Are These Apple’s Next Products?

In this three-part episode of Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast, hosts Marquez, David, Ellis, Andrew, and Paul dive into a dynamic mix of tech speculation, cultural commentary, and playful trivia. The discussion kicks off with buzz around Apple’s rumored foldable iPhone Ultra, potentially launching under new CEO John Ternus, sparking debate over its $2,000+ price tag and the evolving meaning of 'Ultra' in Apple’s product lineup. The hosts explore Apple’s expanding AI ambitions, particularly the new iOS 27 photo tools like 'Extend,' 'Enhance,' and the controversial 'Reframe' feature that uses spatial data to alter image perspective—raising ethical concerns about memory manipulation and AI-generated content. They also speculate on Apple’s rumored foray into AI wearables, including AI AirPods, smart glasses, a HomePad smart display, a wearable pendant, and a security camera, prompting deeper questions about privacy and cognitive offloading. The conversation broadens to include Samsung’s leaked Galaxy smart glasses, Spotify’s Peloton class integration, and the explosive rumor that OpenAI is building its own AI smartphone—a venture the hosts deem financially reckless due to app ecosystem and trust challenges. Threads’ new live chat feature for events is praised as a potential game-changer for real-time community engagement, likened to a public Slack, while Google’s gradient-based icon redesign and YouTube TV’s multi-view layout are celebrated for improving usability and user experience. The episode wraps with a lighthearted trivia round testing knowledge of Apple’s FairPlay DRM, the 2019 debut of dark mode, and regional geography mix-ups between Alabama and Arkansas—highlighting how public perception often lags behind reality, such as the persistent myth that Jeff Bezos still runs Amazon, despite Tim Cook’s long-standing leadership at Apple.