This phone starts fires on purpose

Key takeaways

Mobile World Congress showcased innovative phones, including rugged devices and ones designed for fun and functionality.
The evolving relationship between Google and Epic Games reflects significant shifts in app marketplace policies.
The Kaleidescape server is a high-end solution for movie enthusiasts, offering superior audio-visual quality but at a steep price.
The Lego Smart Brick is disappointing and lacks the expected interactivity that enthusiasts had hoped for.
Brendan Carr's proposals continue to raise eyebrows, particularly regarding their potential consequences for customer service.

Summary

The Wild World of Mobile Phones at MWC

Dominic Preston joins Nilay Patel to discuss the fascinating and bizarre phone launches from Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. They highlight Oukitel's new rugged phones, which are designed to withstand extreme conditions but can also start fires intentionally. The discussion covers the Honor Robot Phone, a device that can shoot stabilized video with gimbal technology and is packed with unique features, including AI-powered capabilities. Infinix also reveals its racing car-themed device, while Xiaomi's latest products include a partnership with Leica to enhance camera functions.

Google and Epic's Complicated Relationship

Sean Hollister explores the evolving relationship between Google and Epic Games, focusing on recent legal developments. The two companies have reached a secret deal rumored to be worth $800 million, resulting in a non-disparagement agreement and changes to app store policies. The discussion sheds light on how the treatment of applications on platforms like Android is significant, especially regarding fees and payment methods. They also tackle aspects of the metaverse and how it plays into their squabble.

Kaleidescape: The Ultimate Movie Experience

Nilay shares his personal experience with the Kaleidescape 8TB solid-state server, which provides an unparalleled home movie-watching experience. The device is capable of streaming uncompressed audio and video, resulting in an immersive viewing experience. Let's just say, it's a movie lover's dream come true, but its exorbitant price tag and niche appeal make it a luxury product.

The Mixed Reactions to the Lego Smart Brick

Sean discusses the Lego Smart Brick, which has faced mixed reviews since its launch. While many had high hopes that it would enhance playability with more interactive capabilities, the reality hasn't met expectations. Users can create basic sound and light effects, but the overall functionality appears limited. The sound effects are repetitive, which detracted from the excitement many initially felt for it.

Brennan Carr: A Dummy as Always

Brendan Carr continues to make headlines with his controversial proposals, such as a new FCC initiative pushing for US-based call centers. The team expresses skepticism about the efficacy of such initiatives, sharing concerns that they could lead to AI handling calls instead, as companies opt for automation over higher labor costs.

Show notes

While most phone makers work hard to ensure their products don’t start fires, Oukitel made a phone that starts fires on purpose. This week on The Vergecast, Dominic Preston joins Editor-in-Chief Nilay Patel to wrap up all the weird and wonderful phones he and the team saw at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Then, Sean Hollister takes us through Google and Epic’s enemies-to-lovers saga: A secret $800 million deal, a non-disparagement agreement, and something about the metaverse for some reason. Plus: Nilay just had the best home movie experience of his life thanks to the Kaleidescape 8TB solid-state server, Dom’s charging his smart phone on a mini racecar, and Sean delivers some disappointing news about the Lego smart brick we were all rooting for. And Brendan Carr is still being a dummy.