The Vergecast
China has some big ideas about smartphones
· Summarized
Key takeaways
- Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 displayed a mix of old and new ideas in smartphones, showing how innovation is being blended with established designs.
- The return of Digg aims to harness past lessons in community building, improving user experience through the integration of AI and community-driven input.
- The home printing market faces significant challenges, with consumer dissatisfaction and bad business models hindering the development of improved printer technologies.
Summary
Exploring MWC 2025: A New Era of Smartphones
The podcast begins with David Pierce sharing his thoughts on the various iPads he’s testing, while expressing curiosity about the base iPad that he hasn’t tried. He then transitions into a discussion about the Mobile World Congress 2025 (MWC), where he brings on Allison Johnson and Dominic Preston to talk about their experiences. They describe a mixed atmosphere, where while major phone launches like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra were iterative and less exciting, there were many intriguing concept devices that showcased innovation in smartphones. This segment emphasizes the blend of tradition and innovation at MWC, with products like unique phone accessories and experimental designs being spotlighted.
The Comeback of Digg: Lessons from the Past
The conversation shifts to Kevin Rose and Justin Mezzell, who discuss the relaunch of Digg, an important social platform from the early 2000s. They reflect on what Digg got right back then, sharing insights about community engagement and the need for moderation tools. The speakers highlight their vision for utilizing AI to streamline moderation tasks and improve community management. They emphasize that the focus will be on building a user-centric platform that prioritizes community needs over corporate interests, hoping to create a more engaged and healthier online environment.
Insights on the Future of Printing Technology
In the final segment, David answers a question from the Vergecast hotline about the future of home printing technology. Here, he discusses the complexities of the printing industry, emphasizing that while consumers desire better printers, there is no viable business model for companies to produce high-quality, cost-effective printers without resorting to costly ink subscriptions. The podcast ends with an intriguing insight from Framework CEO, Nirav Patel, who explains that framework would need a clear path to profitability before even considering entering the printing market, ultimately concluding that significant advancements in the quality of home printers are unlikely in the near future.
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Show notes
In this episode, what's old is new again, and what's new is... AI again. The Verge's Allison Johnson and Dominic Preston join David to discuss their experience at Mobile World Congress 2025, where they saw the latest devices from Xiaomi, Samsung, Realme, and others — and found themselves confronted with some big, surprising new ideas about how our smartphones should look and work. After that, Kevin Rose and Justin Mezzell talk about the process of bringing Digg back, and how AI can improve the way social networks operate. Digg got a lot of things right two decades ago, and plans to do it all over again now. Finally, we answer a question about printers from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!), with some help from Framework CEO Nirav Patel.
Further reading:
MWC 2025 was all about the odds and ends
What if your phone’s camera was much, much bigger?
You spin me right round, baby, right round.
Xiaomi 15 Ultra review: ugly phone, beautiful camera
Digg Reboot
How Digg helped invent the social internet
Digg is coming back, with founder Kevin Rose and Reddit’s Alexis Ohanian
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