When configured with care and precision, your smartphone can appear to possess an almost telepathic awareness of your habits, preferences, and routines. Imagine stepping out of the office after a long day and, without any conscious effort on your part, a message instantly leaves your device, informing your partner exactly when to expect you home. Consider another moment: the instant you open your favorite novel or e-reader app, your phone, understanding your need for concentration, automatically silences notifications, allowing you to lose yourself in the story without interruption. Even your spontaneous craving for a fresh cup of coffee can trigger a bit of digital wizardry—your phone can, through a customized automation, direct you to one of your preferred nearby cafés and even place the order before you arrive.
These seamless, almost magical interactions sound extraordinarily convenient and undeniably appealing, don’t they? That effortless harmony between human intention and digital execution is precisely what makes Apple’s Shortcuts feature so captivating to those who long for a more intuitive relationship with their technology. Yet, beneath the shimmering surface, the reality of creating and maintaining these shortcuts is considerably more complex than it first appears.
In this episode of *The Vergecast*, host David Pierce welcomes podcaster and content creator Stephen Robles to explore the intricacies of Apple Shortcuts—what makes the system innovative and empowering, and where it occasionally fails to deliver on its promise. David, a self-proclaimed skeptic who has long doubted the widespread usefulness of Shortcuts, argues that the system’s depth and complexity render it too cumbersome for the average user. Stephen, on the other hand, has built part of his professional career around demystifying and simplifying these automation tools, helping others harness their potential. The two approach the conversation from very different perspectives, and their discussion promises a lively exchange about whether Shortcuts represent the pinnacle of smartphone efficiency or simply a convoluted gimmick.
Before diving into that debate, though, *The Verge*’s own Victoria Song—known on the show as Vee—joins the conversation to recount her ongoing experience with Meta’s Ray-Ban Display smart glasses. These are the glasses equipped with a miniature screen, designed to blend cutting-edge technology with everyday usability. Having worn them daily for several weeks, Vee offers an honest and balanced evaluation of what the glasses get right, what continues to fall short, and what aspects still require further refinement. There is no question that the device stands as a remarkable feat of engineering and design, pushing the boundaries of wearable tech. Yet, an important question lingers: is this a gadget people genuinely want integrated into their daily lives, and if so, what exactly do they expect it to do? The answers, as Vee points out, remain elusive.
Once that conversation concludes, the focus returns firmly to Apple Shortcuts. Stephen walks the hosts through some of his own most creative and refined automations, explaining the inspiration behind them, the step-by-step process of building new ideas, and how emerging artificial intelligence capabilities might enhance and simplify the creation of even more intelligent workflows in the future. He also outlines several improvements he hopes Apple will implement to make Shortcuts more flexible and user-friendly. David, meanwhile, continues his good-natured grumbling about the app’s interface, challenging whether the complexity is worth the payoff for casual users.
The episode concludes on a more practical note as David responds to a listener’s question from the Vergecast Hotline (listeners can call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com). The inquiry relates to audio gear—specifically, the surprising ease of finding a satisfactory pair of earbuds in today’s saturated market, compared to the difficulty of discovering truly exceptional ones that remain affordable. David offers insights into this paradox, discussing what differentiates merely decent earphones from genuinely great ones. And the hosts extend an invitation to their audience: if you have ever impulsively purchased an off-brand pair of earbuds—perhaps from a company you had never previously encountered—and ended up pleasantly surprised by their quality, the team wants to hear your story.
For those intrigued by the topics covered in this episode and eager to explore them in more depth, *The Verge* provides a collection of helpful links and resources to guide further discovery.
Sourse: https://www.theverge.com/podcast/807712/apple-shortcuts-best-tips-meta-display-vergecast
