Transcript

David (0:00)

Adobe Acrobat.

Ellis (0:01)

Your team's home base. Collaborate within a shared PDF space. You've got your docs, your plans, your specs, and then invite the crew to build what's next. They talk off the teamwork. Here's an updated render. They think that this design could be a contender. And when somebody wonders what's the next steps, AI helps you finish the rest. Bolts are tight now. Your plan's refined. Run a smoother business when you're on the line.

David (0:25)

Do that with Acrobat.

Ellis (0:27)

Learn more@adobe.com Dothatwith Acrobat.

Marques (0:30)

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David (1:36)

Or middle. Actually, that was middle school.

Marques (1:38)

Black and yellow, black and yellow, black and yellow. Is that really middle? Yeah.

David (1:41)

Why are you shocked that I know that?

Marques (1:43)

I thought that was later than that

David (1:44)

old Black and Yellow song. Oh, it's actually called Black and Yellow 2012, 2010.

Ellis (1:50)

Wait, what did you think this song was called?

Marques (1:56)

Yo, what is up, people of the Internet? Welcome back to another episode of the Waveform podcast.

Adam (2:00)

Summary

Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast

Episode: Are These Apple’s Next Products?
Date: May 1, 2026
Host: Marques Brownlee (MKBHD), with David, Ellis, Adam, and Mariah

Episode Overview

In this episode, the Waveform crew dives deep into the swirling rumors about Apple’s next big hardware moves, debates the meaning of “Ultra” in the Apple ecosystem, breaks down recent AI-driven feature leaks, and dissects both Apple’s and Samsung's upcoming product categories—from AI AirPods and smart glasses to security cameras and quirky, wearable pendants. They also touch on something potentially seismic: OpenAI’s rumored foray into the smartphone world. Along the way, the hosts riff on sports, user experience gripes, and the pros and cons of tech’s relentless push into our daily habits.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Apple “Ultra” Branding and Event Rumors

[02:38–08:00]

Apple CEO Transition:
- John Ternus is now set to headline Apple's September event, largely due to his leadership on the rumored foldable "iPhone Ultra." Previously, Tim Cook would do the introduction and hand-offs.
- “Turnus doing the introing and then the people who are alleged.” (Marques, 04:06)
iPhone Ultra:
- Expected to be Apple’s first foldable. Price predictions range from $2,000 to $2,500+.
- “A brand new $2,700 iPhone Ultra seems like it's going to get a lot of attention.” – Marques [05:05]
What does “Ultra” mean at Apple?:
- Group debates if “Ultra” should imply ruggedness (like Apple Watch Ultra), maximum specs, or both.
- “In Apple land, what does Ultra mean? Ultra would be...” (Marques, 03:51)
Leadership optics:
- The team riffs on how Apple might present this handover theatrically—are the Cook and Ternus duo about to go full Keynote musical?
- "I'd be here for it." – David, about a humorous Apple event handoff [07:42]

2. AI-Driven Photo Features Coming to iOS

[12:07–17:38]

Apple is rumored to be adding new AI photo tools in iOS 27:
- Extend: Apple's take on Photoshop’s “Generative Expand,” automatically expanding image borders.
- Enhance: Auto photo tweaks for color/lighting.
- Reframe: Wildest feature—change a Spatial photo’s perspective after taking it.
  - “My question is like, how much can you change the perspective?” – David [13:25]
- The group wonders: will Apple allow wild generative edits or play its typical “protect reality” philosophy?
Ethical Line between Apple & Google:
- Apple’s product philosophy generally prioritizes authenticity; Google leans into “let it fly, baby.”
- “Apple’s a little bit more like, we want to make cool tools, but we don’t want to make anything that you could potentially do anything...nefarious with.” – Ellis [17:11]

3. Real-World Photo Edits & AI: User Stories, Skepticism

[18:05–21:45]

Ellis’ subway story:
- Young kids adapt to photo-AI faster than adults—one fixes a badly-lit photo on a Pixel while the dad is mind-blown.
  - “Not only are people using these features, but children are very aware of how capable you are.” – Ellis [19:37]
Skepticism about AI fixing faces:
- “If it does it in the wrong way, it just like completely ruins the memory.” – Adam [20:18]
- More training data can enhance results, but increases privacy risks.

4. Mark Gurman’s List: Apple’s Six Secret Product Categories

[21:45–37:37] (Breakdown and rapid-fire opinions for each concept)

a. AI AirPods (with Cameras? Sensors?)

“AI AirPods is adding sensors and more compute…almost a little more standalone.” – Marques [22:44]
Privacy concerns: Would anyone want a camera in their ear? Apple’s privacy reputation comes into debate.

b. Smart Glasses (with/without displays)

Expected, but hardware rigidity is a challenge if display-based.
“If we learned one thing from talking to the meta glasses engineers, it's that bendy smart glasses with displays are not good.” – Ellis [29:57]

c. Smart Display/HomePad

Apple home hub with a screen seems “so obvious” but still doesn’t exist.
"Why haven't they done this yet?" – Marques [30:40]

d. Tabletop Robot (iPad on an Arm, Pixar Lamp-like)

Recalls Apple’s animatronic-lamp research—could this be its culmination?
“They built a smart lamp...and they did all of this testing to see what kind of moves does this robot lamp need to make to make people like it?” – Ellis [31:41]

e. AI Pendant/Necklace

Wearability and fashion vs. privacy/functionality.
“What cognition are you willing to offload? And I’m not sure context is the kind of cognition I want to offload.” – Ellis [37:37]

f. Apple Security Camera

Demand for Apple-encrypted, secure cameras is high given Ring’s privacy issues.
“I would hope that we get the Apple encryption treatment on the Apple camera.” – Ellis [40:42]

5. Samsung’s Galaxy Glasses – Meta/Ray-Ban Competitor

[46:41–53:17]

Dual-camera “Galaxy Glasses” leaks: No display initially, but two cameras and AI features, competitive pricing ($379–$499).
Uses for dual cameras: Stereoscopic video, depth perception for VR/AR ecosystems.
“If you’re wearing glasses and recording your daughter at her birthday party, I’m gonna make fun of you.” – Adam [51:24]
Social hurdles for wearable cameras remain high, with many seeing these as “training data” harvesters for companies.

6. Rapid Fire Tech News & Reactions

Spotify Premium now includes Peloton classes

[53:42–57:19]

Only “hardware-free” classes, e.g., yoga, pilates.
“Spotify should not be a fitness company.” – David [57:33]

Google Photos “AI Try On” for clothes you already own

[58:27–64:45]

Allows users to mix and match items virtually.
Skepticism about accuracy: “Clothes drape over your body in a way that an AI just cannot predict…” – Ellis [58:39]
But some excitement for “Clueless”-style digital wardrobes.

7. OpenAI’s Rumored Smartphone—A New Challenger?

[66:13–73:49]

Rumors: OpenAI is co-designing a phone with Luxshare, late talks with Qualcomm/MediaTek, targeted for 2027.
The group’s take: Is there any real user value? Or is this a (massive) play to accumulate contextual data and catch up to Apple & Google?
“If you believe in this future...you have to launch a version of it before it’s ready to have early adopters start to help you make it better and train it.” – Marques [69:48]
Skeptical about mass appeal: “When I think of an open AI phone, I think of the crypto phone, the Solana phone, saga. They’re all...real, but like, no one has them.” – Mariah [72:10]

8. Threads Live Chats: New Social Features for Events

[78:59–83:12]

Threads adds “live chats” for events—potentially a way to live blog during tech releases or sports games.
Could be powerful for organizing live, shared experiences around tech keynotes.

9. Google’s Massive Icon Redesign for Gemini Era

[83:13–86:57]

All Google apps now thoroughly “on-brand” with gradient Gemini iconography.
Previous icons were too similar; new system brings clarity.
Bonus: Google Keep is alive and has a new icon, so is Google Sites (for now).

10. YouTube TV Multiview—Multi-game, Multi-app Possibilities

[87:09–92:05]

YouTube TV launches flexible multiview layouts (multiple games/channels at once).
Lament: Why can’t YouTube proper do this?
- “Just do it with YouTube, you cowards.” – Mariah [89:53]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Apple Event Leadership Change:
“He’s the one that opens, starts passing it to other people. Previously it would be Tim Cook, right. He’s the CEO... Now it’ll be Turnus doing the introing.” – Marques [04:06]
On Apple’s Price Psychology:
“He got on stage and he was like, and the stand will be $999. And everyone went, oh. And he just moved on. That was getting jumped in, man.” – Marques [06:21]
AI Feature Ethics:
“We don't do that [generative AI images] intentionally because we try to keep the original thesis of capturing a moment that actually happened.” – Marques [16:25]
Children as AI Natives:
“Not only are people using these features, but children are very aware of how capable you are.” – Ellis [19:37]
On AI Privacy Trust:
“Anytime Apple is going to have a camera that is always pointed at people... people are gonna feel nervous.” – David [26:25]
On “AI Offloading Cognition”:
“As soon as you don the pendant and you begin not being as aware because you can sort of just be like, oh, the pendant will remember that... your short term memory is just gone.” – Ellis [39:25]
Wearing Tech = Feeding the AI:
"All these companies... are just trying to get training data, and they're like, oh, we'll give you some cute glasses in exchange for you being our little lab rat." – Ellis [53:16]

Timestamps for Key Segments

[02:38] “Ultra” branding at Apple & foldable iPhone event rumors
[12:07] iOS AI photo editing features leak (Extend, Enhance, Reframe)
[18:05] Real-world story of AI photo edits (Pixel on the subway)
[21:45] Mark Gurman’s Six categories of secret Apple products
[34:06] Apple AI pendant/neclace – how much memory do we offload to AI?
[40:42] Apple security cameras and HomeKit ecosystem expansion
[46:41] Samsung’s leaked Galaxy AI Glasses details and debate
[53:42] Spotify Premium adds Peloton classes
[58:27] Google Photos “AI Try On” for clothes you own
[66:13] OpenAI’s rumored iPhone competitor
[78:59] Threads launches live chats for events
[83:13] Google’s massive Gemini icon redesign
[87:09] YouTube TV multiview and the call for YouTube multitasking

Tone & Style Highlights

Conversational, playful, tech-nerd banter with plenty of jokes, self-deprecation (“I got you, bro!”), and story-telling.
Candid debate on privacy, user experience, and AI’s creep into human skills (“What cognition do you want to offload?”).
Sports metaphors and rivalries keeping tech talk personal and light.
Quick, nerdy asides on product history, Apple naming conventions, and design ethics.

Final Thoughts

If you're a fan of MKBHD’s analytical yet chill style, this episode is a buffet of Apple rumors, rapid-fire takes on the looming proliferation of AI-infused hardware, and spicy debate on the ethics—and quirks—of future tech. The team’s skepticism of OpenAI’s phone idea, playful roasting of wearables, and ever-present attention to user privacy gives depth to the wild rumor cycle swirling around 2026’s product pipelines.

For an in-depth look at the tech world’s near future—and some laugh-out-loud analogies along the way—this episode delivers.