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Apple R&D Reveals a Pivot Is Coming

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Re: Apple R&D Reveals a Pivot Is Coming

#181

Post by patrickbolle »

tyingq wrote: post #178
simonh wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the phone industry just didn't think it possible that real ground breaking innovation in their industry was at all possible. They imagined a phone must have a physical keyboard, couldn't run a decent web browser and Microsoft was already selling the best mobile OS it was possible to make. It wasn't that they doubted Apple's commitment, they just didn't have the imagination. To be fair to them, Apple timed thi…

>>They imagined a phone must have a physical keyboard I get that I'm not representative of the market, but my pattern of using a smartphone involves a lot of email. I don't see that going away, as a lot of my communication involves people in other timezones. I was way more productive in this when I had a blackberry, but, of course, it did suffer horribly when using the web. It won't change, but I wish there was enoug…

I've been a lifetime BlackBerry user (from waterloo) and just got the priv. it's a really great device but having the passport on android would be a gamechanger imo

Re: Apple R&D Reveals a Pivot Is Coming

#182

Post by geekery »

beloch wrote: post #37

According to this chart, Apple spent $6B in 2014 and is projected to spend just over $10B in 2016. For comparison, in 2014 Volkswagen spent $13.5B, Samsung spent $13.4B, and Microsoft spent $10.4B. [1] Apple has, historically, not been a big spender when it comes to research, tending to favor short-term, tightly focused research over long-term, curiosity driven research. Over the last few years their research budget…

He's not wrong about the car. Apple filed a patent in October for MONITORING A MOBILE DEVICE EN ROUTE TO DESTINATION (20160112837) along with a handful of other image processing/camera related patents.

So maybe they are developing a car, maybe they are just amping up their IP for the impending shift of tides. However, MacRumors mentions an electric car possibility: Project Titan http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/apple-car/ so a physical product makes sense.

Re: Apple R&D Reveals a Pivot Is Coming

#183

Post by ProAm »

nl wrote: post #94
ProAm wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldnt be surprised if Apple is working with Tesla for the model 3. They have the money to invest and help, I can see them owning 25% of Tesla for it. But the fact they are hiring away Tesla engineers argues against this point.

Tesla is a public company. Apple would have to disclose a buying significant stake, plus it is publicly available information.

I dont think they have yet, but Im wondering if hiring Tesla engineers is a way to skirt that issue and help to collaborate/co-develop a product. I dont see Apple building it's own car from scratch, especially given Apples quality track record the last 5 years.

Re: Apple R&D Reveals a Pivot Is Coming

#184

Post by mcphage »

TheOtherHobbes wrote: post #160
simonh wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the phone industry just didn't think it possible that real ground breaking innovation in their industry was at all possible. They imagined a phone must have a physical keyboard, couldn't run a decent web browser and Microsoft was already selling the best mobile OS it was possible to make. It wasn't that they doubted Apple's commitment, they just didn't have the imagination. To be fair to them, Apple timed thi…

Cars are a terrible industry to get into. Building cars is massively capital and plant intensive, heavily dependent on supply chain logistics, and the market is already extremely competitive. The entire industry is well on its way to switching to electric and/or self-driving. Selling cars requires a huge dealer network rollout with huge up-front costs for training and spares. Doing it DIY would be insanely expensive,…

> Cars are a terrible industry to get into. Building cars is massively capital and plant intensive, heavily dependent on supply chain logistics, and the market is already extremely competitive.

That sounds perfect for Apple, though—they've got tons of capital, excellent at supply chain logistics, and used to thriving in very competitive markets.

Re: Apple R&D Reveals a Pivot Is Coming

#185

Post by coredog64 »

Retric wrote: post #176
forgetsusername wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Regarding dealerships, ever heard of Tesla? Tesla is trying this model, but I don't know whether anyone can makes claims as to its success yet. Right now they're pretty low volume and are losing lots of money. Maybe the no dealer model scales, maybe it doesn't.

Tesla has 325,000+ pre-orders for the model 3 a 35,000$ car. For comparison Acura only sold 167,843 units in 2014 and they have some models for ~10,000$ less.* And they have an extensive dealer network. Honda their parent brand sells well under 2 million cars a year and is a major automaker. *List price on a new ILX is 27,990 but this assumes people are paying sticker price.

At Tesla's current projections, it will take close to 3 years to fill those pre-orders. That's been pretty well understood for a while, so perhaps that had something to do with the number of deposits placed.

Besides, those pre-orders are refundable $1K deposits, not someone who has put down $30K right now for delivery 2 years hence.

Re: Apple R&D Reveals a Pivot Is Coming

#186

Post by exabrial »

shoyer wrote: post #101
Daneel_ wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

...yes. Yes I am. Egg on face. The point still stands though, it's such a shame seeing the minimisation of ports on all systems these days. I can understand using standard ports (usb-c) for peripherals, but essentials such as Ethernet, display and several USB ports (whichever format) should remain built in.

There's a simpler reason for the lack of an Ethernet port. Compare the size of an Ethernet port to a USB port on the Mac Pro and then look at the side of your MacBook Pro. The Ethernet port would not even fit.

There were expresscards in 90s that had Ethernet Jack's. The cable was inserted vertically.

Re: Apple R&D Reveals a Pivot Is Coming

#187

Post by bobbyi_settv »

no1youknowz wrote: post #133

According to venturebeat[0]. Samsung has 1m gear VR users. We all know how apple has a far superior supply chain, creates better software experiences and does things "right". So is it that much of a stretch for them to actually come out with a mobile VR headset? Think about it. - They make the phones. - They make the vr software. - They already have the eco-system for you to get apps from and the developers to sell t…

> We all know how apple has a far superior supply chain, creates better software experiences and does things "right"

Um, what? I assure you that "we all" don't agree with your favorite ice cream flavor, rock band or "software experience". In terms of "software experience", Apple aren't showing much hope of catching up to Android on mobile, much of their desktop application software is abysmal (iTunes, Quicktime, etc.), and their desktop OS experience, while decent, gets less "right" with every version.

Re: Apple R&D Reveals a Pivot Is Coming

#188

Post by mcphage »

vidarh wrote: post #170
simonh wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the phone industry just didn't think it possible that real ground breaking innovation in their industry was at all possible. They imagined a phone must have a physical keyboard, couldn't run a decent web browser and Microsoft was already selling the best mobile OS it was possible to make. It wasn't that they doubted Apple's commitment, they just didn't have the imagination. To be fair to them, Apple timed thi…

I don't think anyone didn't think it was possible. Back in '99 I was working on a tablet w/built in phone, and Ericsson had their ScreenPhone around the same time. Both where "tethered" to a base station at home (ours used a custom extension to DECT), I believe, but the intent was always to add proper mobile support. In fact, when I was first sold on the concept, the guy who started the company talked me through how…

> The challenge was that around the time the iPhone launched, people did not believe the market was there yet, nor that the hardware was ready, largely because "everyone else" had a go too early, failed, and essentially shelved the idea for the next decade as something that was way too early.

> What Apple got exactly right and everyone else messed up was the timing.

My [perhaps mistaken] understanding is that Apple had been working on it for a while; but rather than try before the hardware was ready, and shelve the idea, they kept working on the idea until the hardware caught up. They had a solid idea of how it should work, and waited until it could, rather than have it just be a thing they tried and gave up on.

Re: Apple R&D Reveals a Pivot Is Coming

#189

Post by Joeri »

jimmytidey wrote: post #159

Isn't it basically impossible for Apple to surprise us with a driverless car? Surely all of the process to make a driverless car legal would be in public? Surely the production line for any kind of car at all would be almost impossible to organise covertly, all the factory space, tooling etc?

The iphone needed to be fcc certified too, they just announced it 6 months prior to selling it to keep the element of surprise.

Re: Apple R&D Reveals a Pivot Is Coming

#190

Post by coredog64 »

mrcwinn wrote: post #162
jimmytidey wrote: post #159

Isn't it basically impossible for Apple to surprise us with a driverless car? Surely all of the process to make a driverless car legal would be in public? Surely the production line for any kind of car at all would be almost impossible to organise covertly, all the factory space, tooling etc?

I remember the "iPhone" being a topic of rumor for literally years. Leaked photos (some more accurate than others) and a steady drip of information. Looking back, it was still a big surprise once the details were known. So, a car? Build a roof, sign some NDAs, and do your best.

I was at On Semiconductor in 2007, and it was an open secret around the office that Apple was getting into the phone business. We knew because management kept touting the fact that we had $4-5 worth of the overall BOM in the iPhone and that was going to be awesome for us.
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