Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast

Episode Summary – “EXCLUSIVE: Lots of Drama Around OnePlus”

Date: January 23, 2026
Hosts: Marques Brownlee (MKBHD), Andrew Manganelli, David Imel, Miles, Ellis

Overview

This episode of Waveform dives deep into several hot tech topics currently stirring up the industry. The main focus is the recent controversy and confusion surrounding OnePlus—fuelled by an “exclusive” (and potentially AI-written) article that sparked shutdown rumors. The hosts also discuss the increasing prevalence of ads in tech products (from OpenAI’s ChatGPT to Nova Launcher and Threads), highlight a big shakeup in the TV world involving Sony and TCL, talk through updates in the YouTube ecosystem, and more. Throughout, the team keeps the discussion lively, skeptical, and full of their signature friendly jabs.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Netflix Introduces Live Voting & Live Events

[01:54–05:13]

• Netflix is rolling out live voting features for events, reminiscent of past TV hits like American Idol.
• Hosts are skeptical given Netflix’s history of botched live events, especially “Love Is Blind” and “boxing events” streams that crashed or lagged.
  • “If you’re aware of any previous Netflix Live events, you know, there’s zero chance this works for quite a while… I can’t tell how many Netflix Live things…that just were massively delayed or didn’t work at all.” – Andrew [02:51]
• Special mention: Alex Honnold’s live free solo climb of Taipei 101 is set for Netflix—elicits both fascination and fear from the hosts.

2. OpenAI (ChatGPT) Adds Ads

[06:09–14:37]

• OpenAI has officially introduced ads to the ChatGPT Go tier (originally piloted in India) as it expands globally.
• There’s concern about privacy and AI ethics:
  • Potential manipulation of AI results to favor ad placements.
    • “If it knows it can serve an ad with a certain response where it couldn’t with another response, it might choose the response to also serve an ad.” – Marques [08:45]
  • Reference to past statements from OpenAI’s Sam Altman:
    • “In 2024, he said, ‘I kind of think of ads as a last resort as a business model.’” – Andrew [06:51]
    • Just two years later, ads are rolled out—leads to trust concerns.
• Demis Hassabis (Google DeepMind CEO) takes a subtle dig, noting Gemini (Google’s AI) has no plans for ads and suggesting OpenAI’s move is financially motivated:
  • “Regarding OpenAI testing ads, maybe they feel they need to make more revenue.” [09:38]
• The hosts compare data collection depth in ChatGPT to Meta and Google and worry about what hyper-targeted advertising could look like.

3. Nova Launcher’s Ad-Tracking Drama

[14:44–18:34]

• Nova Launcher—a beloved Android launcher—was sold to InstaBridge after layoffs left only the founder, Kevin Barry, at the company.
• Post-acquisition changes:
  • Facebook and Google ad-tracking code added.
  • Plans to add ads to the free tier (Nova Prime remains ad-free).
  • “So now there are ad tracking things in Nova Launcher already.” – Andrew [16:21]
• The team is nostalgic about the “Golden Days” of Nova.
  • “People installed Nova on every single Samsung phone because of how bad TouchWiz... we all kind of prefer just a clean looking stockish Android launcher.” – Marques [16:50]
• Alternatives like Niagara Launcher are discussed.

4. Sony & TCL: Major TV Industry Shake-Up

[18:34–23:39]

• Sony is in talks with TCL to create a joint TV company, with Sony owning 49% and TCL 51%.
• This could bring Sony’s high-end Bravia tech (especially their image processing SOCs) to more affordable TVs.
  • “What actually makes a Sony Bravia TV really high quality is not the panel… it’s really their SOC and their image pipeline… TCL uses their resources for manufacturing. You could theoretically see much cheaper Bravia TVs in people’s homes.” – Miles [19:23]
• The hosts reminisce about Sony’s reputation in the TV market, CRT innovations (Trinitron), and status-symbol TVs.
  • “You’d go into a store and be like, oh, all the TVs are bad. And then there’s the Sony.” – David [23:16]

5. Threads Rolls Out Ads (and Social Media Metrics Skepticism)

[23:34–25:55]

• Meta’s Threads app starts rolling out ads globally.
• The hosts are cynical about reports of Threads “overtaking Twitter” in app usage, calling out tricks like auto-onboarding from Instagram.
• Discussion on the nature of engagement farming:
  • “Threads is still in its engagement farming days… but it’s starting to get a little…All social media platforms are just engagement farming.” – Marques & Miles [24:36]
  • Concern that ad load will inevitably climb.

6. MAIN SEGMENT – OnePlus “Shutdown” Article Controversy

[34:48–53:32]

• An Android Headlines article titled “Exclusive: OnePlus is being dismantled” created panic, but the team breaks down:
  • The article recycled public info and rumors and added nothing new or exclusive. Structurally, it reads like it was heavily AI-assisted (confirmed later by site owner).
  • “It felt very much written by ChatGPT… by the third of the waypoint, it was painfully obvious.” – Marques [36:49]
  • “Red flag number one—why hide that at the beginning? Why put a different person’s name? Why not write your own article?” – Marques [39:03]
• Major reasons for skepticism:
  • Sloppy “exclusive” label (clickbait).
  • Author name swap to leverage a more viral reporter.
  • OnePlus has officially denied shutdown rumors.
    • “OnePlus has since come out and just clarified that they are not shutting down… recent unverified reports… are false.” – Marques [40:36]
• The team analyzes larger issues facing OnePlus:
  • Restructuring of BBK sub-brands.
  • Ongoing rumors about market withdrawals and leadership legal issues.
  • The necessity and utility of sub-brands for Chinese companies (privacy, market segmentation, and entry into places like the US).
  • The story arc of OnePlus, Carl Pei’s exit, and nostalgia for peak models (7/7T and OnePlus One).
    • “The OnePlus One wasn’t their best phone ever, but one of the best deals ever, and it actually lived up to the hype.” – Marques [47:20]
  • “Reports of their death have been greatly exaggerated.” – Miles [53:32]

7. YouTube CEO’s “State of the Union” & Platform Updates

[63:38–82:44]

• Every January, YouTube CEO Neil Mohan publishes a letter with data (“We’re still huge”) and new initiatives.
  • YouTube is the dominant, stable platform for creator businesses.
    “The creator economy is still mostly YouTube... the most stable version of that is a YouTube one.” – Marques [64:33]
• Educational angle: 79% of US teachers who use YouTube find it improves learning. Not universal embrace, but notable.
• Shorts & parental controls: New features let parents limit or block Shorts for kids.
• Push for video content to receive traditional media accolades (Emmys, Oscars):
  • Hosts are dismissive, suggesting YouTube doesn’t need “validation” from TV/film institutions.
• Major Technical Update: Baked-In Ads That Can Be Dynamically Removed
  • YouTube is working on tools to let creators insert sponsor messages that disappear after a set number of views.
    • “A tool to allow YouTube to control how long that baked-in ad is viewable and then removes it… for the first X views, and then removes when it hits that view count.” – Marques [68:28]
  • Pros & Cons:
    • Advertisers get precise ROI.
    • Could lower rates if sponsors only pay for initial views.
    • Could enable dynamic, retroactive ads on existing library.
    • Raises user experience questions, especially for Premium subscribers.
    • “If you’re a YouTube Premium subscriber, you don’t want ads… but now they are kind of controlling it.” – Andrew [74:41]
  • Concern (and some humor) about YouTube’s lack of UI for chaptering and corrections despite dynamic ad rollouts.
    • “Three truths in life: death, taxes, and chapters breaking within the first hour.” – Miles [74:35]
• AI on YouTube:
  • Expansion of generative tools for creators, including ones for Shorts using user likeness (“I can’t wait to make us dance.” – Ellis [80:35])
  • YouTube claims efforts to fight “AI slop” (bad AI-generated videos).
  • Noted: The system for chapters and corrections still relies on manual description hacks, which the hosts find endlessly frustrating.

8. Verizon Outage & Customer Compensation

[58:32–62:45]

• Recent widespread Verizon outage; company offered $20 credits to affected customers (with some skepticism about who actually claims it).
• The panel compares it to poor compensation provided by airlines for massive delays.
  • “There’s no way to accurately assess the amount of inconvenience you’ve caused and appropriately compensate everyone. $20 to every customer who lost service… seems fine.” – Marques [59:57]

Memorable Quotes

• “It’s one of those things where it put a lot of things in one article that I think could have been a useful article… but slapping an exclusive badge on it and offering no exclusive information is, like, very clickbaity.” – Miles [39:59]
• “People installed Nova on every single Samsung phone because of how bad TouchWiz… we all kind of prefer just a clean looking stockish Android launcher.” – Marques [16:50]
• “If they know it can serve an ad with a certain response… it might choose the response to also serve an ad.” – Marques [08:45]
• “They always seem to want to prove they’re better than TV by doing TV stuff… your audience loves you for what you are.” – Marques [67:11]
• “The long tail progression of this is always worse than you think. A lot of times when tech CEOs say, ‘We’ll never do this,’ about two years later they start doing it.” – Miles [09:09]

Notable Timestamps for Segment Skipping

• Netflix live voting discussion: [01:54–05:13]
• OpenAI (ChatGPT) adds ads: [06:09–14:37]
• Nova Launcher acquisition/ad drama: [14:44–18:34]
• Sony/TCL TV joint venture: [18:34–23:39]
• Threads global ad rollout: [23:34–25:55]
• OnePlus drama/main segment: [34:48–53:32]
• Trivia (fun banter and Easter eggs): [53:43, 86:36, 87:30]
• YouTube State of the Union: [63:38–82:44]
• Verizon outage compensation: [58:32–62:45]

Tone & Closing Thoughts

The hosts balance skepticism and humor, dishing out critique for clickbaity journalism (especially when AI is involved), expressing concern at mounting ad encroachment in beloved products, and maintaining the perspective of techie consumers. Despite frustrations with the industry’s direction (more ads, more AI slop), there’s still excitement about technology, nostalgia for simpler days, and honest appreciation for companies that get it right.

“Reports of their death have been greatly exaggerated.” – Miles [53:32]

Podcast produced by Adam Molina and Ellis Irvin, a part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.