The Best One Yet

Episode: 🤏 “Ozempic iPhone” — Apple’s iPhone “Air”. Ben & Jerry’s revolt. Sphere’s 4D Wizard of Oz. +Anti-Shoe-Startups.
Hosts: Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell
Date: September 10, 2025

Overview

In this engaging episode, Nick and Jack break down the top three business news stories of the day. The main themes: radical iPhone redesign and Apple’s “survival by a thousand features,” Ben and Jerry’s public rebellion against its corporate parent, and Las Vegas’ Sphere turning the Wizard of Oz into a four-dimensional, blockbuster, billion-dollar experience. Along the way, they riff on quirky workplace trends (no shoes allowed!), industry data, and the increasingly blurred lines between brand activism and business.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Apple’s iPhone Air: The Ozempic iPhone

(05:23 – 09:50)

• Apple Event Recap: Apple launches the iPhone 17 and the all-new iPhone Air, which the hosts jokingly dub “the first Ozempic iPhone—it’s so thin you can barely see it.”
• Physical Revolution:
  • iPhone Air is just 5mm thick—“equal to just three nickels.”
  • 30% thinner, 22% longer battery life, 3% lighter than the regular iPhone.
  • The camera “bump” is still there, but now more of a plateau.
• Wall Street’s Lukewarm Response:
  • Investors wanted a big price hike or advanced AI features; neither appeared.
  • Only the iPhone 17 Pro’s base price rose (by $100).
  • Apple stock dropped 2% during the event.
• The Real Star:
  • AirPods Pro 3 with live language translation, allowing two people speaking different languages to communicate instantly if both are wearing them.
  • “Now, live language translation was one of just hundreds of other features announced yesterday. Minivations if you will, each one of which could be mocked as marginal. But together…they’ve added up.” — Nick (09:15)
• Apple’s Ecosystem:
  • 41% of profit from services, 19% from non-iPhone hardware.
  • The accumulation of “minivations” ensures loyalty—users park in Apple’s world.
• Key Takeaway:
  • “For Apple, it’s not death by a thousand cuts, it’s survival by a thousand features.” — Jack (08:39)

2. Ben & Jerry’s “Ice Cream Revolt” Against Big Ice Cream

(09:50 – 14:11)

• Corporate Drama:
  • Unilever, the world’s largest ice cream company, is spinning off its ice cream arm as “Magnum Ice Cream Company” (which oddly leaves Ben & Jerry’s not in the headline brand).
  • Ben & Jerry (the founders) crashed Unilever’s celebration by publishing an open letter, demanding independence so their brand can freely advocate for progressive causes.
• Activist Roots & the Muzzle:
  • Ben & Jerry’s, known for activism, worried they’re being “grounded” by Unilever, stifling the brand’s voice.
  • When acquired in 2000, part of the deal was an independent board to protect brand activism.
  • Now, the founders launched FreeBenAndJerrys.com to build support for breaking away.
• Catch-22 for Unilever:
  • Let Ben & Jerry’s speak, risk polarized backlash; keep them quiet, risk eroding the brand’s activist appeal.
  • “Some brands are just built on the opinionated positions and causes that they stand for, like Ben & Jerry’s. We think the third option is the only one that doesn’t result in brand destruction.” — Jack (14:05)
• Memorable Moment:
  • Mocked up potential protest flavors: “liberation licorice,” “fine print praline,” “hands off my halva.” (12:53)
• Key Takeaway:
  • “I scream, you scream, we all scream to let brand scream.” — Nick (13:12)

3. The Sphere’s 4D Wizard of Oz Blockbuster

(16:27 – 20:57)

• What’s Happening:
  • Las Vegas’ Sphere turns the 1939 Wizard of Oz into a “4D” experience—part film, part concert, part theme park ride.
  • AI-enhanced visuals fill the Sphere’s unique screen; Google and Warner Bros. are collaborators.
  • Each show: 4,500 tickets at $200 each, selling out multiple times per day.
• Immersive Experience:
  • During tornado scenes, 750 horsepower fans replicate the sensation; drone “flying monkeys” swoop overhead.
  • “It is as much a theme park ride as it is a movie, according to the critics. And it could make a billion bucks before the run ends.” — Jack (19:34)
• Financials & Future:
  • Movies at Sphere can generate twice as much as concerts (U2, Phish, Eagles).
  • Sphere stock is up 34% in a month; in talks with Disney and Warner for Star Wars and Harry Potter experiences.
• Big Picture Comparison:
  • The Sphere is pitched as “the closest we'll get to the Metaverse”—a premium, shared, all-senses experience, compared to the solitary, headset-wearing, server-heavy approach of Meta’s vision.
  • “Mark Zuckerberg spent billions on servers. The Sphere spent billions on giant screens…Zuck created for a solitary experience. But the Sphere built a shared experience.” — Nick (20:48)
• Key Takeaway:
  • “The Sphere is the closest we’ll get to the Metaverse.” — Jack (20:09)

Bonus Segments & Factoids

Startup Trend: No Shoes in the Office

(01:26 – 03:11; 23:30)

• Emerging startup norm: banning shoes for cleanliness, “respect,” and a home-like atmosphere.
• Cursor, a $10B AI startup, is cited as an example.
• Every employee gets slippers on arrival.
• Fun fact: Many iconic founders—Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson, Marc Andreessen—have a history of ditching shoes at work.
• “When you add it up, there is a high correlation between bare feet and billionaires.” — Jack (24:01)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It’s so thin you can barely see it.” — Nick on the iPhone Air (00:38)
• “It’s the biggest physical change to the iPhone in a decade. And it’s such a big deal, they didn’t even put a number on this iPhone—just iPhone Air.” — Jack (07:29)
• “For Apple, it’s not death by a thousand cuts, it’s survival by a thousand features.” — Jack (08:39)
• “We all scream to let brand scream.” — Nick (13:12)
• “It is as much a theme park ride as it is a movie, according to the critics. And it could make a billion bucks before the run ends.” — Jack (19:34)
• “The Sphere is the closest we’ll get to the Metaverse.” — Jack (20:09)
• “There is a high correlation between bare feet and billionaires.” — Jack (24:01)

Important Timestamps

• Apple iPhone Air story: 05:23 – 09:50
• Ben & Jerry’s revolt: 09:50 – 14:11
• Sphere’s 4D Wizard of Oz: 16:27 – 20:57
• The no-shoes workplace trend/fact: 01:26 – 03:11; 23:30

Flow & Tone

Sticking to their signature lighthearted, riffing tone, Nick and Jack blend smart, sharp business analysis with humor, playful jabs, and pop-culture references (Ozempic, Spaceballs, “survival by a thousand features”). Real business trends and dramas are covered with both depth and on-the-go relatability.

For Those Who Missed It: The Essentials

• Apple’s “Ozempic iPhone” is thinner but features are piling up everywhere else; Wall Street is left hungry for more AI.
• Ben & Jerry’s are fighting to un-muzzle their brand’s activism after Unilever’s ice cream split.
• Las Vegas’ Sphere is redefining what a movie can be—with “4D,” shared experiences generating blockbuster profits.
• And if you want to be a billionaire? Maybe ditch your shoes at work.

Great for coffee (or oatmeal) accompaniment—and, if you’re barefoot, maybe inspiration strikes.