.
Schiller on Gruber’s podcast is hardly taking a risk.
And, it’s 2015. Podcasts are more engaging if there is a video version.
Even Leo Laporte knows that.
Not sure what your point is, that the podcast was only engaging because it had video or that you think it needs video because it’s not engaging enough (which it does, just not published yet)
Marco says, “It could’ve been a recitation of PR-friendly softball questions with perfectly designed, talking-point responses that would’ve gone nowhere and benefitted no one. But Apple PR doesn’t want that…”
Maybe the “new Apple PR” doesn’t but the old one sure as hell did. Their desire for absolute control over the interview process was the reason why I stopped interviewing Apple people many years ago.
“I’ve never seen another interviewer that didn’t waste time on these dead-ends that, in their wildest dreams, might answer questions relevant only for a few short months or years.”
Then Marco hasn’t seen many interviewers. He certainly never saw or heard me interview Apple people. Lots of interviewers are smart enough to not waste time on questions their subject can’t or won’t answer.
Arment is occasionally prone to emotional hyperbole.
Marco may have thought that WASN’T “a recitation of PR-friendly softball questions”, but if it wasn’t it certainly WAS wiffleball. I like and enjoy Gruber, but he absolutely failed to follow up on just about every response. It was like watching a Stephanopoulos on Clinton interview. On both the 16GB and the thinness issues he absolutely allowed Schiller to PR bloviate. I could almost READ John’s mind that he WANTED to ask about the camera bulge, or at least make a joke about it, and bit his tongue. The answers Phil gave were rote and nearly nonsensical. That he went to the economics on the 16GB question was downright bizarre given that Apple’s margins and cash hoard have grown steadily. Who was he trying to fool? “Bigger batteries weigh more and take longer to charge”? Seriously?? On a 130g 1800mAh device? John should have responded to that with a body-blow. (Especially considering that Schiller is also on-record with one of the dumbest “engineering” answers of all time regarding wireless charging, the best solution for opportunistic device battery-life longevity on the market that Apple hasn’t embraced. Well, in fact they have with the Watch, which would have provided John a perfect segue into it.)
Schiller may have taken a risk, but the payoff was to Apple and Gruber…the users got nothing more than entertainment, certainly not deep answers.
Crap. I could have gotten tickets and been there. It’s just across the bay. But no, I’ve already been to two or three WWDC Talk Show podcast recordings and figured it wouldn’t be worth it.
To say Apple took a “huge risk” is hyperbole at best. How much did they have to lose? Schiller and Gruber have clearly been friends for a long time. Even if Gruber asked an embarrassing question, Schiller is savvy enough t deflect it. Also, Schiller did NOT give “real” answers to all questions. And Gruber did NOT push when Schiller gave standard Apple PR answers. Nevertheless, it was nice to see.
Marco is still feeling the after glow from Phil Schiller’s compliments and acknowledgement of his blog.
“Schiller and Gruber have clearly been friends for a long time.” Actually, they are not.
what places are these? carrier stores?
not true at all. while its easy to claim Gruber loves everything Apple and would softball him, thats lazy and untrue. if you read DF & listen to the podcasts on a regular basis, youd know this.
Walmart for one.
youre projecting your opinions onto Gruber. the camera ring isnt a big deal to him. nor to me — its completely inconsequential. even if i werent using a case, when it sits flat on a table it barely moves at all, unless you tap the very top-left, which you dont need to since now you can left-edge-swipe to trigger the Back action. but i only did that to test, because guess what? i never operate it on a table, i use it in my hand.
my personal favorite iphone shell design was the 3G, and due to its curve you couldnt operate that on a table either.
ah yeah, all these smart, successful developers & businessmen are just dumb puppets, because Apple.
right.
yes, please prove your claim that theyre friends? because i believe its bullshit.
I don’t have an iPhone 6 yet, but my coworker who does finds that the leather case from Apple offsets the bulge nicely. It even provides some protection, I believe. So it’s not an issue at all for him.