Podcast Summary: Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast
Episode: Tim Cooked and Now it's John’s Ternus!
Release Date: April 24, 2026
Hosts: Marques Brownlee (MKBHD), David Imel, Chris Welch, Ellis Riven
Episode Overview
This episode, with Andrew absent for family reasons, features Marques, David, Chris, and Ellis discussing sweeping changes in the tech industry: Tim Cook officially stepping down as Apple’s CEO and John Ternus becoming his successor. The conversation pivots around Apple’s history under Cook, the implications for Ternus’s leadership, speculation about Apple’s future hardware ambitions, and other notable tech stories, including Google Pixel rumors, Motorola’s controversial lawsuit against influencers, and Steph Curry’s Fitbit leak. The tone is lively, candid, and peppered with the team’s characteristic humor and inside jokes.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Tim Cook’s Departure and John Ternus’s Appointment
Timestamps: 04:44–24:00
2. Apple’s Services Business and Future Possibilities
Timestamps: 21:03–24:41
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Services Revenue:
- Chris points out Apple’s services division is now a $100 billion business:
"Apple Services has been a major focus area of Cooks. And during his tenure, the category has grown to become a more than $100 billion business." (21:05)
-
Acquisitions Debate:
- The team wonders why Apple, despite having weak areas (e.g., Fitness+), rarely makes big acquisitions to quickly boost product quality—possibly due to brand-dilution fears.
-
Future Product Hopes:
- Ideas the group would love to see: Apple Camera, genuine HomePod competitors, and more experimental hardware.
- But always emphasizing anchor to iPhone:
"They will never ship something that steps on the feet of the iPhone." (24:12)
3. Google Pixel Rumors: The Return of the RGB Light Bar
Timestamps: 39:31–47:12
4. Motorola Suing Influencers in India
Timestamps: 51:36–54:28
5. Steph Curry’s Unreleased Fitbit Leak
Timestamps: 54:43–63:39
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Story:
- Steph Curry (NBA, Golden State Warriors) has been repeatedly spotted with an unidentified Fitbit-style band, inspiring speculation about a new, more subtle Fitbit product to rival Whoop.
“He was able to catch multiple, multiple, multiple glimpses of Steph Curry wearing this unannounced Fitbit band that is supposed to compete with Whoop.” (59:24)
-
Panel’s Take:
- Universal excitement for a minimal, “band-only” fitness tracker with deep analytics (“Fitbit Air,” according to rumors).
- Discussion on product design and wearability; most hope it will work with traditional watches and have long battery life.
“If I can just have the little tracker with these in depth analytics... I think that would be pretty interesting.” (63:39)
6. Oppo Find X9 Ultra: When Phone Photography Goes Overboard
Timestamps: 65:22–73:41
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Debate:
- Marques shows the team an insane modular phone camera rig (case, lens, fan, grip attachments) for an Oppo phone and questions the point at which upgrading a phone for “pro” performance is just overkill.
“Why are you using your phone? Still, spend all of that on a cheap camera that will do better... I think there's a Goldilocks zone to how much it's acceptable to improve your phone camera before you're just going too far.” (67:31)
-
Conclusion:
- The convenience of phone cameras is lost once rigs become unwieldy; at that point, a dedicated camera is both easier and better.
7. Quick News Roundup
Timestamps: 73:41–81:52
-
GoPro Mission 1 Series Launches (76:43)
- New modular action cameras, details on pricing and GoPro’s subscription model.
-
iPhone Pro New Colors Rumor (78:34)
- Panel debates the merits of new iPhone colorways—silver, light blue, dark cherry, dark gray—and the demise of orange.
-
Huawei Pura X Max Fold Launch (81:36)
- New “short king” vertical foldable with high-end specs, but international availability remains unclear.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Cook vs. Ternus:
“He is not thinking about that stuff as often…The word he came up with was ergonomics.”
— Marques (06:36)
-
On Apple’s innovation pace:
“Apple is like the YouTuber that uploads every six months…just straight bangers.”
— Marques (09:19)
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On “product variety” at Apple:
“Instead of making a folding phone and a flat folding phone and then a skinny phone…they’re just like, here’s the iPhone and here’s the other...”
— Marques (11:33)
-
Pixel’s potential LED bar:
“Multicolor LEDs?...I’m in.”
— Marques (41:19)
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On Motorola’s PR disaster:
“There are two ways to respond to criticism. One is to make your product better, and one is to make it worse by, you know, getting aggressive.”
— David (52:40)
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On Steph Curry’s Fitbit:
“Elite athlete chooses to use this product before it comes out…best possible endorsement.”
— Marques (60:40)
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On over-accessorizing phone cameras:
“Why are you using your phone? Still, spend all of that on a cheap camera that will do better than whatever you’re about to shoot on your phone.”
— Marques (67:31)
Additional Fun & Tangents
- Trivia sections on Tim Cook’s origins and favorite soda (spoiler: it’s Diet Mountain Dew), with much playful banter (36:13; 86:32).
- The group’s sports allegiances, Philadelphia 76ers rant, and NBA/tech culture intersections (84:17).
- Lighthearted bickering about iPhone color choices, Watch bands, and long-standing podcast jokes about “Team Bottom,” “Chef Curry,” and more.
Timeline of Important Segments
| Topic | Timestamp |
|------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|
| Tim Cook steps down, John Ternus incoming | 04:44–24:41 |
| Apple Services business, future products | 21:03–24:41 |
| Google Pixel “Pixel Glow” LED rumors | 39:31–47:12 |
| Motorola sues Indian influencers | 51:36–54:28 |
| Steph Curry’s leaked Fitbit | 54:43–63:39 |
| Oppo Find X9 Ultra pro photography rig | 65:22–73:41 |
| Tech News Quick Hits | 73:41–81:52 |
| Fun, Trivia, and Final Banter | 84:14–end |
Final Thoughts
This episode offers a deep, lively, and geeky dive into Apple’s leadership change and what it could mean for the future of the world’s biggest tech company, while also serving up a balanced mix of product rumors, industry gossip, and candid panel insights. The team’s banter, analogies, and easy rapport make even the most technical topics fun and accessible for regular listeners and tech diehards alike.
