Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast
Episode: Is Flighty a Top 5 App of All Time?
Date: March 27, 2026
Hosts: Marques Brownlee (MKBHD), Andrew Manganelli, David Imel, Ellis
Main Theme: A fast-paced, insight-packed discussion of tech news, ranging from Apple’s upcoming software, ads in Apple Maps, revelations in the Windows laptop space, the enduring utility of the Flighty app, rapid-fire gadget updates, and increasingly wild AI integration.
Episode Overview
This episode is a classic “everything’s happening” tech roundup, from fresh Apple rumors to a debate about whether the flight-tracking app Flighty deserves “top 5 app” status. The hosts cover new phone releases, Apple’s maturing AI ambitions, the awkwardness of ads in navigation apps, government tech bans, AI overreach, and a side of classic tech nerd banter.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Ergonomics of OS Design: Eject vs. Erase
[02:27 – 04:28]
- The team riff on the nerve-wracking proximity of “Eject” and “Erase” in context menus, both on Mac and Samsung devices.
- Adam: “Who decided that? … If you go into the files app and hit eject, it’s right next to erase.”
- Marques: “Even worse… both start with a capital E. … If you’re not paying attention…”
- Consensus: User-centric interface design should separate high-risk actions like “Erase” from benign ones like “Eject.”
- David [04:10]: “Engineer brain vs. designer brain… engineer thinks they’re both actions on a drive, designer knows they should never be neighbors.”
2. WWDC Announcement & The Next Evolution of Siri
[06:28 – 11:27]
- Apple's developer conference set for June 8th, with speculation about major AI integration (“Apple intelligence”) and a revamped Siri.
- Apple is allegedly working on a standalone Siri app styled like iMessage, speculated to leverage Gemini.
- Ellis: “It feels like it will possibly just kind of be a Gemini wrapper.”
- Andrew: “Why not just a pinned chat in Messages?”
- Integrating AI deeply into Apple’s ecosystem, akin to Google’s Gemini integration in Android.
- Ellis: “Apps will also be getting an ‘Ask with Siri’ option… Apple is following what Google is doing.”
- On iOS update schedules and beta release etiquette, the hosts explain why their own reporting is sometimes delayed.
- Marques [12:00]: “We try to follow the actual rules… So when the developer beta comes out… I wait.”
3. Apple Maps to Introduce Ads
[12:47 – 17:56]
- Apple will allow businesses to buy ads in Maps search results, mirroring Google and Yelp's approaches.
- Ellis: “Google Maps… has had ads for an extremely long period of time.”
- Marques: “Maps is a very personal app. Wouldn’t you rather have personalized ads than random ones? I never drink coffee, so why Starbucks?”
- Discussion on privacy implications and the broader shift toward software/service-driven revenue at Apple.
- Ellis: "Apple is in this weird place where it's slowly trying to transition towards other revenue sources..."
4. Is Flighty a Top 5 App Ever?
[18:05 – 21:18]
- Marques: “I think Flighty is top 5 app of all time.”
- The hosts debate Flighty’s niche yet essential status:
- If you fly a lot, it’s “unbelievably useful… Waze for airports.”
- Ellis: “United’s CEO literally said he wished they’d bought Flighty.”
- Discussion of new "Airport Intelligence" feature for broader airport status insights.
Notable Quote
- Marques [18:07]: “If you do fly a lot, Flighty is goated. And everybody who flies a lot knows that.”
5. Samsung’s New Mid-range Phones & The Battery Paradox
[21:28 – 23:17]
- The new Samsung A37 and A57 share the same battery spec as the flagship S26 Ultra.
- Andrew: “It’s one of those things where you're pumped for the cheap phone and bummed for the expensive phone.”
- Marques: “That is maybe the least ultra Ultra phone right now is the S26 Ultra.”
6. The Windows Laptop Problem & Vertical Integration
[23:29 – 37:11]
- Marques summarizes his recent YouTube video comparing Apple Silicon laptops with Windows competition:
- Apple’s vertical integration gives it a huge edge at both ends of the market.
- Windows manufacturers rely on many vendors, leading to “margin stacking” and bloatware to stay competitive.
- Andrew: “That’s literally the main problem... insane to do that.”
- Discussion branches into vertical integration vs. platform openness (Windows/Android vs. Apple).
- Riff on the persistent support for legacy tech in Windows as a positive:
- David: “I like that they support old graphics engines.”
Notable Quote
- Marques [25:29]: “Apple doesn’t need a big margin on Neo. It’s a Trojan horse for new customers who will spend way more on services.”
7. Google/Android vs. Apple—Ecosystem Gravity
[37:12 – 40:12]
- The pain of switching ecosystems; iMessage group chat “bullying” converts even seasoned Android reviewers.
- The dominance of “lock-in” features and peer pressure in platform choice.
8. Sora’s Shutdown: OpenAI Pulls the Plug
[46:27 – 50:36]
- OpenAI kills Sora (AI video generator) just months after launch.
- “It costs too much,” says Marques.
- Discussion of a billion-dollar Disney partnership that evaporated as a result.
- Meta’s failed attempt to compete, broader observation: most “AI slop” generators don’t last.
- Ellis: “We don’t need more AI slop.”
9. Instagram DMs Drop Encryption
[50:46 – 54:18]
- Meta announces end-to-end encryption in IG DMs is ending by May 8th (bleak privacy outlook).
- Andrew: "Meta is just not getting rid of encryption. They're just moving it to WhatsApp. ...without encryption, they can access your data to target ads and train AI."
- Pressure from US and UK agencies over child safety cited as a reason, but clearly data is a motivator.
10. Government Tech Bans: The U.S. Blocks Foreign Routers
[54:54 – 63:58]
- FCC bans sale of consumer routers not made in the US.
- Ellis: “It is so isolationist to say anyone not made in the United States.”
- Andrew: “It feels like this wild blanket ban that doesn’t actually help anything.”
- Questions about definitions (consumer vs. enterprise), feasibility, and how ISPs will adapt.
11. AI Overreach: Grammarly Impersonates Journalists
[64:24 – 75:44]
- Grammarly’s now-killed “Expert Review” feature misleadingly surfaced writing advice “from” real journalists (like Nilay Patel)—complete with verified badges.
- Marques: “The check mark is… attempting to trick a person into thinking it’s for real.”
- Intense debate over “inspired by” versus outright impersonation, and the risks of “catfishing” users with AI models.
- Andrew: “It's just impersonation and lying at that point.”
- Recap of Nilay Patel’s tense interview with Grammarly/Superhuman’s CEO on Decoder, recommended listening/watching.
12. Mouse Corner: The Haptic Button Revolution
[80:02 – 88:41]
- Andrew demos the Logitech Pro X2 Super Strike mouse, featuring fully haptic (not mechanical or optical) clicks.
- Ability to customize actuation, “rapid trigger,” etc.—deemed a significant innovation for competitive gaming.
- Excitement over customizability, curiosity about longevity.
13. Roundtable Banter, Trivia, & Community
[88:41 – End]
- High-spirited trivia about Apple TV Wikipedia pages and Apple Maps launch year.
- Miscellaneous debunking, basketball/film analogies, and a Streetlight Manifesto fan update.
Notable Quotes & Moments
- Marques, on Flighty [18:07]: “If you do fly a lot, Flighty is goated. And everybody who flies a lot knows that.”
- David, on Windows laptops [39:35]: “The data that Nilay’s brain was trained on are things like his childhood, like, things you can’t… You can’t do that, bro. It doesn’t work.”
- Ellis, on Instagram DMs [54:18]: “If you really care about privacy… don’t touch a Meta product.”
- Marques, on AI features [73:54]: “Free advice to any CEO: if you run a company that does any sort of AI product and your idea is to have it replace people in any way, think a little harder about how you think that's gonna go.”
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 02:27 — Did they even test this? ("Eject" vs. "Erase")
- 06:28 — WWDC dates, Siri revamp & Gemini
- 12:47 — Ads in Apple Maps
- 18:05 — Is Flighty a Top 5 App Ever? ("Waze for airports")
- 23:29 — Windows laptop problem, Apple Silicon’s edge
- 37:12 — Platform lock-in, iMessage vs. Android
- 46:27 — Sora AI Video Generator killed by OpenAI
- 50:46 — Instagram DMs lose encryption
- 54:54 — US bans foreign-made routers
- 64:24 — Grammarly impersonates journalists (and the tense Decoder interview)
- 80:02 — The new haptic Logitech mouse: hands-on demo
- 88:41 — Trivia, community shout-outs, and banter
Recommended/Referenced Content
- Marques’ YouTube video: “The Windows Laptop Problem”
- Nilay Patel’s Decoder interview with Grammarly/Superhuman’s CEO (for more context on the AI editorial impersonation)
- Dave2D’s video on Windows laptops vs. Apple Silicon pricing
Tone & Structure
Conversational, opinionated, and filled with asides and digressions, the hosts remain accessible but deep-dive into technical topics, mixing sharp analysis with irreverent tech humor. The episode blends breaking news with timeless tech issues (vertical integration! interface design!) and manages both “gadget head” excitement and serious privacy skepticism.
Final Takeaway
The Waveform crew effortlessly mixes playful banter with expert-level tech analysis, weighing the costs and consequences of every new feature, hardware upgrade, and AI overreach. Whether grappling with sticker design, the fate of OS platforms, or the ethics of AI-generated “expertise,” they remind us that in tech, details always matter—and team Flighty really, really loves to fly.