Did Anything Change with AirPods Max 2? - Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast Recap

Podcast: Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast

Published: 2026-03-20

Guests: Tom Scott

What Happened

The AirPods Max 2 has been quietly announced by Apple, featuring an H2 chip and new amplifiers. These updates promise improved sound quality and a 1.5 times stronger active noise cancellation. The headphones also incorporate features from the AirPods Pro 3, such as nodding to answer calls and a new game mode to reduce wireless latency.

At South by Southwest, several automotive innovations were showcased, including Rivian's R2 with semi-active suspension and unique plaid colors. The Cybertruck and Cybercab from Tesla also made an appearance, with the Cybercab featuring scissor doors and slowly navigating the streets of Austin. Additionally, Rivian's spin-off bike company presented a futuristic bike design.

In the realm of technology, Samsung is reportedly discontinuing the Samsung Trifold due to high production costs and low sales, with fewer than 6,000 units sold in Korea. However, the technology from the Trifold is expected to be integrated into future foldable devices. Meanwhile, Nothing Technology announced the Nothing Phone 4A Pro, boasting an aluminum build, Glyph Matrix, and a price point of $500.

The YouTube platform continues to evolve, with its TV app now listing previously watched shorts individually. This contrasts with its desktop and mobile apps, which group shorts together. YouTube's shorts are seeing huge demand, with 200 billion daily views, compared to 5 billion for long-form videos.

In audio technology, the Nebula X1 projector faces challenges with brightness and playback speed adjustment. Meanwhile, Brain Audio unveiled the Party Pro, a speaker with an updated RAD driver, noted for its small venue sound system capabilities and excellent battery life. The Bluetooth speaker market remains focused on party speakers, with high-priced models occupying a niche segment.

The world of AI and content creation sees advancements with Anthropic's Claude Code capable of handling complex terminal tasks. This development is paralleled by a growing trend of AI-generated content filling digital feeds. Motion VFX, a plugin suite, was acquired by Apple, and NVIDIA's DLSS 5 was unveiled, which uses AI for texture mapping, sparking mixed reactions.

Mouse technology sees innovation with the Ponage Sim 3, an ultra-customizable mouse with a polling rate of up to 8,000 hertz and 200 hours of battery life. Its design allows for color and size customization of palm rests and buttons, echoing the modularity of the Cyborg Rat Mouse from Mad Cats, a popular item from 10-15 years ago.

Tom Scott, a returning guest, is back on YouTube after a two-year hiatus. He is known for his creative video ideas, such as a title that auto-updates based on view count. The episode also features trivia about Scott's work, testing the hosts' knowledge of his content.

Key Insights