The iPhone Fold could make concerts even worse
The Vergecast discusses a week of technology news, led by Apple’s updated Mac Mini and Mac Studio computers, new chips and the prospect of an iPhone Fold. The hosts question Apple’s emphasis on AI inference and argue that a foldable iPhone could worsen the familiar problem of concertgoers holding phones aloft to record performances.
The episode also examines Meta’s legal settlement introducing tighter protections for teenage users, including whether similar rules could spread to rival platforms or be established by law despite First Amendment concerns. Other topics include GTA VI leaks, disputes affecting library funding, Nvidia’s economic significance, Fitbit’s Pokémon partnership, Waymo’s rivalry with Tesla and Playdate tariff refunds.
- Apple’s new hardware renews debate over AI marketing and foldable phones.
- Meta’s teen-account restrictions may influence other social platforms.
- The podcast also covers GTA VI, Nvidia, libraries and transport tech.
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Smartphones have changed how many people record live events, with some audience members holding their phones up to film performances. This can block the view of people behind them and affect how they experience a concert.
Apple is a technology company best known for the iPhone, which it sells alongside computers and other devices. A foldable phone has a screen that opens out to a larger size, and its design could affect how people use it in public settings such as concerts.
The issue sits within a wider debate about filming at live events: recording can help people keep or share memories, while frequent phone use can obstruct others’ views. How much a new phone design changes that behaviour is uncertain.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A foldable iPhone could make it easier for concertgoers to record performances, since its larger screen may make filming feel more useful and appealing. If more people hold such devices aloft, obstructed views and a less shared experience could become a greater problem for audiences and performers.
The case against
A larger phone would not necessarily change how many people record concerts; that behaviour already exists, and the device’s size alone may have little effect. Foldable screens could also help people watch or share recordings without raising a phone, while clearer venue rules or audience norms could address disruption more directly.