The Vergecast: The 6G, Modular, Robot Phones of the Future

Date: March 3, 2026
Hosts: David Pierce
Guests: Allison Johnson, Jess Weatherbed, Jay Peters

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the wild, innovative world of the latest mobile devices and accessories as reported from Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 in Barcelona. David Pierce hosts conversations with The Verge’s Allison Johnson (live from MWC) and Jess Weatherbed about cutting-edge phone technologies and the surprising resurgence of gadget straps as a must-have accessory. Later, Jay Peters joins for a lively listener Q&A about the real future of the metaverse. The discussions combine hands-on impressions of the newest tech, cultural insights, and thoughtful skepticism about where the industry is headed.

Key Segments and Topics

1. Mobile World Congress 2026: Phones of the Near Future

[04:04 - 29:41]
With Allison Johnson, Senior Reviewer at The Verge

Setting the Scene

• Allison on location: Reporting from the FIRA Conference Center press lounge “in a tiny little hut...with a ham sandwich” ([04:04])—setting an appropriately informal tone for hands-on, real-world tech talk.

MWC 2026: The Phone Tech Spectrum Game

• David sets up a “1 to 5” scale for Allison to rate the likelihood these techs and trends will make it into real-world phones.

6G: Early Buzz, More Hype than Substance?

• 6G is “definitely happening”—but it’s at least five years out ([05:32], [07:53]).
• The focus is on satellites, persistent AI connections, distributed computing, and “agentic AI” hype ([06:25]).
• Quote: “It is one of those, like, [the use case] doesn’t exist yet. And they're sort of like planning for a future where it does, slash getting us hyped up for it.” – Allison ([07:21])

Modular Phones: Are We There Yet?

• New excitement from devices like Honor’s “robot phone” with built-in gimbal; Vivo’s pro camera rig phone; Techno’s concept modular phone.
• Allison: “In my heart, I want it to be a 5. I love a modular phone...I think it's maybe at a three right now” ([08:52]).
• Quote: “Bring back Moto Mods like yesterday.” – Allison ([09:20])
• David: Real mass adoption would need Apple or Samsung to brute force the ecosystem ([10:07]).

Samsung’s Pixel Flex Privacy Display

• Now shipping on Galaxy S26 Ultra; “universally...everybody sees the appeal” ([11:20]).
• Allison: “I think it cuts down on that. Like, you're going to have to work to see it [from an angle]” ([13:17]).
• Rated a “4”—works as advertised, subtle but effective.

Foldable Phones: Overcoming the Problems

• The “tradeoff” years may be ending. New models offer:
  • IP69 dust/water resistance
  • Larger, lighter batteries (e.g., Motorola’s silicon carbon battery)
• Issues remain: Not all improvements in one device yet, still expensive (“Maybe the best we can hope for is a four” – [14:47]).
• Quote: “The foldable phone available outside of the US is like a full generation ahead...” ([16:08])

Batteries and Device Size: Everything Is Getting Smaller

• Huge interest in thinner, lighter devices thanks to new battery tech (silicon carbon).
• “I do think there is value in the phone that you carry every day all the time being a little lighter and a little thinner, it actually makes a difference.” – Allison ([21:04])

Secondary E Ink Displays: Fun, but...

• Techno’s color-changing E Ink phone back (“I give that one like a two. Like it's fun. Like hell yeah. Let's put E Ink in all the things...But I don’t see it [catching on].” – Allison ([23:33]))

Robots and Phone Gimmicks

• “God, there’s robots everywhere. It’s CES again.” – Allison ([25:27])
• The “Honor robot phone” and even a “pet phone” device (lets your pet call you by jumping) earn bemused skepticism.

Memorable Moment

• On the “pet phone” idea: “At the end of every road in technology there is pet phone.” – David ([28:41])

2. Gadget Straps: The Accessory Revolution

[32:40 - 59:49]
With Jess Weatherbed, Reporter at The Verge

What Are Gadget Straps? Why Now?

• Once a mainstay (esp. in Asia), now returning to the mainstream—including Apple’s crossbody iPhone strap.
• “The biggest driver behind this is also, I hate to always pull the card out, but inherently sexism, right, because pockets just don't exist on women's clothing. Or if they do, they suck.” – Jess ([36:03])
• Straps answer: easy access, hands-free, personalization, security, and fashion.

Cultural Spread and History

• Huge in Japan and Asia: “Sometimes they just want to match it with their outfit. It's a little mix of things. I think some people are just wanting to do it too, to accessorize. And other people are genuinely concerned about, like, security...” – Jess ([40:42])
• Evolution from necessity (no pockets in kimonos, historical trinket culture) plus the utility of hands-free access in walkable cities.
• Utility/utility+fashion blend is what’s made it stick. “It was kind of like the perfect environment for it to be cultured in as much as part of the aesthetic side of it and the utility side of it...” – Jess ([45:44])

Straps for All: Not Just a ‘No-Pockets’ Solution

• Apple and others are marketing straps as genderless, practical, and stylish ([48:37]).
• Men’s use may emerge through cycling, travel, and fashion trends (e.g., wallet chains coming back).

Which Strap Should You Get?

• “Right now you need to get a crossbody. If you're just looking for a bit of everything...” – Jess ([58:41])
• Crossbody is versatile, secure, and can be styled various ways.

Are Straps a Glimpse at the Post-Phone Future?

• Potential sign that wearables and AR glasses aren't close to replacing phones for most people.
• Jess: “We've already established that people love having the little screen on a slab that they can take around...the only not convenient thing...was the having access to it. And if...you can buy something for like $6” ([56:44])
• The resurgence of straps: a pragmatic accessory revolution, not a sign we’re moving beyond phones.

3. Vergecast Hotline: Is the Metaverse Still the Future?

[62:26 - 74:48]
With Jay Peters, Reporter at The Verge

Listener Question: Will We All Live in the Metaverse?

• Teen listener Crosby (age 14) asks: will platforms like Roblox, Fortnite, VR, Vision Pro, eventually form a true Metaverse people actually “live in,” as Zuck once predicted? ([63:16])

Hosts' Take: Not Anytime Soon

• Jay: “I think the answer is no” ([63:58]).
  • VR hardware is still a hard sell: “You have to put a face computer in front of your face.”
  • All the major platforms want to keep users in their own worlds—the technical, economic, and social barriers to a singular metaverse remain huge.
• David: “Unless you interoperate, the user experience of this is going to be awful.” ([65:05])
  • The pandemic years boosted the metaverse fantasy, but “what people want is actually something closer to AR glasses, right?” ([65:38])

How Meta (Facebook) is Changing

• Meta effectively pivoting: Horizon Worlds going all-in on mobile platform, de-emphasizing immersive VR ([68:54]).

Philosophical Take: What Actually IS the Metaverse, Anyway?

• The term is “made up” (from sci-fi) and its meaning is fluid ([69:48]).
• Jay: “Something that's on your phone... we have to define what a metaverse is. And since it's kind of a made up term anyway...who knows what it really means?” ([70:30])

Closing Thought

• David: “Are we all going to live in the Metaverse anytime soon, Crosby? Probably not. I think by the time you're 19, I do not think we will be living in the Metaverse. And I think that's probably for the best.” ([74:31])

Notable Quotes and Time Stamps

• 6G Hype:
  “There is a lot, I feel like, of laying the groundwork where, you know, everybody is saying agentic AI, and we're an AI company now, we make AI phones. And I think that the messaging is going to start bleeding into this like 6G talk.” – Allison, [05:32]

• Modular Phones Wish:
  “Bring back Moto Mods like yesterday.” – Allison, [09:20]

• Straps and Gender:
  “The biggest driver behind this is also, I hate to always pull the card out, but inherently sexism, right, because pockets just don't exist on women's clothing. Or if they do, they suck.” – Jess, [36:03]

• Strap Practicality:
  “The constant having to take pictures, it was a game changer for vacation. Like just having it around my neck. And every time I was like, I need to translate this thing. Oh, my phone's here, I want to take a picture. Oh, my phone's here.” – Jess, [57:01]

• Metaverse Realism:
  “VR as video games continues to make sense to me. But compared to the way everybody talked about VR and still talks about the Metaverse, that is like, that is this big an idea. You know what I mean? And I think that's fine. And maybe we should just get there with VR headsets much more quickly.” – David, [73:27]

Segment Timestamps

• [04:04] – Allison Johnson reporting live from MWC 2026
• [05:32 – 29:41] – The spectrum of phone tech: 6G, modular phones, privacy displays, foldables, batteries, thin devices, e-ink, and robots
• [32:40 – 59:49] – The rise of phone straps: cultural trends, fashion, utility, and who needs them most
• [62:26 – 74:48] – Hotline question: The real future (or not) of the metaverse

Recap: Why Listen?

This fast-paced episode nails the pulse of where mobile gadgetry is headed—from pie-in-the-sky 6G and modular phones to genuinely useful features like privacy displays and much-improved battery life. The discussion of straps—both as tech and cultural object—feels timely, sharp, and funny. Finally, the show’s take-down of the “everyone will live in the metaverse” narrative is refreshingly grounded and candid, affirming a more pragmatic vision for tech’s role in everyday life.

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