The MacRumors Show: Brian Tong Talks Vision Pro and Apple Sports

[MacRumors]

YouTuber Brian Tong joins us on this week's episode of The MacRumors Show to talk about the Vision Pro, the new Apple Sports app, enhanced iMessage security, and more.

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Brian shares his in-depth thoughts on the Apple Vision Pro headset, including travel scenarios, where it fits in with his other devices, and his favorite features. We take a look at the newly announced Apple Sports app, reflecting on its usefulness, design and future features that could further enrich the user experience, such as integrated play recaps, highlights, and news related to followed teams.

We also reflect on the possibility of a "mini"-sized Pro iPhone, support for post-quantum cryptographic security in iMessage, Apple's venture into electric vehicles, and new enhancements to Apple CarPlay in the instrument cluster.

See more of Brian's work over on his YouTube channel or follow him on X @briantong. The MacRumors Show is now on its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips going forward:

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If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion about all of the major features and improvements rumored for Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 Pro models.

Subscribe to The MacRumors Show for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Quinn Nelson, Kevin Nether, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Luke Miani, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

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Article Link: The MacRumors Show: Brian Tong Talks Vision Pro and Apple Sports

 

[max2]

This is so awesome!

 

[LawJolla]

Hope you didn't do any drop tests with Brian... he gets really 😡

 

[mnsportsgeek]

Brian! I'll listen now.

 

[rishey]

I love Tong's new hairstyle!

 

[Abobrek]

Brian is the male version of iJustine.

 

[fatTribble]

What a great show! You guys work so well together! Loved all of the Vision Pro discussions

 

[sjsharksfan12]

I enjoyed this episode even with the Vision pro stuff. Maybe it's the guest you have, but this show felt a lot more energetic with Brian talking about Vision Pro than the episode a few weeks ago.

Can someone explain to me why I should delete apps like TheScore or ESPN and use the Apple Sports app? Yeah I guess Ads are the big thing, but they aren't all that bad on TheScore and there is more to it. I still haven't found an app that gives me more notifications for the teams I follow though. I say give me notifications about the San Jose Sharks and I barely get any. That's the case on pretty much all the apps I've used.

 

[ThisIsMike]

I’ve seen a bunch of these now, and honestly, whoever does the voice dubbing for Hartley is excellent. 👍🏻

 

[DelayedGratificationGene]

Great stuff. Loved the Vision Pro discussion. You guys kept it clean, simple and very relevant to what’s currently going on. I agreed with pretty much everything you 3 said about AVP. Thanks!

 

[TSE]

The living legend, Brian Tong! I was watching his content (I think?) either on CNET or Engadget with a Black Core Duo MacBook over 15 years ago! Great to see him on and I love what MacRumors is doing with this podcast.

Let me know if you ever want to invite a MacRumors fan on who has been posting on these forums since 2007 when he was 13, now 30 living in lower Manhattan working as a UX Designer.

 

[anthogag]

Let people return Vision Pros. Refurbished devices could sell for $3,000 instead of $3,500.

It would be great if Apple stores in Canada start demoing Vision Pro right now.

I believe Apple will launch an Apple Car.

 

[CharlieBoyWoof]

That "show" is an embarrassment

 

[elliotmoore91]

Hope you didn't do any drop tests with Brian... he gets really 😡

Genuinely embarrassing how a grown ass man cried so much about that. It isnt the first time he has thrown his toys out the pram over something so minor either. Such a drama queen.

 

[elliotmoore91]

Brian is the male version of iJustine.

Exactly and I don't watch either of them because you know there will always be a limit as to how much they can critique apple. I prefer the smaller channels who are more real with audiences.

 

[JapanApple]

Finally the show becomes classy. ty Tong

 

[subjonas]

I lol‘ed a couple times during the show, like the part about Dan ignoring Hartley’s RBF during his car dilemma lol.

Also just want to echo, I really really hope Apple brings back small iPhones someday, in light of the disappointing rumor that all iPhones will be big going forward. And yes, Pro would be nice just for the camera and storage capacity, don’t care about anything else.

I do exactly what Dan mentioned—I use a small phone when I’m out and when I get home I use my iPad (Mini)—phone mostly stays charging at home. iPad Mini is a little inconvenient to carry around the house though, since it doesn’t really fit in most of my pockets. Wish it was just a tiny bit smaller.

It would also be cool if Apple enabled better integration between two iPhones owned by one person if say someone wanted to own a small phone and a big phone but one line, as different sizes can be more/less appropriate for different occasions. Right now I think there is either some issue with both phones using the same number even if only one phone uses it at a time, or switching the active phone is not super seamless. And then SMS messages don’t sync like they do between an iPhone and iPad via Continuity, which is annoying when both phones are missing messages sent/received on the other phone, especially if you now have to maintain two backups, one of each phone, because of the differing data. But maybe that will change with RCS. It would also be nice if voice messages and even missed calls synced.

 

[Isengardtom]

Genuinely embarrassing how a grown ass man cried so much about that. It isnt the first time he has thrown his toys out the pram over something so minor either. Such a drama queen.

Agree, not his best moment. Probably partially a bit due to the guys on Genius Bar defending Gregsgadgets that one time

 

[azentropy]

Dan you absolutely nailed the iPhone mini take as that is how I use it. When I'm out and about I really don't want a large phone as I'm usually busy I don't do the things with my iPhone that take advantage of the larger screen. The smaller form factor is soooo much nicer when active. When I'm home I grab my iPad(s) instead which is way bigger/better for those uses than a big iPhone anyway!

Still as stated elsewhere, my hope/dream/fantasy is Apple comes out with a smaller but not necessarily "mini" Pro. I think an updated form factor with the 5.8" screen would be perfect especially with Apple going to 6.3" and 6.9" this year.

 

[DelayedGratificationGene]

Very interesting at how after wearing for 3+ weeks both Brian and Dan brought up how your cheek/brow/eye etc muscles strengthen and start getting used to the AVP and any discomfort at all is gone. Also “Strengthening your face muscles” sounds well…awesome.

 

[dannyyankou]

Brian is the male version of iJustine.

And there's nothing wrong with that. One of my biggest pet peeves online is when people try to make someone else feel embarrassed or stupid for being excited about something.

 

[ThisIsMike]

Nothing wrong about being excited about something - when it’s genuine.

 

[MNWildFan]

I enjoyed this episode even with the Vision pro stuff. Maybe it's the guest you have, but this show felt a lot more energetic with Brian talking about Vision Pro than the episode a few weeks ago.

Can someone explain to me why I should delete apps like TheScore or ESPN and use the Apple Sports app? Yeah I guess Ads are the big thing, but they aren't all that bad on TheScore and there is more to it. I still haven't found an app that gives me more notifications for the teams I follow though. I say give me notifications about the San Jose Sharks and I barely get any. That's the case on pretty much all the apps I've used.

After testing out Apple's Sports app and then deleting it, finding it to be too simple for my tastes, I on the recommendation of some others on here switched to this one called Sports Alerts.

Compared to apps like ESPN, I think the things you can configure for notifications are just ever so slightly more compared to them. For starters, for most of the teams I follow, I have a notification for a reminder of an hour before the game starts, score or lead change, end of quarter/period, overtime/extra innings, and end of game. Not only that, but they also offer something that to this day ESPN still doesn't in Dynamic Island/live activity support. The only caveot to that is that I found that if I have that on for an ongoing game, that suppresses notifications of the game in question. Other than that though, I've been quite happy with how SA's notifications have worked so far, and unless Apple really can wow us with any updates to that Sports app of theirs, I'm sticking with Sports Alerts for now.