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  • Hyundai bosses 'agonizing' over whether to build 'Apple Car'

    vmarksvmarks
    dk49 said:
    If Hyundai decides to Ditch Apple, and Apple doesn't find another car manufacturer ready to assemble their cars, it will become really tough for Apple. They will have to build their own factories which will further delay the project. Though I wonder why Magna didn't say yes to it. They are basically the Foxconn for car manufacturers. And I am sure Apple must have approached them earlier.
    Like you, I think Apple contacted Magna early in the process.  Probably one of the first companies Apple contacted.  I think 2 things made Magna an unacceptable partner. 
    1. Location - I really think Apple desires a US assembly location.  The infrastructure for manufacturing and assembling their general tech (phones, computers, tablets, etc) is concentrated in Asia.  That's not the case for cars, and assembly in the US could even be cheaper.   Magna has no N. American plants.  It's rumored (again) they're looking to open a N. American plant, but that rumor has surfaced many times over the past couple of decades.
    2. Capacity - I've no doubt Magna could handle Apple's initial assembly and volume.  Apple's thinking long term.  Scale and capacity would be Magna's issue.  Magna doesn't have an advantage in ether of those factors that could compete with Hyundai's capacity.  Hyundai/Kia has the ability scale their production to meet any capacity Apple may need.  Magna doesn't have that ability.  They already contract manufacture Jaguar's I-Pace and E-Pace, Toyota's Supra, BMW's 5-Series and Z4, and MB's G-Class.  

    When this story initially broke, I said Apple was looking for an OEM/contract manufacturer, not a brand partner.  Some people are still incorrectly looking at this from a brand partner perspective.  Not really sure why.  Questions like, "why Hyundai and not BMW, MB, Porsche, or [insert luxury brand here]" still abound.  None of those brands would ever consider being an OEM manufacturer.  They would have the same concerns that Hyundai is expressing about brand erosion, 'cept their concerns would be magnified because their brands are waaaaaaay more valuable and influential than Hyundai's.  That's not a knock on Hyundai.  That's just reality.
    BMW -did- consider being an OEM partner with Apple. It fell apart as BMW lost their way on EV, giving up on i3, giving up on the electric 3 series prototypes used in SF, and refocusing on gas. 

    MB (Daimler) had talks, considered, and ended them as well. https://appleinsider.com/articles/16/04/20/rumor-control-of-user-data-railroaded-project-titan-talks-between-apple-and-bmw-daimler

    https://appleinsider.com/articles/16/04/18/apple-runs-secret-car-lab-in-berlin-with-15-20-employees-report-says

    We covered it here at AppleInsider. 
    muthuk_vanalingamwatto_cobraGeorgeBMac

  • Apple now blocking new installs of sideloaded iOS apps on M1 Macs

    vmarksvmarks
    avs_htx said:
    alphafox said:
    Really Apple. When you buy a laptop you should be able to load whatever you want on it. 
    As a developer, I don’t want people to install my product on devices for which I did not license it to. Those apps were developed and licensed by developers for use on specific platforms. This is a valid scenario which Apple is right in blocking it. If you want something just get the right product for the device.
    Interestingly, Cory Doctorow has this piece he wrote about the act of "copying" and how that's what a computer does. This prevention of loading on the Mac is a violation of sorts. It goes back to Apple's question around the iPad, "what is a computer?" - evidently, not a Mac, anymore.

    As a developer, your greatest problem isn't piracy, it's obscurity. Only when you solve obscurity, do you even have to worry about piracy. And preventing people from side loading "your" (their, if they paid you something for it) - app on their computer contributes to your obscurity. Good going.
    elijahgMplsPgatorguywatto_cobra

  • Apple security chief Thomas Moyer indicted in concealed firearm permit bribery case

    vmarksvmarks
    tylersdad said:
    vmarks said:
    tylersdad said:
    flydog said:

    mobird said:
    Is the Apple Chief Security Officer Thomas Moyer still employed at Apple?
    Why wouldn't he be?  Did he steal something from Apple?  Jerk off in his office? Not show up for work?   There's nothing here to suggest he committed any misconduct while in the scope of his employment. 
    He attempted to bribe a public official. I can't think of a single company that would allow someone to stay on their roster of employees after that. 


    “We expect all of our employees to conduct themselves with integrity. After learning of the allegations, we conducted a thorough internal investigation and found no wrongdoing,” an Apple spokesperson said in a statement.


    The mind boggles at how Apple managed to clear them, while a Grand Jury chose to indict. If they are found guilty will Apple change their mind? I don't see how they could at this point, but this just looks like Apple protecting Apple employees who have clearly done wrong. 

    Bribing a public official is wrong. But Apple is somehow totally fine with that? 

    Grand Juries tend to go with what the prosecutor wants. "New York State chief judge Sol Wachtler was famously quoted by Tom Wolfe in The Bonfire of the Vanities that "a grand jury would 'indict a ham sandwich,' if that's what you wanted." - https://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/indict_a_ham_sandwich/

    I think Apple would not be totally fine with an employee bribing anyone (public official, vendor, supplier, retail partner, you name it.) But perhaps Apple's internal investigation didn't reveal any bribery. Just because the DA files charges doesn't mean they're guilty, it just means the DA thinks they can win. That may be a bit too cynical for some.

    Some outlets are reporting this as a feud between the Sherrif and the DA, and Apple's security officer happens to be caught in between.


    ronnDogpersonrandominternetpersondewmelongpathjony0

  • Apple security chief Thomas Moyer indicted in concealed firearm permit bribery case

    vmarksvmarks
    tylersdad said:
    flydog said:

    mobird said:
    Is the Apple Chief Security Officer Thomas Moyer still employed at Apple?
    Why wouldn't he be?  Did he steal something from Apple?  Jerk off in his office? Not show up for work?   There's nothing here to suggest he committed any misconduct while in the scope of his employment. 
    He attempted to bribe a public official. I can't think of a single company that would allow someone to stay on their roster of employees after that. 


    “We expect all of our employees to conduct themselves with integrity. After learning of the allegations, we conducted a thorough internal investigation and found no wrongdoing,” an Apple spokesperson said in a statement.


    ronnlongpathrandominternetpersonjony0

  • Everything unveiled at Apple's iPhone 12 event - and what AppleInsider thought

    vmarksvmarks
    MustSeeUHDTV said:

    Since the 12's are going to be using the Snapdragons, we don't have to worry about one phone cell version have more band options anymore, right?

    Typically the Verizon and Sprint ones were the ones that could do everything, but AT&T and T-Mobile lacked the CDMA bands. I just want to make sure that I have a Universal phone when I upgrade from my iPhone X.

    The CDMA versions lacked TMO's 700MHz band. You couldn't get a truly universal phone. The CDMA one is the more useful one if you travel internationally, although who's doing that these days?

    MustSeeUHDTVwatto_cobra