The Verge is launching what will be its first video-focused podcast, Version History, which will examine the legacy of the biggest moments in tech.
Hosted by editor-at-large David Pierce, the show will take a look each week at the historical implications of a gadget, app, website, or product from consumer technology’s past. Initial episodes will cover the hoverboard, how Guitar Hero became a victim of its own success, and the rise and fall of TikTok predecessor Vine, among other topics.
The move is part of Vox’s increasing push into video podcasting; the company recently brought on Kevin McShane to lead its podcasting operation, and is expanding some of its podcasts, such as The Vergecast, into full-length video productions.
“The big theory behind the show is that A, it’s fun to talk about old tech, and B, there’s an awful lot to learn from old tech,” Pierce said in an announcement first shared with Semafor. “People have been having the same ideas about the future for decades — and what works and doesn’t is often as much about timing, and culture, and business, and regulatory regimes, than it is about design or processors. The story of every gadget or app is actually a story about people, and the world, and how we all live our lives.”