Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast

Phones Will Cost More, but This Camera Is Free?

January 16, 2026

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  • Apple is officially partnering with Google to use Gemini as the foundation model for the next generation of Siri, which is expected to roll out features starting this spring. 
  • The rising cost of memory components, highlighted by Carl Pei, suggests that future smartphones, especially entry to mid-tier models, may see price increases or spec downgrades in 2026. 
  • The Fujifilm X Half camera, designed to mimic early 2000s point-and-shoots, is struggling to sell at its high $850 launch price, leading retailers to bundle it for free with the purchase of the X-T5 camera. 
  • The integration of Grok into the X platform led to controversy over non-consensual deepfake media being easily accessible, prompting calls for Apple and Google to remove the app from their stores. 
  • The C8 Corvette ZR1X is highlighted as an unprecedented outlier in performance per dollar, achieving straight-line acceleration times comparable to multi-million dollar hypercars like the Rimac Nevera. 
  • The hosts used tech analogies to explain non-tech news, comparing the ZR1X's value proposition to a hypothetical OnePlus phone with a flagship camera, and the Trae Young trade to trading a top-tier product (OnePlus 15) for lesser accessories (CMF Phone 2 Pro and Buds). 

Segments

Apple Creator Studio Subscription
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(00:11:05)
  • Key Takeaway: Apple Creator Studio bundles apps for $13/month, offering significant savings over standalone purchases, especially for students at $3/month.
  • Summary: Apple introduced the Creator Studio Suite, a subscription service costing $13 monthly or $130 annually, bundling apps like Final Cut Pro and Pixelmator. Standalone purchases like Final Cut Pro ($300) offer infinite updates, which is maintained even with the subscription. Students receive a massive discount at $3 per month or $30 annually, which is significantly cheaper than the $5/month iPad versions of Final Cut and Logic alone.
Tesla FSD Subscription Shift
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(00:19:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Tesla is eliminating the one-time purchase option for Full Self-Driving (FSD) on February 14th, making it subscription-only.
  • Summary: Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature will no longer be available for a single upfront payment after February 14th, transitioning entirely to a subscription model, rumored to be around $99 per month. A positive aspect of the subscription is that it transfers to a new car, unlike the one-time purchase which was locked to the original vehicle. Tesla previously leveraged this by activating FSD on leased cars before reselling them at a higher retail value.
Apple’s Gemini Siri Partnership
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(00:21:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Apple confirmed using Google’s Gemini as the foundation model for the new Siri, running queries on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute.
  • Summary: Apple confirmed a partnership where Gemini will power the foundation models for the upcoming Siri overhaul, ensuring queries are processed on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute, not shared with Google. This integration is expected to finally bring significant improvements to Siri, potentially enabling advanced visual search capabilities similar to Android’s Circle to Search. The announcement was made via a brief, joint statement, suggesting Apple intends to keep the Google dependency behind the scenes.
Smartphone Price Increase Predictions
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(00:37:48)
  • Key Takeaway: A memory shortage is predicted to force smartphone brands to either raise prices by 30% or downgrade specifications in 2026.
  • Summary: Carl Pei tweeted that due to a massive increase in memory costs, driven partly by data center demand, smartphone prices must rise or specs must fall. He noted that components costing $20 a year ago could exceed $100 by year-end for top-tier models. Larger companies like Apple may absorb this cost short-term due to pre-negotiated contracts, but smaller brands selling lower-priced phones are more vulnerable to price hikes.
Fujifilm X Half Price Drop
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(00:47:36)
  • Key Takeaway: The Fujifilm X Half, initially launched at $850, is now being given away free with the purchase of the X-T5 camera kit.
  • Summary: The Fujifilm X Half, designed as a fun, intentionally flawed camera for Gen Z, launched at $850 but is now being heavily discounted due to poor sales. Retailers are bundling the camera for free with the purchase of the older X-T5 flagship model, likely to clear inventory before the rumored X-T6 release in September. This move highlights the difficulty in justifying a high price point for a product focused purely on fun and aesthetic over raw performance.
Grok’s Uncensored Image Generation
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(00:51:51)
  • Key Takeaway: X’s Grok LLM enabled uncensored image manipulation, leading to non-consensual deepfakes and subsequent regulatory action.
  • Summary: Following the release of Grok’s image manipulation feature on X, users created non-consensual intimate deepfakes, prompting regulatory responses in the UK and EU to retain related documents. In response, X moved the image manipulation feature to its Premium tier, though the dedicated Grok app bypasses this restriction. The US Senate also passed a bill allowing civil damages suits against those who request non-consensual deepfakes.
Grok Deepfake Controversy Fallout
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(00:53:17)
  • Key Takeaway: The U.S. Senate passed a bill allowing civil damages suits against those who use non-consensual deepfakes generated by AI like Grok.
  • Summary: Grok’s media tab initially displayed non-consensual images of people in swimsuits, leading to its media file being removed and the feature being restricted to premium users, though the dedicated app bypasses this. Sundar Pichai and Tim Cook were criticized for not immediately pulling X from their app stores due to political reasons. The Senate passed a bill allowing victims of non-consensual deepfakes to sue for civil damages, potentially targeting the person who prompted the image creation.
Razor Hologram and Grok Integration
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(00:55:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Razor announced it will use Grok for its new hologram product, which is noted to resemble other similar white-labeled products like AI Holobox.
  • Summary: The announcement of Razor using Grok for their hologram device was seen as fitting their brand persona, which the hosts find disappointing. Several similar products utilizing translucent glass and LEDs, such as AI Holobox, appear to be white-labeling Project Ava technology. The hosts expressed disappointment that Razor is leaning into a potentially ‘creepy’ persona by integrating Grok.
Flip Video Ultra Trivia Setup
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(00:57:52)
  • Key Takeaway: The 2007 Flip Video Ultra was the ‘granddaddy of all YouTube cameras,’ capturing 13% of the camcorder market with its simple interface and built-in USB.
  • Summary: The hosts transitioned to trivia, focusing on the iconic 2007 Flip Video Ultra, known for its minimal menus and direct publishing to YouTube or AOL Video. This device captured 13% of the camcorder market and was Amazon’s best-selling camcorder at the time. The trivia question centered on the original MSRP for the one-gigabyte version of this camera.
Shopify and Career Advice Ad Reads
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(01:00:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Shopify offers tools for starting and growing businesses, and a separate segment promoted an interview with Jerry Lee on career myths and job search strategies.
  • Summary: Shopify provides comprehensive tools for business management, from website design to marketing, trusted by major companies like Mattel and Heinz. The advertised interview features Jerry Lee discussing career myths, the value of six-figure salaries, and strategies for navigating the current job market. Jerry Lee shares insights on resume pitfalls and why he offers free career resources to his large following.
Corvette ZR1X Performance Explained
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(01:02:19)
  • Key Takeaway: The $220,000 Corvette C8 ZR1X is the quickest American production car ever, achieving a 1.7-second 0-60 mph time, rivaling $3 million electric hypercars.
  • Summary: The C8 ZR1X achieved a 1.7-second 0-60 mph time and an 8.6-second quarter mile, performance previously only seen in vehicles like the multi-million dollar Rimac Nevera. The hosts analogized this performance-per-dollar outlier to a hypothetical OnePlus 15 that also had the best camera and cost only $550. Historically, Corvettes are the budget option in performance cars, making this level of speed in a relatively less expensive package (compared to Bugatti or Rimac) shocking.
Trae Young Trade Explained
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(01:09:42)
  • Key Takeaway: The Trae Young trade to the Wizards (a bottom-feeder team) for CJ McCollum and Corey Crispert is viewed as a poor return, analogous to trading a flagship phone for budget accessories.
  • Summary: Trae Young, once seen as a potential Steph Curry successor, was traded from the Hawks to the Wizards, one of the worst teams in the East. The trade involved receiving CJ McCollum and Corey Crispert, which the hosts felt was an uneven exchange for a star player. The analogy used was trading a high-performing device like the OnePlus 15 for a CMF Phone 2 Pro and CMF Buds, suggesting the Hawks are prioritizing future draft picks (tanking) over immediate competitiveness.
Trivia Wrap-up and Score Update
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(01:18:44)
  • Key Takeaway: The MSRP for the 1GB Flip Video Ultra was $149.99, and the company was eventually acquired by Cisco.
  • Summary: The trivia segment concluded with the correct MSRP for the 1GB Flip Video Ultra being $149.99, which Marquez guessed closely. The hosts noted that the inflation-adjusted price is around $232 USD. The final depressing fact revealed was that Flip Video was acquired by Cisco, a move the hosts found inexplicable.