Tech Brew Ride Home – "The iPhone Air"

Date: September 9, 2025
Host: Brian McCullough
Podcast: Tech Brew Ride Home

Episode Overview

In this episode, Brian McCullough delivers a rapid-fire summary of Apple’s September 2025 product event, spotlighting the debut of the iPhone Air—Apple’s thinnest, lightest, and most advanced iPhone yet. He also covers major updates to AirPods, Apple Watch, and the Apple Watch Ultra, and adds context on Anthropic’s delayed $1.5 billion copyright settlement, OpenAI’s escalating regulatory battles in California, Microsoft’s new RTO policy, and Google’s own mixed messages about the health of the open web.
This episode is densely packed with up-to-the-minute reporting and the host’s characteristic tech-savvy commentary.

Main Theme

Main Focus:
A detailed breakdown and analysis of Apple’s September event, with particular emphasis on the new iPhone Air, and a roundup of major moves in AI, big tech regulation, and shifting corporate work cultures.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Apple’s September Event Breakdown

[00:05–06:00]

– iPhone 17 Lineup and the New iPhone Air

• iPhone Air:

  • Physical Specs: Ultra slim (5.6mm), titanium frame, Apple’s thinnest iPhone ever.
  • Display: 6.5-inch ProMotion OLED, 3000 nits peak brightness.
  • Durability: Ceramic Shield Two on both front glass and titanium sides.
  • Performance: Runs on new A19 Pro processor, “Pro performance in a thin and light design.”
  • Modem: In-house C1X modem (2x faster), with companion N1 chip for WiFi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support.
  • Battery: ESIM only, all-day battery life, “up to 40 hours of video playback.”
  • Camera: Single 48MP rear camera; 18MP selfie camera with a square sensor for seamless landscape selfies.
  • Colors: Black, white, beige, light blue.
  • Price: Starts at $999 for 256GB, preorders today, available Sept. 19.
  • Memorable Host Take:

    “An ultra slim titanium framed iPhone that measures just 5.6 millimeters thick. Apple’s thinnest iPhone ever.” (Brian, 00:17)

• Standard iPhone 17:

  • Upgrades: Larger display (6.3” OLED), 120Hz ProMotion, 3000 nits brightness.
  • Cameras: 48MP “dual fusion” system merging main/telephoto; 48MP wide, 12MP “center stage” selfie with square sensor.
  • Features: Action button, vertical camera layout, camera control button trickled down from 16 Pro.
  • Price: Starts at $799.

• Pro Models:

  • Design: Aluminum build, new “full width camera plateau” on the back.
  • Battery: Claimed “biggest battery Apple has shipped in an iPhone.”
  • Price: Pro at $1,099; Pro Max at $1,199; new 2TB option.
  • Colors: New orange color.
  • Memorable Host Take:

    "There's a new orange color which didn't look that great to me on the video, but maybe it looks better in real life." (Brian, 05:11)

• General Stack:

  • iPhone 16e remains, starting at $599.

– AirPods Pro 3

[06:01–07:45]

• Major Updates:
  • Heart Rate Sensor: “Smallest PPG sensor ever created.” Health features start to overlap with Apple Watch.
  • Active Noise Cancellation: Twice as effective, foam-infused tips, five sizes.
  • Live Translation:

    “If you’re talking to someone who speaks a different language and you have AirPods in, you’ll hear what they’re saying transcribed in essentially real time.” (Brian, 06:44)

  • Durability: IP57 rated, sweat and water resistance.
  • Price: $249, ships Sept. 19.
  • New Platform Features: Camera remote, call quality, sleep detection, charging reminders.
  • Fitness & Health: "This is obviating some of the need for an Apple Watch."

– Apple Watch Series 11, SE3, and Ultra 3

[07:46–09:42]

• Apple Watch Series 11:

  • Connectivity: Adds 5G, improved scratch resistance, slimmer chassis.
  • Battery: Up to 24 hours.
  • Health: Hypertension/chronic blood pressure detection, new sleep scoring.
  • AI: Workout Buddy provides “pep talks and insights as you work out.”
  • Gestures: New wrist flick gesture; liquid glass look.
  • Price: $399, ships Sept. 19.

• Apple Watch SE3:

  • Features: Always-on display, fast charging, $249 starting price.

• Apple Watch Ultra 3:

  • Rugged Focus: Satellite, 5G, larger edge-to-edge display.
  • Battery: 42 hours.
  • Features: Chronic high blood pressure notifications, sleep scoring.
  • Price: $799, preorders today.

2. AI, Copyright & Regulation

[09:43–11:00]

– Anthropic’s $1.5B Copyright Settlement Delayed

• Judge William Alsup: Expressed “uneasy feeling” about the process; wants more clarity on claims and class member notification.
• Quote:

  “The agreement is, quote, nowhere close to complete,” (Brian (paraphrasing Judge Alsup), 10:30)

• Host Quip:

  “Guess I can’t spend that $3,000 just yet.” (Brian, 10:58)

3. Big Tech Moves

– Xbox Cloud Gaming Comes to Cars

[12:16–12:46]

• Microsoft/LG & Kia Partnership: Xbox cloud gaming app in select Kia EVs across Europe.
• Quote from Xbox VP:

  “By adding vehicles to the mix, we’re giving players more choice than ever in how they enjoy their games.” (Christopher Lee, 12:44)

– OpenAI May Leave California

[12:46–13:55]

• Mounting Scrutiny: State regulators and nonprofits challenge OpenAI’s restructuring.
• Concerns: Nonprofit control, compliance with trust law, AI-related public safety after tragic incidents linked to ChatGPT.
• Quote:

  “OpenAI has discussed potentially relocating out of California as a last ditch option if the state’s attorney general complicates the restructuring…” (Brian, 13:21)

• Notable Details: Executives did not expect such a political backlash; $500M pledged to community groups; influential advisors hired to sway local opinion.

4. Corporate Culture: Remote Work Moves

[13:55–14:45]

• Microsoft Ends Full Remote Status:
  • Employees within 50 miles of a Microsoft office now must return 3 days/week by Feb 2026.
  • Quote from Microsoft EVP:

    “We’ve looked at how our teams work best, and the data is clear. When people work together in person, more often they thrive…” (Amy Coleman, memo cited at 14:12)

  • Employee Viewpoint: Some seeing this as “stealth layoffs” after 15,000 cuts.

5. The Open Web Controversy

[14:45–15:33]

• Google’s Mixed Messages:
  • In Court: Arguing “the open Web is already in rapid decline.”
  • In Public: Prior statements from CEO Sundar Pichai: “Web publishing is not dying; the Web is thriving.”
  • Implications: Google litigation may result in breaking up ad tech; contradictory statements possibly strategically motivated.
  • Quote (Google legal filing):

    “The fact is that today the Open Web is already in rapid decline, and plaintiff’s divestiture proposal would only accelerate that decline, harming publishers…” (Court filing, 15:12)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the iPhone Air:

  “An ultra slim titanium framed iPhone that measures just 5.6 millimeters thick. Apple’s thinnest iPhone ever.” (Brian, 00:17)

• iPhone Air’s endurance claim:

  “Apple is promoting all day battery life with all of these changes, and even cites up to 40 hours of video playback, unusually specific for an ultra thin device.” (Brian, 01:32)

• On seamless translation with AirPods Pro 3:

  “If you’re talking to someone who speaks a different language and you have your AirPods in, you’ll hear what they’re saying transcribed in essentially real time.” (Brian, 06:44)

• Judge Alsup’s skepticism:

  “The agreement is, quote, nowhere close to complete…” (10:30)

• Microsoft RTO policy:

  “We’ve looked at how our teams work best, and the data is clear: When people work together in person, more often they thrive…” (Citing Amy Coleman, 14:12)

• Google’s surprising legal stance:

  “The fact is that today the Open Web is already in rapid decline, and plaintiff’s divestiture proposal would only accelerate that decline…” (Google court filing, 15:12)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Apple Event Coverage: 00:05–09:42
• Anthropic Copyright Settlement: 09:43–11:00
• Xbox Cloud Gaming in Cars: 12:16–12:46
• OpenAI vs. California: 12:46–13:55
• Microsoft Remote Work: 13:55–14:45
• Google and the Open Web: 14:45–15:33

Summary & Takeaways

This episode offers a one-stop, high-velocity rundown of September’s Apple event, highlighting hardware leaps in the iPhone Air and Apple’s expanding health/AI initiatives. It also contextualizes the week’s power struggles among AI giants and tech titans—underscoring how technology, law, and society are colliding like never before. Whether you care about the thinnest iPhone yet, seamless on-the-go translation, lawsuits worth billions, or the cultural pushback against remote work, this episode delivers the details and the analysis—all in Morning Brew’s crisp, conversational style.