GoKawiilVerge podcast traces how Texas Instruments cornered graphing calculator market
The Verge's Version History podcast released a new episode examining how Texas Instruments built and maintained near-total dominance of the graphing calculator business since the early 2000s. Hosts David Pierce, Nilay Patel, and Victoria Song discuss the company's history as part of a back-to-school themed season that will also cover One Laptop Per Child, Chromebooks, LeapPad, and overhead projectors.
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TI's calculator monopoly is a rare case of a single hardware product persisting essentially unchanged in classrooms for over two decades despite the rise of smartphones and free calculator apps, largely due to standardized testing requirements. The episode highlights how education procurement and testing rules can entrench a company's market position far longer than typical consumer tech cycles allow.
- The Verge's Version History podcast is covering the history of TI graphing calculators in its new episode.
- The season focuses on nostalgic back-to-school technology, including Oregon Trail, LeapPad, and Chromebooks.
- Ad-free access to the podcast is available for Verge subscribers through their account settings.
Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus CE — This is the very calculator whose decades-long dominance the episode explores, still a staple on school supply lists today. Great for students who need a reliable, widely-supported graphing calculator for math and science classes. It's the modern successor to the classic TI models discussed in the podcast.
See Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus CE on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: theverge.com — Verge Staff, 2026-09-20
Published there as: “The hidden monopoly behind your TI graphing calculator”
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