Overview of Waveform Podcast: Introducing Tesla Roadster... Again
In this episode of Waveform, MKBHD and the crew spend most of the show on two huge car stories: their reactions to Apple’s new foldable “iPhone Duo” review period, and Tesla’s long-awaited, highly theatrical Roadster reveal. The conversation is part product critique, part industry commentary, and part jokes about software bugs, app optimization, and overhyped demos. They also briefly compare Tesla’s approach to Porsche’s much more restrained concept-car reveal, highlighting the difference between spectacle and trust.
Apple Foldable iPhone Review: What Works and What Doesn’t
The good
- The hosts like the overall concept of the foldable iPhone and think it’s especially appealing for people who want a more intentional, task-oriented device.
- When apps are optimized, the large interior display can feel excellent, almost like carrying an iPad mini in your pocket.
- It’s surprisingly useful for:
- Copying info between apps
- Multitasking
- Reading articles
- Viewing timelines or side-by-side interfaces
- Battery life was described as strong, even if not class-leading in every use case.
The frustrating parts
- A lot of apps are still not optimized for the new form factor, leading to:
- Black bars
- Awkward layouts
- Controls that feel misplaced
- Apple’s reachability decisions were criticized:
- Important controls still cluster in hard-to-reach spots
- Siri and notification gestures can be awkward
- The fingerprint unlock experience feels slower than Face ID, especially for Apple Pay.
- The under-display interior camera was widely trashed:
- Very low quality
- Only really passable in FaceTime/video-processing use cases
- Much worse for photos
- MagSafe and accessory compatibility are imperfect because of the phone’s unusual shape and thickness.
The big takeaway
- The hosts repeatedly frame the foldable as a first-generation product with real promise, but also a lot of rough edges.
- Their prediction: the second generation will be much better, mostly because apps will catch up and Apple will refine the hardware.
Tesla Roadster Event: Spectacle, Not Substance
What Tesla showed
- Tesla finally revealed the long-delayed new Roadster, and the demo centered on wild showmanship:
- A fan-car style suction demo
- A dramatic jump / flip / barrel-roll-style stunt
- Heavy use of cold gas thrusters
- The discussion breaks the car into several rumored/announced trims:
- Base Roadster
- Performance version with fan-assisted grip
- Thrust version with rocket thrusters
- A higher-end Rocket version with even more thrusters and reduced seating
Why the hosts were skeptical
- The demos were undeniably impressive, but the team kept emphasizing that:
- The car is still not a real shipped product
- Many of the most exciting capabilities are probably track-only or even theoretical
- There are still major unanswered questions about pricing, reservations, and legality
- They were especially skeptical of:
- The idea that the car could be sentient or fully autonomous in these stunt modes
- Claims about absurd top speed potential
- The lack of concrete specs in the actual presentation
The core criticism
- Their main complaint wasn’t that the demo was fake — it was that Tesla over-focused on spectacle and under-delivered on details.
- The event felt like a halo-product marketing stunt designed to change how people think about Tesla, not necessarily to communicate a real, ready-to-buy vehicle.
Tesla vs. Porsche: Two Very Different Reveal Styles
Porsche Mission S reaction
- Porsche revealed a new concept car the same day, and the hosts contrasted it with Tesla’s event.
- Porsche’s reveal was:
- Much more restrained
- Almost entirely design-focused
- Light on specs, but not hype-heavy
- The key difference: Porsche has a long-standing reputation for earning trust, so fans are more willing to wait for the real product.
The comparison
- Tesla: massive stunt, little clarity, lots of future promises
- Porsche: elegant concept, no specs, but strong confidence in eventual execution
Broader Themes and Takeaways
First-gen products need patience
- The foldable iPhone discussion turns into a bigger point about early adopter products:
- Great ideas often launch rough
- The second and third generations are where they become genuinely great
- The same logic was applied to both the foldable phone and Tesla’s Roadster ambitions.
Software support matters as much as hardware
- A recurring theme is that great hardware is wasted without optimized apps.
- The hosts clearly think developers will eventually adapt, but the early experience is uneven.
Spectacle can move a brand, even if the product is years away
- Tesla’s Roadster reveal may not answer many practical questions, but it successfully dominated the conversation.
- That, they argue, may have been the real goal.
Bottom Line
This episode is mostly about first-generation product friction: a futuristic foldable iPhone that feels exciting but unfinished, and a Tesla Roadster reveal that feels insanely impressive but still deeply unresolved. The hosts are cautiously optimistic about the foldable’s future, but far more skeptical of Tesla’s hype-heavy Roadster rollout — especially given how many years the car has already been promised.