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

reuters.com

431–440 of 699 posts

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

#431

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When I rented a Tesla I recall being able to set all these controls with my voice.

How well does voice control handle outside noise? Torrential downpours, sleet/hail? If the windows start to fog during one of those situations, taking your attention off the road to look and swipe is very dangerous. Edit to add: Is the voice processing being handled on board? If not, then if your signal fails....

I turned the wipers on with my first try, wearing a face mask, without knowing what the voice command was, and English isn't my native language.

You do need to speak loudly, and there's an unfamiliar concentration aspect to using a voice command rather than a switch.

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

#432

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have an Apple Card, I'm unsure of what immense capital they're pouring into it with an underlying ethos of user experience.

RE: User experience - best card I’ve ever used. Integrates with my watch and phone in such a way that I don’t even have to pull it out to pay. Can dispute charges with a single text. Easy to see full details of spending and billing. The cash back pays for my monthly Apple One account too.

> Integrates with my watch and phone in such a way that I don’t even have to pull it out to pay.

That’s contactless payment. Entirely possible without any Apple anything.

A more cynical person might say that one of Apple’s strengths is marketing commoditised capabilities as something special.

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

#433
post #338

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Please don't waste people's time with comments like this.

I mean it's an interesting point. Tesla made their own charging plug because they didn't like J1772, who's to say Apple wouldn't do the same? It's the one part of Apple's track record I don't think anyone can possibly argue against. If the landscape is dotted with three types of chargers, two of which are mutually incompatible, what does that mean for consumers and range?

> because they didn't like J1772

That's a polite interpretation. I assume the real reason is they wanted to create a walled garden. Seems like the EU, at least, forced their hand on that one.

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

#434
post #302

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I have never felt safe using any touch screen while driving.

That's okay, you won't be the one driving soon enough

Ehhhh. Self driving cars have been just around the corner for a long time now. Not saying it won’t happen, but I wouldn’t buy a Tesla today on the assumption that it’ll happen within the lifetime of that car.

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

#435
post #299

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The engine of my electric car has one moving part. One. Made in house from raw materials. Rolls of steel, copper, and aluminum. It’s also considered a single part for manufacturing and servicing purposes. So not simply one moving part. One part, period. >The number of parts/unit differs by an order of magnitude >car companies often rely on hundreds of suppliers See above. You must be thinking of ICE cars. >aren’t as…

I was waiting for the Muskians to swoop in and spread their nonsense. Guess what? I drive a white model 3 long range AWD and I love it. I'm still 1: an engineer with 10 years of hardware experience and 2: skeptical of every ounce of BS Elon Musk has ever spread. You know how many parts are under the car? Have you taken one apart? They're complicated machines with, again, orders of magnitude more parts than a phone. F…

The Tesla Model S is not an ideal example here. It’s a great car, but also Tesla’s first mass produced model. It’s over-engineered in many ways and has way more parts and complexity than if Tesla were designing the same car today!

Comparing the Model S to the Model 3, and now the Model Y, we see with each generation simpler designs, reduced part counts, and easier assembly which all translates into improved reliability and, often, repairability.

Sandy Munro’s Tesla tear downs are a great reference for this stuff.

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

#436
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.

> I'm really curious what Apple's differentiators will be.

I bet they support CarPlay, at least :). I have CarPlay on all my cars excdept for my Tesla, and it still annoys me. I won't buy another Tesla that doesn't support it.

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

#437

If I was an Apple shareholder (I guess I am, indirectly through Berkshire), this would piss me off. Apple is in a very good business. Cars are a terrible business. Just compare Apple’s margins to any car company. Also, it’s really hard to move into a business that is widely outside your core competency. It can be done, but the effort is huge, and I suspect the median track record is poor.

They should be very happy in assuming they have a good plan. You are assuming they are planning a traditional biz model.

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

#438
post #334

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>Apple Card was perhaps a dipping of the toes moment Was it really? Dozens of companies have credit cards. Walmart, Uber, Paypal, Venmo, Best Buy, Amazon...it didn't real strike me as big things happening when Apple announced their credit card.

That's because you don't have the faintest idea of how Apple differentiated their card from the competition.

That isn’t a very helpful comment. Perhaps you could illuminate us?

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

#439

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> 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 smoothnes…

Somewhat ironically, the physical controls for the turns signals are by far the worst part of the whole Tesla UI. I've had my Model 3 for over two years now, and I still cannot reliably cancel a turn signal, or "soft push" the signal so it only blinks 3 times. It's infuriating to inadvertently signal left, then right, then left again, as you frantically try to just cancel the turn signal. I'm broadcasting confusion a…

I agree, the turn signals suck. Though interestingly I don't have the same problem you have. What gets me is that the detent between the momentary switch and the full signal is stiff enough that I somewhat regularly inadvertently flash oncoming traffic when activating the turn signal. Because the pull resistance on that stalk is much lower than the pressure required to overcome the signal detent.

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

#440
post #254

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Nokia's position was weaker than it might have appeared on the surface. They had good hardware and distribution channels but were totally lacking a modern mobile device OS. The Symbian platform was garbage. Nokia never made sufficient investment into a replacement.

I'm someone who enjoyed Maemo and Meego much more than Android or iOS. Nokia sabotaged their position by ditching that platform in favor of Windows Phone.

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