Apple's Big Keynote, a Foldable iPhone, and AI Getting Weird — Insanely Great Podcast, September 12, 2026

Chris and DJ break down everything from Apple's latest keynote — the CEO handoff from Tim Cook to John Ternus, the end of the standard iPhone lineup, a $100 price hike across the board, and the debut of Apple's first foldable, the iPhone Duo. They dig into the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max camera upgrades, the new A20 Pro chip, Apple Watch Ultra changes (including a jaw-dropping $3,100 Hermès band), and what Siri's long-promised "brain upgrade" actually looks like in practice.

From there, the conversation shifts to AI: a former Anthropic researcher's warning about AI risk, a report on threat actors abusing AI models, growing concern over AI-powered drone surveillance networks used by police, and the ongoing debate over whether any model has really reached AGI.

The back half covers current events — the RNC's low-turnout Dallas rally, a competitive Texas Senate race, 9/11 remembrance controversy, and the FCC fallout around late-night TV hosts.

In this episode:

• Apple's iPhone 18 lineup, pricing changes, and camera upgrades
• First impressions of the foldable iPhone "Duo"
• Apple Watch Ultra, AirPods, and what Apple left out of the keynote
• The new A20 Pro chip and iOS 27
• AI safety warnings, model misuse, and AGI claims
• The rise of AI-powered surveillance drones
• Political headlines: RNC turnout, the Texas Senate race, and late-night TV controversy

A quick note: this episode includes candid political commentary and some adult language.

Chapters

• (00:00) - Welcome to Insanely Great: Apple Keynote Recap
• (00:48) - The Keynote Opens: Race Cars, Handoffs, and a New CEO
• (03:16) - No More Plain iPhone — And Prices Go Up $100
• (05:33) - iPhone 18 Pro & Pro Max: Vapor Chambers and Variable Aperture
• (09:14) - On-Device AI, Smarter Dictation, and eSIM Swapping
• (11:40) - Bye Qualcomm: Apple's New In-House Modem
• (12:33) - Apple Watch Ultra, Ceramic Colors, and a $3,100 Hermès Band
• (15:19) - New AirPods, No AirPods Max, and Apple's Pricing Puzzle
• (16:32) - What Didn't Show Up: iPads, HomePods, and a Beefier Apple TV
• (17:06) - Siri Finally Gets a Brain (Sort Of)
• (19:57) - Pre-Orders, Colors, and Guessing the Fan Favorite
• (20:31) - The Foldable iPhone "Duo": First Impressions
• (26:23) - Will Apps and Cases Keep Up With the Fold?
• (29:42) - D-Brand's Tariff Rant (And Why It's Kind of Hilarious)
• (32:17) - MKBHD's Crease Check and Our Duo Sales Predictions
• (34:32) - iOS 27, Photos, and the New A20 Pro Chip
• (37:01) - Which Phone Are We Actually Buying?
• (37:28) - AI Doomsaying: The Ex-Anthropic Researcher's Warning
• (38:53) - Threat Actors, Guardrails, and AI Gone Rogue
• (39:41) - The Pentagon Wants an AI That Never Says No
• (40:27) - Drones Everywhere: The Quiet Rise of AI Surveillance
• (44:25) - Is Astra Really AGI? And AI's Hallucination Problem
• (47:38) - RNC in Dallas: Empty Seats and a Purple Texas
• (49:15) - 9/11, "Alternative Memories," and a Very Public Nap
• (53:34) - Grindr Keeps Crashing at GOP Events — Here's Why
• (55:21) - Kimmel, Colbert, and the FCC Fallout
• (56:55) - The $5,000 Promise and the Missing Tariff Money
• (01:00:05) - Merch Sales Drop and Closing Thoughts