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Apple to wind down electric car effort after decadelong odyssey

bloomberg.com

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Re: Apple to wind down electric car effort after decadelong odyssey

#781

Post by angoragoats »

ahepp wrote: post #469
nradov wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tesla has never supported Apple CarPlay and their sales keep rising. GM recently dropped CarPlay from new models so we'll see how that impacts sales. https://www.motortrend.com/news/general-motors-removing-appl...

I haven’t driven a Tesla, so maybe I’m way off base here, but their infotainment software seems modern and at least reasonably well designed. Legacy automakers have thoroughly demonstrated that when it comes to making a decent infotainment system they are unwilling, incapable, or some mix of the two

Agreed about Tesla's software being modern and most other automakers' being garbage, but I'll take physical controls for things like climate, turn signals, windshield wipers, and lighting with a side of crappy infotainment software, over slick software with everything being crammed onto the touchscreen and few (capacitive) steering wheel buttons. I don't understand how it's legal for Tesla to delete the turn-signal stalk and replace it with a pair of buttons on the steering wheel...

Re: Apple to wind down electric car effort after decadelong odyssey

#782

Post by steelframe »

After having gone through decades of adopting the "latest and greatest" tech, I've gotten to the point where what I really want is the least-complex thing I can find that does the essential job I want done.

For a computer, I want something with SeaBIOS, a stripped-down kernel, and a handful of packages from the Debian Stable repository. I want it hackable and repairable -- something like a Framework. Nothing like a MacBook. For a phone, I want something that can run Signal, Fastmail, a music/audiobook player, Syncthing, and Organic Maps, more or less. Minimal connectivity to Cloud services, and nothing about it vying for my attention. Nothing like an iPhone.

For a car I want hackable and repairable. Again with minimal complexity. I don't want it spying on me. I don't want computer glitches rendering the car unusable. I want the parking brake attached to a cable that I engage with a lever. I want to be able to shift it into neutral by pressing down on a clutch pedal and pushing a stick. If my 12v battery dies I want the car to be fully functional after a jump. I want a spare tire in the rear hatch with a jack I can use on the roadside. I want to be able to easily fix most things that can go wrong with the car with parts I can find at a common automotive shop or junkyard. Nothing like what an Apple car would have been.

Given the number of people on HN with iPhones and Teslas I guess I might be running counter to hacker culture. I don't know. But I'm thinking I might not be the only person around thinking this way about technology these days.

Re: Apple to wind down electric car effort after decadelong odyssey

#783

Post by aikinai »

iancmceachern wrote: post #732
ihuman wrote: post #729

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"These are not 4 separate devices"

I'm pointing out, as others have, that the bike market is highly fragmented, lots of variety for good reason. It would be hard to come put with "a" , or even "a line" of bikes. You really need a dozen

Your parent wasn’t disagreeing. "These are not 4 separate devices" is a reference to the iPhone launch announcement.

Re: Apple to wind down electric car effort after decadelong odyssey

#784

Post by elsonrodriguez »

Raptor22 wrote: post #539
andrewia wrote: post #267

I know somebody on the project. The cancellation makes sense, they were years from release and every new VP pivoted the project and lost progress. If they had committed to their original project (a bus) or the first revision (a very high-end car) they could have released on a timely schedule. But they're far too late to the game.

> original project (a bus) This is actually insane to me. Like bonkers, even. The MBA types are surely the source of that idea. From a brand perspective, the only car that ever truly made sense for Apple to make was something at least resembling a supercar. They could have made do with a Telsa Model S kind of car perhaps, but I'm shocked that a brand-conscious company like Apple thought a bus was the best bet as an i…

A bus achieves what with some morality the profit other manufacturers seek via in-car purchases. GM, Rivian, and Tesla don’t want CarPlay for that reason.

A bus network would provide recurring revenue for the actual thing a vehicle is for, instead of DLC headlight patterns.

Re: Apple to wind down electric car effort after decadelong odyssey

#785

Post by antiterra »

xvector wrote: post #773
dleslie wrote: post #757

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Teslas are the Alienware of automobiles. Flashy, ostentatious, and aimed at enthusiasts with more money than taste. Apple would likely have made something that evoked elegance. It would have contrasted with Tesla in the same way a Macbook contrasts with an Alienware.

Tesla is the opposite of "flashy and ostentatious," their car designs are boring as are their interiors. I don't know where you could possibly be getting that impression when they make the most milquetoast sedans on the market.

Yeah it’s much closer to if Jony Ive worked at Suzuki or something.

Re: Apple to wind down electric car effort after decadelong odyssey

#786

Post by chatmasta »

steelframe wrote: post #782

After having gone through decades of adopting the "latest and greatest" tech, I've gotten to the point where what I really want is the least-complex thing I can find that does the essential job I want done. For a computer, I want something with SeaBIOS, a stripped-down kernel, and a handful of packages from the Debian Stable repository. I want it hackable and repairable -- something like a Framework. Nothing like a M…

I mostly agree with you, but consider that in 50 years, the "least complex thing" might seem much different than it does today.

Re: Apple to wind down electric car effort after decadelong odyssey

#787

Post by captn3m0 »

steelframe wrote: post #782

After having gone through decades of adopting the "latest and greatest" tech, I've gotten to the point where what I really want is the least-complex thing I can find that does the essential job I want done. For a computer, I want something with SeaBIOS, a stripped-down kernel, and a handful of packages from the Debian Stable repository. I want it hackable and repairable -- something like a Framework. Nothing like a M…

For iPhones, I’ve been meaning to try out Assistive Access as a “minimalist mode”. It gives you a big icon launcher becomes a dumb phone, more or less.

https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/assistive-access-iphon...

Re: Apple to wind down electric car effort after decadelong odyssey

#788

Post by dagmx »

steelframe wrote: post #782

After having gone through decades of adopting the "latest and greatest" tech, I've gotten to the point where what I really want is the least-complex thing I can find that does the essential job I want done. For a computer, I want something with SeaBIOS, a stripped-down kernel, and a handful of packages from the Debian Stable repository. I want it hackable and repairable -- something like a Framework. Nothing like a M…

A lot of people want (as you describe) the “least-complex thing I can find that does the essential job I want done”

But what you then go on to describe is the antithesis of other people’s definitions.

People want an experience that works out of the box. That they don’t have to think about package managers or maintenance. That’s low complexity for the vast majority of people.

That’s why people are going for Apple and Tesla.

Re: Apple to wind down electric car effort after decadelong odyssey

#789

Post by 0_____0 »

steelframe wrote: post #782

After having gone through decades of adopting the "latest and greatest" tech, I've gotten to the point where what I really want is the least-complex thing I can find that does the essential job I want done. For a computer, I want something with SeaBIOS, a stripped-down kernel, and a handful of packages from the Debian Stable repository. I want it hackable and repairable -- something like a Framework. Nothing like a M…

nothing wrong with buying a frameworks laptop and a 1996 miata.

most folks don't know what a BIOS is, but care if it takes more than a couple days to replace their device. nice thing about apple is you can basically walk in with a damaged device and walk out with its memories and soul ported into a new body.

Re: Apple to wind down electric car effort after decadelong odyssey

#790

Post by WanderPanda »

steelframe wrote: post #782

After having gone through decades of adopting the "latest and greatest" tech, I've gotten to the point where what I really want is the least-complex thing I can find that does the essential job I want done. For a computer, I want something with SeaBIOS, a stripped-down kernel, and a handful of packages from the Debian Stable repository. I want it hackable and repairable -- something like a Framework. Nothing like a M…

You’re enumerating all kinds of failure cases and how the most important thing about the product is how fast/easy to rectify them but you should really consider the probability times the effort (plus some risk penalty for increased risk).
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