I was hoping that Apple would have a crack at something completely different - like designing and building a car. With billions in the chest this is something they can afford to do. There's no reason Apple should concentrate solely on developments in the computer sector.
Besides occasionally buying other companies outright, does the company have significant holdings in companies in any other emerging sectors?
Give nothing back to society? That's astonishingly myopic.
> There are upwards of 50,000 people who have a means of living by working for Apple, since when are they not part of society? That's some 50,000 that work for Apple, that doesn't include the people who work for Apple suppliers.
"In Apple’s last annual disclosure, the company listed its worldwide taxes — which includes cash taxes paid as well as deferred taxes and other charges — at $8.3bn [£5bn], an effective tax rate of almost a quarter of profits."
Yes, but you're not really giving something back to society unless you're a bunch of relentless publicity-mongers like Greenpeace. /s
[CODE][/CODE]He wouldn't have been the first computer industry guy to try. Sir Clive Sinclair had a crack at this in the mid 80s, though I guess calling it a car was stretching the definition. Calling it a huge failure wasn't, though. It was Sinclair's main interest; much more so than the Spectrum 8-bit computer that made him rich...
I dont have a particular idea, but Steve chose to drive an AMG MBZ. I've never been in the model he owned, but I'd be curious what features it has to see what sort of lifestyle he was used to.
That he drove such a precision piece of machinery and was still so unhappy he wanted to design a car says a lot....
That he drove such a precision piece of machinery and was still so unhappy he wanted to design a car says a lot....
Precision may not have been the issue for him, because the AMG certainly is among the best of its lot. Although he drove a Porsche 928 before Mercedes, he had this to say according to Walter Isaacson in Steve Jobs:
“Great art stretches the taste, it doesn’t follow tastes,” he told Atkinson. He also admired the design of the Mercedes. “Over the years, they’ve made the lines softer but the details starker,” he said one day as he walked around the parking lot. “That’s what we have to do with the Macintosh.”
Isaacson, Walter (2011-10-24). Steve Jobs (p. 128). Simon & Schuster, Inc.. Kindle Edition
As to automobiles in general, Jobs may have had creative, game-changing thoughts about how to take them to an entirely new level.
They do have the potential to be the Apple of cars.
Hopefully they won't screw it up. I'd like to see them collaborate with Apple engineers on battery tech. Get something out there that is decades ahead of the competition.
It baffled me for awhile trying to understand what Mickey Drexler...the Gap merchant prince, the guy who practically invented casual chic, was expected to bring to the table as an Apple Inc board member. And then the light bulb came on. He and Jobs were 'buds' so Drexler wasn't necessarily bringing any special expertise to the Apple executive decision-making process. Jobs was on the Gap board while CEO at Apple so putting Mickey on the Apple board was a bit of an incestuous relationship. Jobs gave Drexler advance warning of his impending firing even though the Gap internal board discussions were strictly confidential. Those two had a more personal relationship which went beyond their business spheres.
OTOH, Drexler's known for making marketing decisions with his gut...not market research and MBA spreadsheets with fancy graphs. <Sound like anyone else you've read about?> He's a retailing maverick; albeit, in the clothing business. And most of the time was right, especially among the younger crowd who put the iPod on the map; made his shareholders wealthy.
But then he called a couple wrong, got crosswise with the board and was abruptly canned, quickly landing on his feet again at J.Crew.
The parallels go on and on.
Drexler's a bit of a loose cannon though so it doesn't surprise me one bit to hear him say Steve Jobs wanted to build an 'iCar' when in actuality all Jobs may have done was just mention in passing...merely making conversation...that he could design a better looking car than anything currently coming out of automative design studios.
He reportedly designed an 'iYacht' too but that doesn't mean he was going to start producing them beyond the one that's being built in France to his specs.
Drexler's a bit of a loose cannon though so it doesn't surprise me one bit to hear him say Steve Jobs wanted to build an 'iCar' when in actuality all Jobs may have done was just mention in passing...merely making conversation...that he could design a better looking car than anything currently coming out of automative design studios.
He reportedly designed an 'iYacht' too but that doesn't mean he was going to start producing them beyond the one that's being built in France to his specs.
I thought so too. Several anecdotes from Isaacson's bio made me think that Steve had no "off" switch; that he was hardwired to think of ways to improve anything that crossed his field of view.
Comments
I was hoping that Apple would have a crack at something completely different - like designing and building a car. With billions in the chest this is something they can afford to do. There's no reason Apple should concentrate solely on developments in the computer sector.
Besides occasionally buying other companies outright, does the company have significant holdings in companies in any other emerging sectors?
Yes, but you're not really giving something back to society unless you're a bunch of relentless publicity-mongers like Greenpeace. /s
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinclair_C5
An iCar would be a cube van with nicely rounded corners and edges
But it would have a "Designed in California by Apple" badge, elegantly lettered and in an inconspicuous location on the instrument panel.
It's an Apple. You don't have to look back.
It would need one if it were a Microsoft, because the steering wheel and driver's seat would be pointed in the opposite direction.
He is still a board member.
"Hey..wha?....the car isn't responding....utoh......oh geez.....SCREECH.........Crash!"
"You're driving it wrong".
I dont have a particular idea, but Steve chose to drive an AMG MBZ. I've never been in the model he owned, but I'd be curious what features it has to see what sort of lifestyle he was used to.
That he drove such a precision piece of machinery and was still so unhappy he wanted to design a car says a lot....
Quote:
Originally Posted by echosonic
That he drove such a precision piece of machinery and was still so unhappy he wanted to design a car says a lot....
Precision may not have been the issue for him, because the AMG certainly is among the best of its lot. Although he drove a Porsche 928 before Mercedes, he had this to say according to Walter Isaacson in Steve Jobs:
“Great art stretches the taste, it doesn’t follow tastes,” he told Atkinson. He also admired the design of the Mercedes. “Over the years, they’ve made the lines softer but the details starker,” he said one day as he walked around the parking lot. “That’s what we have to do with the Macintosh.”
Isaacson, Walter (2011-10-24). Steve Jobs (p. 128). Simon & Schuster, Inc.. Kindle Edition
As to automobiles in general, Jobs may have had creative, game-changing thoughts about how to take them to an entirely new level.
Quote:
Originally Posted by libertyforall
WHERE is the rear window in that car?!
Windows? We don't need no stinkin' Windows!
Drexler misunderstood. Jobs was saying "I care".
Tesla Motors.
.
.
Quote:
Originally Posted by James Bond
Tesla Motors.
They do have the potential to be the Apple of cars.
Hopefully they won't screw it up. I'd like to see them collaborate with Apple engineers on battery tech. Get something out there that is decades ahead of the competition.
Replacing all the buttons with one huge touch screen seems like something an iCar would do.
It baffled me for awhile trying to understand what Mickey Drexler...the Gap merchant prince, the guy who practically invented casual chic, was expected to bring to the table as an Apple Inc board member. And then the light bulb came on. He and Jobs were 'buds' so Drexler wasn't necessarily bringing any special expertise to the Apple executive decision-making process. Jobs was on the Gap board while CEO at Apple so putting Mickey on the Apple board was a bit of an incestuous relationship. Jobs gave Drexler advance warning of his impending firing even though the Gap internal board discussions were strictly confidential. Those two had a more personal relationship which went beyond their business spheres.
OTOH, Drexler's known for making marketing decisions with his gut...not market research and MBA spreadsheets with fancy graphs. <Sound like anyone else you've read about?> He's a retailing maverick; albeit, in the clothing business. And most of the time was right, especially among the younger crowd who put the iPod on the map; made his shareholders wealthy.
But then he called a couple wrong, got crosswise with the board and was abruptly canned, quickly landing on his feet again at J.Crew.
The parallels go on and on.
Drexler's a bit of a loose cannon though so it doesn't surprise me one bit to hear him say Steve Jobs wanted to build an 'iCar' when in actuality all Jobs may have done was just mention in passing...merely making conversation...that he could design a better looking car than anything currently coming out of automative design studios.
He reportedly designed an 'iYacht' too but that doesn't mean he was going to start producing them beyond the one that's being built in France to his specs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Felix01
Drexler's a bit of a loose cannon though so it doesn't surprise me one bit to hear him say Steve Jobs wanted to build an 'iCar' when in actuality all Jobs may have done was just mention in passing...merely making conversation...that he could design a better looking car than anything currently coming out of automative design studios.
He reportedly designed an 'iYacht' too but that doesn't mean he was going to start producing them beyond the one that's being built in France to his specs.
I thought so too. Several anecdotes from Isaacson's bio made me think that Steve had no "off" switch; that he was hardwired to think of ways to improve anything that crossed his field of view.