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Apple targets car production by 2024, eyes ‘next level’ battery tech: sources

reuters.com

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Re: Apple targets car production by 2024, eyes ‘next level’ battery tech: sources

#61

Post by MattGaiser »

ra7 wrote: post #32

If this is true, it's interesting to see the difference in approach between Google/Waymo and Apple. Google is pretty clear that they don't want to build cars, but rather develop sensor suite and software for self driving that can be installed in partnership with manufactures. Producing cars, on the other hand, is a much more complex operation than producing consumer electronics, even though Apple can afford it. Batte…

Apple has demonstrated that they can do those things with phones. Google has no meaningful consumer facing non digital operations (and even their digital consumer experiences leave a lot to be desired, particularly when things go wrong).

Re: Apple targets car production by 2024, eyes ‘next level’ battery tech: sources

#62

Post by jariel »

abhinavsharma wrote: post #21

This is starting to make increasingly more sense even though Apple making a car seemed laughable a few years ago. Apple is fundamentally now a company that can move immense amounts of capital into new industries with the underlying ethos of user experience. Apple Card was perhaps a dipping of the toes moment. In theory, Tesla shouldn't be worth what it is because the tech behind it is increasingly getting commoditize…

All of that is true, but cars are huge in terms of complexity, the types of labour/supply chains, distribution, etc. etc..

I guess they are the company to 'try it' but really it's a monster bet.

It'd be interesting if they have an 'angle' that allows them to start small, possibly with a specific kind of public transport or closed-system solution for urban transport, with entities like Dubai (i.e. cash flush) buying in big.

Re: Apple targets car production by 2024, eyes ‘next level’ battery tech: sources

#63

Post by amelius »

davidrm wrote: post #2

Apple has been in and out of the car game for a few years now, with executives coming and going. What I'm about to say will be as meaningful as this hear-say article, but I feel that Apple management, and its shareholders, have no idea what it means to build a car. Things like this need 100% commitment from the management, Cook just doesn't seem like the guy to do it.

> Things like this need 100% commitment from the management

Then how can Elon Musk pull it off with only 50%?

Re: Apple targets car production by 2024, eyes ‘next level’ battery tech: sources

#64

Post by mulmen »

neogodless wrote: post #20
the-dude wrote: post #4

Just a reminder, the first computer manufacturer who released an electric vehicle was Sinclar, the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinclair_C5 , in 1985. Now Apple has bitten the ...? I expect MS to follow suit soon.

This reminds me of the old (rumored) exchange between GM and Bill Gates... https://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/susan/joke/crash.htm > For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day. > Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive – but would run on only five percent of the roads. > Every time GM introduced a new car, car buyers would have t…

My boss 10 years ago had a Ford Fusion with a Microsoft dashboard. Sometimes it would just go blank and he had to power cycle the car.

Re: Apple targets car production by 2024, eyes ‘next level’ battery tech: sources

#66

Post by SkyMarshal »

neogodless wrote: post #54
SkyMarshal wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I'm really curious what Apple's differentiators will be. There's room for more than one car company like this. If Apple brings high quality, tight fit and finish, elegant design, software focus, vertical integration (including their new M1 processor tech), logistics support (charging station network, maintenance, etc), and "next-level batteries" to the mix, then I'm sure they'll find space in the market. If Apple ca…

But lately Apple has been trending towards not including the charger.

Haha, touche. At least customers won't be complaining about the lack of user-replaceable batteries in Apple electric cars.

Re: Apple targets car production by 2024, eyes ‘next level’ battery tech: sources

#67

Post by crb002 »

abhinavsharma wrote: post #21

This is starting to make increasingly more sense even though Apple making a car seemed laughable a few years ago. Apple is fundamentally now a company that can move immense amounts of capital into new industries with the underlying ethos of user experience. Apple Card was perhaps a dipping of the toes moment. In theory, Tesla shouldn't be worth what it is because the tech behind it is increasingly getting commoditize…

Apple is no better than Qt in this space - and it will only make electronics - assembly will still be on Ford/GM - Tesla's revolution is a more automated assembly.

Re: Apple targets car production by 2024, eyes ‘next level’ battery tech: sources

#68

Post by buzzerbetrayed »

asadlionpk wrote: post #22
friedman23 wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple could outright buy GM or Ford with cash.

But those would be terrible car companies to buy imo.

Do you have any reasons for this? Or thoughts on other car companies to buy. Apple does, after all, have enough cash to buy any car company besides Toyota (barely) and Tesla.

Re: Apple targets car production by 2024, eyes ‘next level’ battery tech: sources

#69

Post by modeless »

iandanforth wrote: post #42
modeless wrote: post #6

The Tesla Model 3 already embodies the minimalism, software focus, and vertical integration that have driven Apple's success in the phone market. Right down to the custom SoC and capacitive touchscreen in lieu of buttons. I'm really curious what Apple's differentiators will be. Also, 2024 still seems aggressive to deploy self-driving for real.

Having recently sold my Tesla Model 3 I can say there is a lot to be desired with that car. The biggest lesson from Tesla is that cars are not cellphones. Having one display off to the side, without buttons, that does everything is an awful experience in a car. I hope that Apple learns that lesson. I think if they had gone first they might have made that mistake too, but now that it's been tried they can find interes…

> Having one display off to the side, without buttons, that does everything is an awful experience in a car

I have to strongly disagree with this. The touchscreen is great for the vast majority of things it replaces. The only physical controls I ever miss are for temperature (which is a very minor complaint) and windshield wipers (though I would also accept auto wipers that actually work). I do think the UI smoothness and touch latency could be slightly improved, and Apple would do better, but Tesla is already so far ahead of every other car manufacturer there that it's not even funny.

Re: Apple targets car production by 2024, eyes ‘next level’ battery tech: sources

#70

Post by randomsearch »

davidrm wrote: post #2

Apple has been in and out of the car game for a few years now, with executives coming and going. What I'm about to say will be as meaningful as this hear-say article, but I feel that Apple management, and its shareholders, have no idea what it means to build a car. Things like this need 100% commitment from the management, Cook just doesn't seem like the guy to do it.

Maybe. Supply chains are his thing, though, so that works in his favour.
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