Waveform Podcast: YouTube DMs, BMW Spider-Man Ads, and Minimal Phones
Weekly Overview and Tech Insights
The Waveform Podcast returns for a wide-ranging discussion covering recent updates in tech, software quirks, automobile software controversies, and new hardware releases.
YouTube Sharing Feature Controversy
• YouTube's New Tracking Links: YouTube has recently implemented a share sheet feature that generates special tracking links.
• Forced DMs: When a friend clicks the shared link, it opens a direct message thread within YouTube, mimicking Instagram's messaging model.
• Algorithmic Slop: The hosts debate whether trying to turn YouTube into a social media communication platform makes sense, noting that users primarily use YouTube as a consumption app rather than a chat app.
"YouTube is a consumption app that nobody was talking to each other through before."
BMW Spider-Man Ad Controversy
• In-Car Commercials: BMW owners recently experienced unexpected pop-up ads for Spider-Man upon starting their vehicles.
• Brand Partnerships: BMW defended the pop-up as part of a "broader brand partnership" running from late July to mid-August.
• Enshittification: The hosts discuss how modern connected cars are increasingly being utilized as digital billboards, prompting desires for vintage cars without internet connections.
Ford Fathom Midsize Electric Truck
• Affordable EV Truck: Ford announced its upcoming midsize electric pickup truck platform named Fathom, with a starting price around $30,000.
• Competition: It aims to compete in the budget EV space against smaller trucks like the Slate truck, targeting a 2027 release date.
EU Inoperability Requests: Cross-Platform Clipboard
• Microsoft's Request: Microsoft filed an EU inoperability request through the Digital Markets Act to bring Apple's Universal Clipboard cross-platform to Windows.
• Engineering Effort: Apple is reportedly working on a solution requiring a one-time device pairing and permission, expected by late 2027.
Minimal Phone 2 and CMF Clip Pro
• Minimal Phone 2: The successor to the e-ink Minimal Phone introduces a sleek OLED display, physical QWERTY keyboard, and a stark minimal aesthetic.
• CMF Clip Pro: Sub-brand CMF released open-ear clip headphones, sparking controversy over the use of AI-generated models in advertising under new EU transparency laws.
OpenAI Litigation and Health Trackers
• OpenAI Blog Post: OpenAI published an unusual public blog post challenging Apple's trade secret lawsuit and sharing edited iMessage transcripts.
• Fitbit and Garmin: Fitbit data now syncs natively to Apple Health, and the hosts discuss initial impressions of the new Garmin Circa screenless fitness tracker.