Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast

Episode: Tesla Gives Up on Model S & X!
Date: February 6, 2026
Hosts: Marques Brownlee (MKBHD), Andrew Manganelli, David Imel, with contributors Adam, Ellis, and Mariah

Main Theme & Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the recent announcement that Tesla will cease production of its iconic Model S and Model X, exploring what this means for Tesla and the broader EV market. The hosts also examine notable shifts in Tesla’s software strategy, Elon Musk's complicated company mergers (X.ai, SpaceX, X/Twitter), and their implications in tech and AI. Beyond Tesla, the crew discusses Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S26 and its (possible) omission of Qi2 wireless charging, Apple’s quiet sunset of its Pro Apps Education bundle, and Nintendo’s nostalgia-fueled hardware moves. To wrap up, they play “The Newlyweds Game” Waveform style, with some intense (and hilarious) trivia and teammate banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Tesla Discontinues Model S and Model X

• [04:36] Marques kicks off the “dead products” section with Tesla’s plan to stop producing the Model S and X – Tesla’s flagship, longest-running vehicles.
  • History Recap: The S and X followed the original Roadster and have represented Tesla’s technological vanguard, with features like Falcon Wing doors (X) and the high-performance Plaid variant (S).
  • Sales Data: Model 3 and Y now account for over 90% of Tesla sales (1.6M units in 2025), while S, X, and Cybertruck combined made up only ~54,000 worldwide.
  • Justification: Factory space is being allocated for the Optimus robot.
  • Memorable quote (Marques): “It’s not actually that surprising... They didn’t sell a ton, always just light refreshes here and there.” [05:40]
  • Co-host reactions: Not surprised, but note the symbolic weight—these models are staples that defined Tesla’s early promise.
  • Tesla Product Cancellations: Marques references previous Tesla backpedals, like Plaid Plus cancellation and continuously delayed Roadster.

2. Tesla's Changing Software Tactics

• [09:48] Andrew discusses recent changes to Tesla’s Full Self Driving (FSD):
  • Lane Centering/Auto Steer removed: New Model 3 and Y now lack auto steer as a base feature—now behind the FSD subscription paywall.
  • Industry Angle: Most cars now offer lane centering by default.
  • Motivation: To push more users toward the $99/month FSD subscription, boosting Tesla’s recurring revenue model.
  • Critique: Hosts call it “hypocritical” to tout Tesla as the safest while putting key safety features behind a paywall.
  • Memorable quote (Andrew): “This is now like one of the least technologically advanced cars in terms of ‘self driving’ unless you pay.” [10:58]

3. Elon Musk’s Mega-Mergers (SpaceX, X.ai, Twitter/X)

• [11:54] Ellis outlines the merger of SpaceX and X.ai (which acquired Twitter/X):
  • Economic Drivers: Xi is hemorrhaging $1B/month; SpaceX’s profits are being leveraged to prop it up.
  • Valuation: New conglomerate valued at over $1 trillion.
  • Musk’s Justification: The need to build AI data centers in space, only possible via SpaceX.
  • Criticism and Irony: Each merger seems to “solve” financial issues of another Musk venture.
  • Memorable quote (Marques): “What company does all these things? This is an even weirder set of companies... we also do rockets.” [14:03]
  • Dystopian Parody: Joking comparison to “Musk Industries” as the ultimate everything company.

4. Samsung Galaxy S26 & Qi2 Wireless Charging Drama

• [16:46] Rumor: S26 may lack Qi2 wireless charging/magnetic ring.
  • Leak details: Cases leaked in two variants (with & without magnetic ring), suggesting S26 won’t have Qi2/MagSafe-style magnets built in.
  • Market Miss: Hosts call this a missed opportunity — easy win given users’ existing MagSafe accessories.
  • Philosophical Angle: Samsung’s lack of innovation on flagship S lines, focusing on incremental updates and safe choices.
  • Memorable quote (Marques): “It would have been so easy to put the magnets!” [23:07]

5. Apple Quietly Cancels Pro Apps for Education Bundle

• [24:42] Apple’s $200 education bundle for Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and more is discontinued.
  • Still individual student discounts, but at much higher overall cost.
  • Hosts note: This is a “first crack in the wall” for one-time purchases in pro software.
  • Subscription Push: Correlates with Apple’s new Creator Studio subscription, aiming to move users to recurring revenue.
  • Critique: All major software companies are replacing ownership with subscriptions—Adobe, Avid, Apple, etc.
  • Quote (Marques): “This is the equivalent of what we were just talking about earlier with Tesla... leveraging people into the subscription.” [27:03]

6. AI Agents: Moltbot/OpenClaw, ‘Molt Book,’ and the Rise of “Persistent” AI

• [37:12] Ellis breaks down the “lobster craze” of the week: OpenClaw (formerly Moltbot, formerly Claudebot).
  • What it is: Open-source autonomous AI agent that runs locally on a Mac Mini/Raspberry Pi, accesses your personal digital life, and interfaces persistently via chat apps.
  • Hype Cycle: Brief viral explosion on social media (esp. SF) about its possibilities and some likely exaggerated claims (bots ordering food, making phone calls autonomously).
  • Security Concerns: Many attack vectors (social engineering, prompt injection); trusting an always-on agent with sweeping system access.
  • Skepticism: Most public “successes” questionable or possibly engagement farming.
  • “Molt Book”: Reddit-style forum for these bots to converse—raising mild AGI panic, but in reality mostly stochastic parroting.
  • Quote (Marques): “The ideal assistant... has to know as much as possible about you to be as useful as possible.” [41:38]
  • Societal Angle: Hype around AI “sentience” is financially and culturally motivated; reality is more mundane than headlines suggest.

7. Nintendo Switch 2, Virtual Boy Nostalgia, and the Innovation Stalemate

• [57:11] Nintendo is relaunching Virtual Boy (retro VR device), both as a physical replica and through Virtual Boy games on Switch Online.
  • Nostalgia Drives Everything: Debated whether Nintendo is too focused on reliving hits or creating new IP.
  • Quote (Marques): “All this nostalgia is just a missed opportunity... you have a new thing [the Switch], make Switch games!” [61:24]
  • Accessory News: Company launches Switch 2 controllers that mimic GameCube controllers; playful derision of “innovation” as just reinventing old hardware.

8. Game Segment: The “Newlyweds Game” (Waveform Edition)

• [73:20+] Andrew brings in a classic partner-matching quiz with tech twists:
  • Questions range from “first phone,” “company you complain about most,” “which tech company should be wiped off the map,” “most used emoji,” “what tech tattoo would you get,” and even “go-to Wawa sandwich.”
  • Memorable banter: Hilarious attempts to match each other's quirks (“I’m so mad I don’t get [the Quentin Tarantino answer],” Marques [87:21]).
  • Clutch confidence rounds and wild guesses—fun insight into the team's dynamics.

9. Waveform Trivia

• [108:43] Fulton Innovation started the Wireless Power Consortium not for vehicles, but for...water purifiers!
• Qi2 for Kitchens: The WPC’s kitchen appliance standard is called Ki (“kitchen induction”).
• Running Trivia Scores: Andrew leads, then David, then Marques.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Marques on Tesla canceling S/X:
  “We’ve become so familiar with Model S, Model X over time. They’ve been such staples that it’s kind of like, ‘Oh… they’re actually going away.’” [07:00]

• Andrew on Tesla features:
  “Without lane centering, if you don’t buy Full Self Driving, this is now, like, one of the least technologically advanced cars in ‘self driving.’” [10:58]

• Ellis on Musk Mergers:
  “Every time one of his companies merge, it’s to, like, solve the problem of another company.” [15:26]

• David on AI hype:
  “If we can convince the general public that this technology is more powerful than we understand, then it justifies the insane value… and putting more power in the Sam Altmans and Elon Musks of the world.” [48:54]

• Marques on Samsung’s missed opportunity:
  “It would have been so easy to put the magnets!” [23:07]

• Marques on Nintendo nostalgia:
  “All this nostalgia is just a missed opportunity... Make Switch games!” [61:24]

Important Timestamps

• [04:36] - Tesla ends Model S/X, reasons, and market analysis.
• [09:48] - Tesla FSD and feature removals.
• [11:54] - SpaceX/X.ai/Twitter merger and financial antics.
• [16:46] - Samsung S26 case leak and Qi2 debate.
• [24:42] - Apple ends Pro Apps for Education combo; subscription economy discussion.
• [37:12] - OpenClaw/Moltbot: Persistent AI agent hype/exposé.
• [57:11] - Nintendo Switch 2, Virtual Boy revival, and the nostalgia debate.
• [73:20+] - Newlyweds Game Segment (various fun partner questions).
• [108:43] - Trivia: Wireless charging’s true origin.

Tone and Banter

Consistently playful, geeky, and “in the trenches” (inside jokes, friendly ribbing, and meta-commentary). The team often mocks their own nostalgia, Millennials’ perpetual disappointment in Big Tech, and the endless hype cycles of AI and hardware. Game/trivia segments break up the more serious segments for comic relief.

For Listeners

This episode is essential for anyone tracking:

• The transition of Tesla from legacy flagships to “mainstream” and robots.
• How companies are pushing all users toward subscriptions—even for safety-critical car features and creative pro tools.
• Lampooning (and real discussion of) the wild west of persistent AI agents.
• The state of play in gadget nostalgia—does redoing the past stifle or sustain innovation?
• Insight into the real human relationships powering Waveform—plus plenty of laughs and tech culture in-jokes.

Skip: Ads, post-show credits, and contest announcements.

Visit YouTube.com/MKBHD for “Yiddle” (the studio’s annual vlog), referenced repeatedly throughout the episode.