The Vergecast Bring back the iBook, you cowards
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Nov 7, 2025 Amazon is battling Perplexity over the future of AI-driven shopping. The hosts explore how browsers might change power dynamics online, and whether device interfaces will favor smartphones or AI models. Apple's rumored cheaper Mac raises discussions on the company's consumer laptop strategy, while nostalgia for the colorful iBook resurfaces. In a lightning round, they dive into YouTube's ambitions, cybersecurity plans, and a quirky game of sonic logos that highlights branding through sound.
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Agentic Browsers Threaten Service Economics
- Agentic browsers that click through sites threaten existing services by bypassing app ecosystems and revenue models.
- The Amazon vs. Perplexity clash reveals a core fight over who controls distribution and transaction rails on the web.
The 'DoorDash' Problem For Platform Economics
- If AI agents can transact through front‑end web interfaces, they can disintermediate companies like DoorDash, Uber, and Amazon.
- That shift could collapse upsells, dynamic pricing, and margins, forcing companies to redesign defenses or revenue sharing.
User‑Agent Masquerade Raises Ethical Stakes
- Perplexity allegedly disguises its browser as Chrome to bypass Amazon's restrictions and robots.txt rules.
- That tactic exposes tensions about transparency, legality, and who gets to control automated access to sites.