This is just pathetic, not showing up is just acknowledging that Gruber was right and exacerbates his statement
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Apple Executives Won't Be Appearing at This Year's WWDC Episode of The Talk Show Live
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Honestly, I think it’s smart for Apple to put some distance between itself and Gruber right now. He’s become a more divisive figure, especially with his increasingly political commentary. While everyone’s entitled to their views, Apple isn’t just selling to one side of the political spectrum they’re a global brand with a massive and diverse customer base.
Staying politically neutral helps them maintain broad appeal and avoid alienating any segment of their audience. Associating too closely with someone who mixes tech commentary with sharp political takes even indirectly can create unnecessary baggage.
In that sense, skipping the Talk Show might be less about product criticism and more about brand positioning.
Apple doesn’t want to be seen as endorsing or aligning with any polarizing voices, and that’s probably the smartest long term move.
Staying politically neutral helps them maintain broad appeal and avoid alienating any segment of their audience. Associating too closely with someone who mixes tech commentary with sharp political takes even indirectly can create unnecessary baggage.
In that sense, skipping the Talk Show might be less about product criticism and more about brand positioning.
Apple doesn’t want to be seen as endorsing or aligning with any polarizing voices, and that’s probably the smartest long term move.
It’s probably more risk aversion than anything else. Same thing as exiting MacWorld or ending live events. Sure the pandemic promoted those, but the company clearly has incentive to keep them that way.
Honestly I prefer the pre-taped events. It’s the synchronicity and celebration of the unveiling that I like, not to mention the resolution of all the rumors and pre-event anxieties.
This one will be one for the books. The first platforms release fully ensconced in the age of AI code editors. Should be epic.
Honestly I prefer the pre-taped events. It’s the synchronicity and celebration of the unveiling that I like, not to mention the resolution of all the rumors and pre-event anxieties.
This one will be one for the books. The first platforms release fully ensconced in the age of AI code editors. Should be epic.
I don't think John Siracusa has ever blindly defended Apple. He's always been critical of Apple's missteps and failures, including of their executives. If you've listened to ATP over the years, whether it's about bugs, the Mac Pro, work culture, Apple's approach to interface design, or any other number of aspects of the company and its products, you'll know that he is quite willing to rip into Apple when they don't live up to expectations. In fact the classic Siracusa rant is what makes the podcast so great!
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That even android phones between $200-300 have screens capable of going to 90 sometimes 120 hz refresh proves your point
On one hand, this is terrible timing to quit now, should've done it 2-3 years ago on good note.
On the other hand, maybe now we'll get an actually interesting post-WWDC discussion from some people that can actually go off the script.
The post-WWDC talk show tradition seemed to get progressively worse year over year as Apple sanitized it more and more. Basically - everything negative is off the table now, unless it is played in a joking manor. I don't think Apple would have had any way to avoid negative discussion this year, so they dropped it. On so many fronts - AI kerfluffle, app store subscriptions regulation, multiple new competitors forming in every category, Jony Ive moving on, etc.
Someone suggested Sam Altman and Jony Ive should be invited which would be hilarious, but I think they are a bit too cautious of angering Apple, since their new product is likely going to rely heavily on iPhone & mac integration, and if we've learned anything the past few years, it is just how petty Apple has become.
On the other hand, maybe now we'll get an actually interesting post-WWDC discussion from some people that can actually go off the script.
The post-WWDC talk show tradition seemed to get progressively worse year over year as Apple sanitized it more and more. Basically - everything negative is off the table now, unless it is played in a joking manor. I don't think Apple would have had any way to avoid negative discussion this year, so they dropped it. On so many fronts - AI kerfluffle, app store subscriptions regulation, multiple new competitors forming in every category, Jony Ive moving on, etc.
Someone suggested Sam Altman and Jony Ive should be invited which would be hilarious, but I think they are a bit too cautious of angering Apple, since their new product is likely going to rely heavily on iPhone & mac integration, and if we've learned anything the past few years, it is just how petty Apple has become.
I don't think it's necessarily retribution so much as WWDC having nothing exciting to report on one hand (new GUI, new numbering of OS versions, nothing big to commit to AI-wise) and therefore high execs don't want to sit for any extended interview likely to embarrass because there's nothing big to discuss in detail. Time will tell who's right here...
Since 2015, Daring Fireball's John Gruber has hosted a special live episode of his The Talk Show podcast from WWDC each year, with senior executives from Apple routinely participating as guests for the episodes. While the executives typically do not break major news during these appearances, the lively conversations have offered some interesting insights and perspectives on various topics surrounding Apple's WWDC announcements.
In announcing ticket sales for this year's live episode going live today, Gruber has revealed that Apple declined his invitation for executives to appear on this year's episode, for the first time in the decade of this tradition.
Gruber did not share a reason for Apple declining this year's invitation, and Apple likely did not provide one to him, but it's easy to surmise that it was probably due to Gruber's recent comments sharing his belief that "Something Is Rotten in the State of Cupertino" in the wake of Apple Intelligence Siri delays.
In his March blog post, Gruber faulted himself for not seeing the "red flags" that were appearing as early as last year's WWDC, with Apple apparently showing off planned Apple Intelligence features that were not actually functional at the time and some of which may not even yet be functional.
He faulted Apple for showing off what amounted to vaporware at last year's WWDC, a significant departure from Apple's history over the past several decades of almost always shipping features close to their suggested timelines even when they have been pre-announced before they are fully ready.
Gruber's comments were notable given his status as one of the most well-known Apple pundits, not to mention the fact that Apple had chosen him to be the one to share the news days earlier that the Apple Intelligence-powered Siri revamp had been delayed.
It's hard not to view Apple's move as a form of retribution for Gruber's criticism, and also potentially an acknowledgement that Gruber would be liable to ask Apple executives some difficult questions about what occurred to force the Siri delay and where things go from here.
Article Link: Apple Executives Won't Be Appearing at This Year's WWDC Episode of The Talk Show Live
The diversification of their business alone makes those parallels non starters.
Gruber has gone off the deep end, becoming highly and obnoxiously political. It’s unfortunate!
To those who disregard The Talk Show as “scripted”, you missed out on a good insightful content. It’s a fine line asking questions which are interesting but still can be answered. Apple has one of the most secretive and tight control PR in the world. Gruber with his experience is one of few people who knows how to walk the fine line. Will miss the usual format. Not a good look. For Apple.
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Hans Gruber fell from a skyscraper in the film Die Hard
What makes some companies and people is how they take criticism and handle negative press and issues.
It’s easy when everything is going well, but hard when things don’t go well or to plan.
But most reasonable people know that life is not always perfect. Things happen, mistakes happen. Owning them takes guts.
No, it's always been like that. People were always "disillusioned " with Apple since forever .
Here's the thing : Apple is irrationaly held to a standard no other Tech company is held to. You never hear "disillusionment" or "lack of passion" about Google, or Microsoft, or Samsung, or Dell or whatever.
Apple is the only company where clients are disappointed they don't get a revolution and their heads exploding every year. With the other companies, people are happy that the products are simply working and not being total crap.
You might say it's Apple's fault because of their over-the-top marketing that creates such irrationally high expectations nobody expects from any other company. And it is partly true, but only partly. MAybe Apple really creates cult-like effects, and you expect a cult to take you straight to Nirvana, not to just get you through your day.
I think he should get EPIC's Tim Sweeney for a good discussion on developer sentiment.
Or failing that Sam Altman and Jony Ive would be the ultimate combo. Or somebody from Spotify..
Or failing that Sam Altman and Jony Ive would be the ultimate combo. Or somebody from Spotify..
Well I went, after only ever owned an iPhone and Apple products, for the Pixel 9 Pro and havent regretted it. It was fairly obviously Gemini Advanced (now Pro) would be better than Apple Intelligence for the year's cycle. And now im not even sure I'll switch back. You soon find iMessage is replaceable
Not surprising. Apple no longer have humility to accept and address their failings, and it’s become painfully obvious over the past 12 months. Sadly they are becoming (or have already become) a sanitised and faceless version of their past selves.
You only need to look at the product announcements - ever since going pre-recorded they come off as nothing more than lengthy advertisements, whereas before it felt more genuine in a ‘let us show you the cool stuff we’ve been up to’ kind of way. I get it, they want you to buy the stuff, but it was so much more enticing when you had someone up on stage physically showing you and using the device. Like when Steve sat on the cozy lounge chair just scrolling through the iPad.
Fortunately they still make good hardware for the most part, which keeps me coming back. They really need to steady the software ship, though.
You only need to look at the product announcements - ever since going pre-recorded they come off as nothing more than lengthy advertisements, whereas before it felt more genuine in a ‘let us show you the cool stuff we’ve been up to’ kind of way. I get it, they want you to buy the stuff, but it was so much more enticing when you had someone up on stage physically showing you and using the device. Like when Steve sat on the cozy lounge chair just scrolling through the iPad.
Fortunately they still make good hardware for the most part, which keeps me coming back. They really need to steady the software ship, though.
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Management especially corporate management will never admit they are the problem. It’s just more process problems they can throw people at instead of looking at the engineers to start streamlining things.
We have no reason to believe anything he says. This “statement” he receives (from a person who might not even exist for all we know - it’s not a larger figure like Craig who can easily verify himself) - if 100% true - wouldn’t be sent to one guy. If there actually were some kind of delay, Apple would have to have said something officially themselves in a carefully-worded press release, not route it down to a blogger. Remember, there is no delay until the leftover Siri features don’t appear in iOS 18, and they still have three months to fulfill that promise.
Even if the statement is true, he continues to read into it incorrectly. “It’s going to take us longer than we thought to deliver these features” could very well mean they intended to deliver them with 18.4, but couldn’t. Unless Apple actually decides to break their promise by not providing the features in a build of iOS 18, there is nothing wrong with the AI situation.
Also also, why would Apple issue a statement to him exclusively like he has the honours of breaking the news, than less than three months later shun his long-running talk show?