The 2026 Smartphone Awards Discussion Episode

Summary of The 2026 Smartphone Awards Discussion Episode

by MKBHD

1h 50m•October 9, 2026
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Overview of The 2026 Smartphone Awards Discussion Episode

MKBHD’s Waveform Podcast episode is a mix of industry news, product rumor talk, and a long, detailed early preview of the year’s smartphone awards. The hosts discuss rising phone prices, Apple’s rumored home/security push with LG, possible production issues around Apple’s foldable “Duo,” the collapse of Android Central’s editorial staff, and then walk through likely contenders for categories like best camera, best design, best foldable, most improved, and phone of the year. The episode closes with a nostalgia-heavy MMO segment comparing World of Warcraft and RuneScape, plus a few trivia bits and inside jokes.

Major Tech News and Trends

Smartphone prices are still climbing

  • The hosts note that the Galaxy S26 lineup has reportedly gone up about $100 across the board.
  • High-end storage tiers are now getting extreme, with some phones pushing into $2,000 territory.
  • They discuss whether microSD slots should return, but conclude manufacturers prefer charging for storage because it remains a profitable upsell.

Apple’s rumored smart home push with LG

  • Apple is rumored to be working with LG on smart home products like:
    • a smart lock / deadbolt
    • a thermostat
    • a temperature sensor
    • possibly cameras and doorbell-related hardware
  • The hosts think this is likely less about Apple-branded hardware and more about Apple-compatible home products timed around an upcoming home hub launch.
  • Their read: Apple wants first-party-ish products to showcase how its ecosystem will work against Google/Nest and Amazon/Ring.

Foldable iPhone (“Duo”) production rumors

  • The episode covers claims that Apple’s foldable iPhone is seeing lower-than-ideal manufacturing yields.
  • The hosts are skeptical that this is a true surprise, arguing Apple usually doesn’t announce a product unless it’s already deep into production planning.
  • Their expectation: the foldable will likely launch in limited supply, be hard to get at first, and then normalize over time.

Android Central layoffs and AI pressure

  • They react to the news that Android Central’s entire writing staff was let go.
  • The discussion frames this as another sign of:
    • media contraction
    • AI-driven traffic loss
    • the pressure publishers face as search and AI tools answer questions before readers click through
  • They also connect it to concerns about YouTube’s AI-assisted search features potentially reducing creator and publisher traffic in the future.

Early Smartphone Awards Discussion

The bulk of the episode is a loose, early brainstorm for the year-end smartphone awards. The hosts emphasize that the awards are about storylines, impact, and execution, not just raw specs.

Best big phone

  • No clear winner yet.
  • They note that modern slab phones are all pretty large, so the category has become harder to define.
  • Foldables are part of the discussion, but the hosts still lean toward ultra-sized slab phones when talking about pure “big phone” value.

Best small phone

  • This category is increasingly difficult because true small phones are basically gone.
  • The conversation shifts toward compact foldables and niche devices like the TinyPod Apple Watch case.
  • They acknowledge the category is now more about form factor creativity than traditional small-phone compromises.

Best camera

  • One of the most competitive categories.
  • Contenders discussed include:
    • Pixel 11 Pro for its “Camera Looks” feature and reduced overprocessing
    • Xiaomi and other Chinese flagships with strong hardware and camera collaborations
    • Oppo / Vivo / Hasselblad / Zeiss / Leica-style partnership phones
  • They like cameras that offer a strong “character,” not just the biggest specs.
  • They also mention a Huawei lens attachment concept but rule it out because it’s effectively a separate camera, not a phone camera.

Best value

  • Harder than usual because everything has gotten more expensive.
  • The hosts say the old “budget phone” framing doesn’t work as well anymore, so the category has shifted to value.
  • Their rough sense: around $500 and below is where value starts to feel meaningful in today’s market.

Best battery

  • Several standout phones are mentioned, especially ones with huge battery capacities and faster charging.
  • They praise phones that combine:
    • long endurance
    • good charging speed
    • convenience features like wireless charging and magnets
  • OnePlus and Xiaomi phones are part of this discussion.

Best design

  • One of the most subjective categories.
  • The hosts highlight the Nothing Phone 4a Pro for its distinctive transparent design and solid materials.
  • They also note that design awards have to account for tradeoffs like losing wireless charging or making other compromises.
  • They briefly float the idea that a separate best feature award might make more sense for standout hardware/software innovations.

Best foldable

  • A strong year for foldables overall.
  • Likely contenders:
    • Samsung Fold 8
    • Apple’s foldable Duo
    • Xiaomi / Huawei / other book-style foldables
  • The hosts lean toward the Samsung Fold 8 as a favorite based on:
    • lighter weight
    • camera layout
    • mature software
    • overall polish
  • The Apple foldable is still intriguing because of its creaseless-looking inner display and likely developer momentum.

Bust of the year

  • The hosts strongly call out the Pixel 11 Pro for underwhelming differentiation, especially the Pro Highlight feature.
  • Their point: a feature that should have been simple and effective instead felt like a miss.

Most improved

  • They see Samsung’s privacy display on the Ultra as a strong most-improved candidate.
  • The screen feature is praised as genuinely useful, even if it introduces some compromises.

Phone of the year / MVP

  • No frontrunner yet.
  • Candidates discussed in a broader sense include:
    • Apple’s foldable Duo for market impact
    • OnePlus for huge battery and ambitious specs, though U.S. availability hurts it
    • Xiaomi / Oppo / Vivo flagships for aggressive hardware
    • Samsung S26 Ultra for a meaningful feature update
  • Their final stance: this category is about the year’s story, not just the best specs.

MMO Segment: World of Warcraft vs RuneScape

The core comparison

  • The hosts argue that:
    • World of Warcraft is starting to behave more like RuneScape
    • RuneScape is starting to behave more like World of Warcraft
  • They frame both games as nostalgia-driven ecosystems that now balance legacy content, player retention, and modernization.

What’s happening with each game

  • WoW:
    • WoW Classic brought back the old experience.
    • WoW Forever aims to preserve the original era while adding updates and limiting level progression.
    • The idea is to create permanent progression without repeatedly wiping player effort.
  • RuneScape:
    • Old School RuneScape was a huge success because it preserved the old experience while still adding content.
    • RuneScape 4 is being positioned as a modern Unreal Engine sequel that keeps the world but updates the presentation.

Why MMOs still work

  • The discussion touches on:
    • long-term progression
    • social status and “bank standing”
    • the appeal of showing off hard-earned gear
    • the fact that in MMOs, you don’t really “win” — you just keep progressing

Trivia and Lighter Moments

Apple display trivia

  • The trivia segment eventually settles on:
    • Apple Watch
    • Pro Display XDR
  • The hosts joke through a complicated back-and-forth about LG-supplied displays and Apple hardware generations.

Old-school WoW specs

  • They also quiz each other on the minimum requirements for 2004 World of Warcraft.
  • The key takeaway: the original game was surprisingly light by modern standards, but still required a proper PC setup for the time.

Studio and desk mat plug

  • Early in the episode, MKBHD talks about launching a studio-themed desk mat with Omnitype.
  • They highlight both smooth and controlled-texture versions and note the price was set to match Omnitype’s pricing rather than adding a “creator tax.”

Main Takeaways

  • Phone prices are continuing to rise, especially in storage-heavy configurations.
  • Apple is edging deeper into the home ecosystem, likely with LG as a hardware partner.
  • The rumored foldable iPhone could be a huge moment, but likely ships in constrained quantities at first.
  • The smartphone awards are shaping up to be unusually competitive, especially in camera, foldable, battery, and design categories.
  • MMOs survive by balancing nostalgia and modernization, and both WoW and RuneScape are trying to do that in different ways.