AppleInsider podcast talks 'iPhone 8' & OLED supply, speaks with iZotope about Spire Studio

This week on the AppleInsider podcast, Neil and Victor talk about next week's announcement of the 'iPhone 8', Apple Watch, OLED technology, and Victor interviews iZotope's Product Manager, Colin Thurmond, about their new Spire Studio recording hardware.

Come back and listen on the Sept. 12, when we will have exclusive coverage from the Steve Jobs Theater and Apple Park with AppleInsider's own Dan Dilger!

Until then, in our latest episode, AppleInsider editors Neil Hughes and Victor Marks discuss:

Killer deals! Save up to $600 off a MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, or $800 off the top configuration.
The new iPhone is coming! We think Apple will allow orders to begin on Sept. 15.
There are some alleged SIM trays showing black, gold, and silver as possibly the only colors for the new phone.
Samsung is the sole supplier of OLED for Apple, which puts Apple in a pinch for meeting demand for the phone.
LG for their part is unlikely to start supplying until 2019. Victor and Neil agree their current effort, the display on the VG30 (Victor mistakenly said V3) is not acceptable.
Listener feedback: A listener had feedback on how OLED should be pronounced, and Neil and Victor discuss both pronunciations. There's no real consensus on which way is right: Samsung say 'Oh-ell-ee-dee' and LG say 'Oh-led'. Do you like Liam Neeson? Liam Neeson pronounces OLED, 'Oh-Led.' That's right.
Apple could use the sleep/wake button as the Siri button, in a phone with no home button. Do we need a physical button to prompt Siri?
Victor interviews iZotope's product manager, Colin Thurmond, about their new Spire Studio portable audio recorder product. We recorded this segment using the Spire Studio, so the sound quality you're hearing is what it captured. The only modification to the audio was raising the gain to match the rest of the show. No other audio retouching was performed. (If we were to do it again, we might get a little closer to the mic. For a first use of an unfamiliar product, it's impressive.)
Rumor: A photo shows shipping pallets with boxes said to contain iPhones destined for the U.S.
Rumor: Some people think the supposed "iPhone 7s" gets renamed to "iPhone 8," leaving the new form-factor phone name up in the air.
The name's Cook. Tim Cook. Apple is reported to be in the running to purchase rights to James Bond film franchise. We'll see if it comes true, but Apple needs to do something more than "Carpool Karaoke," no matter how much you might like Jamie Corden.
Apple's fitness lab has clocked over 66,000 hours of performance testing, larger than any other study on Earth. This is one of the things that makes Victor excited about Apple Watch and things like CareKit.
PSA: Zello, used by the 'Cajun Navy' to coordinate rescue in Houston following Hurricane Harvey is a good app, but it still requires working cell towers and internet to Zello's servers.

The show is available on iTunes and your favorite podcast apps by searching for "AppleInsider." Click here to listen, subscribe, and don't forget to rate our show.

Listen to the embedded SoundCloud feed below:

Show note links:

Check this out: First come, first served: AppleInsider readers can use exclusive coupons this week to instantly save between $600-800 on late 2016 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. In addition to the promo code and instant cash savings, sales tax will not be collected on orders shipped outside NY and NJ. Lowest Price Ever: Apple's 15" MacBook Pro with Touch Bar for $1,799 ($600 off) with no tax in 48 states and Deals: High-end 2016 15" MacBook Pro for $2,299 ($800 off); 27" iMac 5K w/ Radeon 580 for $2,099 ($200 off); $200 off top of the line 13" Touch Bar are the links you need to know.
Apple expected to begin preorders of new iPhone releases on Friday, Sept. 15
Alleged SIM trays for Apple's 'iPhone 8' hint at gold, silver & black as only colors
Samsung is sole supplier of costly 'iPhone 8' OLED, putting Apple in 'urgent need' of alternatives
LG unlikely to enter iPhone OLED supply chain before 2019
Spire Studio does an amazing job of simplifying recording audio. Colin Thurmond takes the time to demonstrate its features and talk to us about what problems they were trying to solve with it, and why it could be an essential tool for musicians and podcasters. Sign up for early access to all the product information on Spire Studio.
iZotope Spire Studio portable multi-track recorder exclusive to iPhone, iPad
Apple's 'iPhone 8' may allow triggering Siri by holding sleep/wake button
Rumor: Photos show Foxconn shipping pallets of 'iPhone 8' units to Apple in USA
Rumors rename 'iPhone 7s' to 'iPhone 8,' leaving moniker for Apple's $1000+ OLED model up for debate
Apple allegedly making big push for $5 billion James Bond 007 movie franchise rights
Apple's Watch-oriented fitness lab tops 66,000 hours of data, 10,000 subjects
PSA: Zello app for iPhone is not an actual walkie-talkie, still needs internet connectivity to work

Follow our hosts on Twitter: @thisisneil and @vmarks.

Feedback and comments are always appreciated. Please contact the AppleInsider podcast at [email protected] and follow us on Twitter @appleinsider, plus Facebook and Instagram.

Those interested in sponsoring the show can reach out to us at [email protected].

Follow AppleInsider on Google News

3 Comments

christopher126

said about 6 years ago

Hey Victor, thanks so much for the Spire Studio recording device intro. I'll look fwd to a full review when it's released. :)

I've been waiting for a device like this for ages. No cables, no other mixers, etc.In the 80's I was using a Teac 4 track recorder (with cassette tape). Ugh.

I sold all my Mic's, cables, amps, stands, pickups, phantom crap devices and basically gave up. I just could not get my voice to be on the R and L channel and sound 'full.' If I upped the reverb, the voice sounded a little better but the guitar (Martin) sounded bad. Oh well.

I find Garageband too 'loop' centric and very poor on vocals. Logic, tho not as expensive as it used to be, too complex.

All I want to do is lay an acoustic guitar rhythm track, maybe a little base, very little percussion, second vocal, a little piano and have some presets that make my voice sound like Paul McCartney's at Abbey Road studios. How hard can that be? :)

Also, I noted it'll be sold at B&H (no Sales tax). It would've been nice to have it work with my AirPods. Maybe in future generations. Not a deal breaker.

Best

vmarks

said about 6 years ago

christopher126 said:

Hey Victor, thanks so much for the Spire Studio recording device intro. I'll look fwd to a full review when it's released. :)

I've been waiting for a device like this for ages. No cables, no other mixers, etc.In the 80's I was using a Teac 4 track recorder (with cassette tape). Ugh.

I sold all my Mic's, cables, amps, stands, pickups, phantom crap devices and basically gave up. I just could not get my voice to be on the R and L channel and sound 'full.' If I upped the reverb, the voice sounded a little better but the guitar (Martin) sounded bad. Oh well.

I find Garageband too 'loop' centric and very poor on vocals. Logic, tho not as expensive as it used to be, too complex.

All I want to do is lay an acoustic guitar rhythm track, maybe a little base, very little percussion, second vocal, a little piano and have some presets that make my voice sound like Paul McCartney's at Abbey Road studios. How hard can that be? :)

Also, I noted it'll be sold at B&H (no Sales tax). It would've been nice to have it work with my AirPods. Maybe in future generations. Not a deal breaker.

Best

I am so glad you wrote. I feel like I've been exactly where you are on this.

I never had the TEAC - I used the Tascam 424 and a Yamaha 4 track that I still have.
Lately, I've been using IK Multimedia iRig Pro Duo with a Mackie 1202vlzPro, about six XLR cables, mic stands, and associated stuff. It's a lot to carry around. Recording interviews at Moogfest 2017 meant lugging all this stuff all over creation to try and get quiet spaces with people. It's nuts.

Spire the app lets you assign effects by channel - in your situation, put the Martin on one channel, put your mic on the other channel, and make the reverb wet on the mic.
I could *probably* do that with the iRig into Spire App, but the iRig I have here has been finicky hardware at the moment following a firmware update.

AirPods would have required bluetooth - but you can use AirPods with the phone running the app after the recording.

I can ask Spire / iZotope about airpod compatibility - if it's possible to monitor that app with them while recording on the hardware.

christopher126

said about 6 years ago

Haha...'all over creation.' You mean, where Jesus lost his sandals? :)

Thanks for the suggestions (and empathy), Victor. :)

I will absolutely try them. Especially, 'monitoring' on the iPhone using the AirPods. Good idea.

I did contact iZotope and they responded promptly saying they do not support AirPods at this time.

But from your interview, where they said it's primarily an iOS device, so I think it will be included in future generations.Best Regards.

Chris

P.S. Thanks for responding directly to my post. That was awfully good of you.

I don't know if you've seen my previous posts where I've been very complimentary about Ai. I used to subscribe, back in the day, to MacWorld magazine as my sole source of all things Apple. Now, it's AI! Great job on the news, Max's video's, the podcasts, reviews of new products, tips, and pricing guide. :) I recently bought a 2017 rose gold MacBook from B&H based on your sites info. :)

Share Your Thoughts on our Forums