Is Flighty a Top 5 App of All Time?

Summary of Is Flighty a Top 5 App of All Time?

by MKBHD

1h 34m•March 27, 2026
Listen to Episode

Overview of "Is Flighty a Top 5 App of All Time?" — Waveform (MKBHD + guests)

This episode of Waveform (hosts Marques/MKBHD, Andrew, David and guests) is a rapid-fire tech round-up covering small but important product updates, UI nitpicks, Apple/Google/Meta/A.I. moves, aviation app Flighty, PC vs Mac laptop realities, and several industry controversies (OpenAI’s Sora shutdown, Grammarly’s impersonation feature, Instagram DMs losing E2E). The tone is conversational with frequent asides and trivia; the hosts weigh practical user impacts and privacy/UX implications.

Key topics discussed

  • WWDC timing and iOS 27 expectations

    • WWDC announced for Monday, June 8. iOS 27 and expanded “Apple Intelligence” features expected.
    • Apple reportedly testing a standalone Siri app powered by Gemini (may present as an iMessage-like chat). Siri may be more deeply embedded in the OS (replacing Spotlight in some flows), and apps may get “Ask with Siri” integrations.
    • Developer beta release rules and embargo/agreements discussed.

  • Flighty (flight-tracking app) updates

    • New “Airport Intelligence” aggregates airport-level status (user reports, FAA data, etc.) to show broader airport disruptions and help plan check-in/security timing.
    • Hosts praise Flighty as essential for frequent flyers—faster, more useful live info than many carrier apps.

  • Apple Maps will show ads

    • Businesses can buy suggested-places placements (trending/recent searches). Apple claims targeting is on-device and not tied to your Apple account; hosts debate whether personalized (but local) ads may actually be preferable to irrelevant ones.

  • Samsung A-series phones

    • New A37 and A57 ($449 / $549). Both models reportedly use 5,000 mAh batteries—the same size as the much-more-expensive Galaxy S26 Ultra—highlighting midrange gains and the premium device trade-offs.

  • MacBook Neo / Apple Silicon vs Windows laptops

    • Marques tested MacBook Neo and M5 Max MacBook Pro; impressive benchmarks and SSD/GPU numbers. Apple’s vertical integration is called out as an advantage at top-end and price/efficiency at low-end (Neo as a “Trojan horse” to gain users for services).
    • Windows laptop ecosystem: fragmentation, manufacturer bloatware, mandatory OEM software, and setup friction discussed. Building a great Windows laptop requires many vendors to all execute; that’s an ongoing weakness vs Apple.

  • OpenAI’s Sora (video generator) shutdown

    • OpenAI reportedly killed Sora (video generation app). Disney’s reported $1B investment tied to the project is now not proceeding; hosts view the kill as positive given the low-quality/misinformation risk of cheap AI video.

  • Instagram (Meta) turning off end-to-end encryption (E2E) for IG DMs

    • Meta will remove E2E from IG DMs as of May 8. Points made:
      • E2E on Instagram was opt-in and little-used.
      • Regulators (FBI, Interpol, UK safety agencies) pressured Meta over child-safety concerns.
      • Meta’s messaging: move to WhatsApp for E2E; hosts note privacy and data/advertising/training-data incentives.
      • Takeaway: if you care about private messages, avoid Meta messaging products.

  • U.S. government coverage list / consumer routers ban

    • FCC/Homeland Security added consumer routers made outside the U.S. to a covered list, citing national-security risk.
    • Hosts call the ban broad and blunt (most consumer routers are manufactured overseas). Practical and supply-chain questions remain; the hosts criticize the one-size-fits-all approach.

  • Grammarly / Superhuman acquisition controversy

    • Grammarly acquired Superhuman and introduced an “expert review” feature that suggested edits “in the style of” named journalists (with a faux “verified” cue). The feature used writers’ published work to produce recommendations; it caused backlash for impersonation and misuse of likeness. Grammarly removed the feature; a tense interview and legal/class-action over the approach were discussed.

  • Logitech Pro X2 Super Strike mouse (hardware segment)

    • New haptic (no physical switches) mouse with adjustable digital actuation, rapid-trigger modes (snap-tap style), bunny-hop wheel mode, and tuning options. $180. Hosts recommend waiting to see long-term durability and personal preference for feel; notable as an example of novel haptic inputs in gaming peripherals.

  • Miscellany and UI/UX gripes

    • Right-click menu placing “Erase” next to “Eject” (dangerous UI placement).
    • Studio stickers (clear cutout eyedropper design), WWDC sticker use, and other quicknotes.
    • United app boarding-pass UX problems; Flighty preference for flight info.

Main takeaways / conclusions

  • Flighty: highly recommended for frequent flyers; the new Airport Intelligence feature is timely and useful.
  • Apple is aggressively embedding LLM-based assistants across the OS; expect a Siri/Gemini hybrid with chat-like UI and tighter app integrations announced at WWDC.
  • Ads in Maps are coming; Apple frames it as privacy-preserving but user experience and ad relevance will determine acceptance.
  • Apple Silicon’s vertical integration is a major competitive advantage (performance, efficiency, and pricing trickle-down) that has hurt Windows OEMs’ ability to match value at certain price points.
  • Meta’s Instagram policy change (no E2E DMs) is a privacy regression—use WhatsApp or avoid Meta if you want private messaging.
  • OpenAI’s Sora shutdown reduces one source of cheaply generated video slop and a potential source of misinformation; it also rescinded a major tie-in with Disney.
  • The FCC’s router move is broad, possibly mis-targeted, and will have messy trade-offs; it’s an example of heavy-handed, supply-chain-impactful regulation.
  • AI products that simulate real people/voices/writing need careful ethics and legal design. The Grammarly impersonation episode illustrates why provenance, attribution, and opt-ins matter.

Notable quotes & insights (paraphrased)

  • “If you fly a lot, Flighty is goaded.” — on Flighty’s value for frequent flyers.
  • “Erase next to Eject is a bad UI.” — example of dangerous menu-placement design.
  • “If you really care about privacy, don't touch a Meta product.” — on IG DMs reverting from E2E.
  • “Apple doesn't have to make a ton of money on Neo hardware margin — it’s a Trojan horse for services.” — Apple’s strategy with lower-priced Macs.
  • “We don’t need more AI slop.” — on generative video models like Sora.

Practical recommendations / action items

  • Frequent flyers: try Flighty (live updates, baggage tracking, airport intelligence).
  • Privacy-minded users: move private conversations to WhatsApp or non-Meta platforms; review privacy settings.
  • Developers/reporters: remember developer-beta agreements and embargoes when covering OS betas.
  • Potential PC buyers: weigh Apple Silicon’s efficiency/price/value vs Windows alternatives; expect Windows machines to continue having more variation (positive and negative).
  • Peripheral shoppers: if intrigued by haptic mice, wait for longer-term reviews focused on longevity and real-world click fatigue before upgrading.

Trivia answers (from the episode)

  • How many Wikipedia pages are titled “Apple TV”? — 3 (Apple TV device, Apple TV service, Apple TV app on other devices).
  • What year did Apple release Apple Maps? — 2012.

Final note

The episode is conversational and covers a lot of short news items—best for listeners who want a quick digest of tech headlines, with useful opinions on practical apps (Flighty), privacy shifts (IG DMs), and the continuing industry tug-of-war between vertical integration (Apple) and the multi-vendor ecosystems (Windows/Android).