I don't think Apple is a very good fit for this project anyway. In car systems need to be highly integrated with all the onboard sensors and vehicle safety features most of which has nothing to do with iOS. It is no surprise that they are having a difficult time because Apple historically doesn't work well with others. Unless they control a product from top to bottom, hardware and software they are out of their element.
I whole heartily agree. Apple is a hardware company first. Their software is to support the hardware. That's why they give away a lot of the software for free. That's why I never liked the idea from the moment I heard of it. I'm afraid this will end very badly for Apple.
I whole heartily agree. Apple is a hardware company first. Their software is to support the hardware. That's why they give away a lot of the software for free. That's why I never liked the idea from the moment I heard of it. I'm afraid this will end very badly for Apple.
Well, either ends badly or they learn to interface iOS with other OSes properly. If this works out over time, it may mean iOS gains a new way to interoperate with other OSes.
Like I said, OSes are just software. If Mac can work with Windows in a secure way, I don't see why iOS can't work with the rest.
Apple need to get the lead out and move on this before Android or even Microsoft dominate in this market. My only fear as Mstone pointed out above is Apple has historically not been very good at partnering or working with other companies.
People here rant on about the colour of icons or the rumors of different screen sizes on the iPhone.... little things that kick up a fanboy storm.
But THIS news is actually the important stuff and it's sad to see Apple drop the ball. The amount of time people spend in their cars (in certain cities) is something very significant, and having android-friendly google-designed-UI cars take over the market is worriesome. Phone connectivity, imo, is the next big push of technology - Apple have it almost nailed with airplay at home, but are about to be completely trumped when it comes to the car.
I whole heartily agree. Apple is a hardware company first. Their software is to support the hardware. That's why they give away a lot of the software for free. That's why I never liked the idea from the moment I heard of it. I'm afraid this will end very badly for Apple.
It is not impossible surely, but in order for it to work I think there are three essential integration support issues.
Apple would need to allow the car companies the ability to control Apple's built in apps with some kind of launcher and skinning ability so they could differentiate their look and feel from other automakers. Apple would also need to let an iPhone pair up with the in car iPad-like device.
The car companies would need some sort of breakout box behind the dash that they could connect all of their onboard computing and sensors to in order to integrate things like tire pressure alert or door ajar, etc through either BT or the lighting port.
Car companies would have to write their own iOS apps for everything they wanted to display. This could be a very expensive proposition as they would essentially need to reinvent everything they already have working.
I'm not really sure what Apple brings to the table. Sure their GUI is head and shoulders above current in car systems but how do all the other mechanical and electrical systems integrate? Apple isn't really in the business of writing dozens of different auto centric interfaces just so they will match graphically.
Auto systems already can control an iPhone to some extent like reading emails and music. As far as Maps is concerned, I like the onboard data because it is guaranteed to be available unlike Apple Maps which has to get its data from the Internet which is not always accessible or at sufficient speed over the cell network to be useful.
All I'd be interested in would be a kit I could buy to retrofit my old car (probably replace the radio with an in-dash system). Top-to-bottom integration is not a factor for me.
I said it before and I'll say it again, Eddy Cue has way too much on his plate. Apple needs to reorg Internet Software and Services and/or find a new SVP.
From Apple Press from apple.com/pr/bios:
"Eddy oversees Apple's industry-leading content stores including the iTunes Store, the revolutionary App Store and the iBookstore, as well as Siri, Maps, iAd and Apple's innovative iCloud services."
And this gem:
"Eddy's team has an excellent track record of building and strengthening online services to meet and exceed the high expectations of Apple's customers."
Does Apple really believe Maps, Siri, iCloud, and the iBookstore meets or exceeds its customers expectations? I don't.
If anyone had said "The disconnect is attributed primarily to overarching organizational issues that are said to place pressure on non-hardware products that do not fit within existing teams." to Steve Jobs back in the day, they would still be extracting SJ's boot from that person's posterior cavity. I miss SJ. Yes he was a tyrant but he never put up with this kind of nonsense and knew how to push people and products to extremes. I definitely do not like hearing things like this come out of Apple.
I said it before and I'll say it again, Eddy Cue has way too much on his plate. Apple needs to reorg Internet Software and Services and/or find a new SVP.
"Eddy oversees Apple's industry-leading content stores including the iTunes Store, the revolutionary App Store and the iBookstore, as well as Siri, Maps, iAd and Apple's innovative iCloud services."
And this gem:
"Eddy's team has an excellent track record of building and strengthening online services to meet and exceed the high expectations of Apple's customers."
Does Apple really believe Maps, Siri, iCloud, and the iBookstore meets or exceeds its customers expectations? I don't.
Now this.I agree ! Eddy Cue needs more help it seems.
Seems like for this initiative to work well for Apple they need to bring in an executive who has automotive electronics experience to head the team. It would not even need to be someone who worked for a car company - it could be a supplier or third party manufacturer like Pioneer. Someone who understands integrating systems and hardware etc.
IMO there certainly was a hiatus at Apple, in the run up to Steve Jobs death and for a year or so afterwards. The first because the strong leader was not able to lead and nobody wanted to elbow him out of the way while he could still come back; the second because of the shock of losing said strong leader, and without a strong leader, the ship drifted.
Now I think things are coming back together again, but we must of course ignore those trolls paid to write bad things about Apple, just as it is sensible not to believe the ultra-zealot fanboys for whom Apple could do now wrong, ever.
Apple need to get the lead out and move on this before Android or even Microsoft dominate in this market. My only fear as Mstone pointed out above is Apple has historically not been very good at partnering or working with other companies.
I think Apple's doing just fine without a car product. Maybe what they're learning is that the problem is harder than they thought, or that they can't do it with the quality they'd like. Not every internal Apple initiative has been a success, and that's fine. Microsoft and Google may put something out only to have it be a dud, after all. If Apple doesn't do it, I'm sure they have good reason.
iOS and Mac OS have been so successful in part because Apple controls all the hardware -- that is to say, there are no driver issues. That's always been a weak point for Windows and other operating systems. In the car market, Apple is just not going to be in a position to tell all the car producers what hardware they have to install for safety sensors, etc. If Apple didn't want to play the discrete device single manufacturer thermostat market, why would they want to play in the hundreds-of-different-kinds-of-sensors-from-dozens-of-manufacturers car market?
I could see Apple forming a partnership with a single car manufacturer. I doubt that it will be Tesla, because I don't think Apple will want to tie themselves to a niche brand. It'll be BMW or Mercedes or somebody like that if they want the historical quality factor. Toyota if they want the mass market.
...we must of course ignore those trolls paid to write bad things about Apple, just as it is sensible not to believe the ultra-zealot fanboys for whom Apple could do now wrong, ever.
How do trolls get paid to write bad things about Apple? I'm willing to sell out if there's enough cash in it. I kinda believe it's just not true, though.
I said it before and I'll say it again, Eddy Cue has way too much on his plate. Apple needs to reorg Internet Software and Services and/or find a new SVP.
"Eddy oversees Apple's industry-leading content stores including the iTunes Store, the revolutionary App Store and the iBookstore, as well as Siri, Maps, iAd and Apple's innovative iCloud services."
And this gem:
"Eddy's team has an excellent track record of building and strengthening online services to meet and exceed the high expectations of Apple's customers."
Does Apple really believe Maps, Siri, iCloud, and the iBookstore meets or exceeds its customers expectations? I don't.
Yes, especially if Apple gets into mobile payments. Eddy Cue can't handle all of that. In fact one could argue he's not handling that well what he has now. iOS in the car should be off the ground right now, there should be more progress on Apple TV (like an App Store) and iCloud still has issues.
How do trolls get paid to write bad things about Apple? I'm willing to sell out if there's enough cash in it. I kinda believe it's just not true, though.
Astroturfing ? There are guerrilla marketing companies or so called reputation management companies you can pay for writing up bad news and reviews (or vice versa). It's rather popular in the gaming industry.
How do trolls get paid to write bad things about Apple? I'm willing to sell out if there's enough cash in it. I kinda believe it's just not true, though.
You clearly don't read much. There have been many court cases where companies have been successfully prosecuted, and agencies discovered to have paid to set up multiple identities for placing negative comments and negative reviews of competitor products in social media. I believe Samsung have been linked with this kind of thing.
But then again, maybe you're just a pedant with a predilection for trolling yourself and are annoyed because I didn't use the word 'shills' instead of 'trolls'? If so, do grow up and get a life.
Seems like for this initiative to work well for Apple they need to bring in an executive who has automotive electronics experience to head the team. It would not even need to be someone who worked for a car company - it could be a supplier or third party manufacturer like Pioneer. Someone who understands integrating systems and hardware etc.
They probably have consultants or full staff for this project. Tony Fedell was an iPod consultant. That French fashion CEO is another consultant to Tim Cook.
We probably should take that write up with a bucket of salt btw. Hardware companies won't mess around with projects like a dotcom company. They are tight fisted with project investment.
Comments
I don't think Apple is a very good fit for this project anyway. In car systems need to be highly integrated with all the onboard sensors and vehicle safety features most of which has nothing to do with iOS. It is no surprise that they are having a difficult time because Apple historically doesn't work well with others. Unless they control a product from top to bottom, hardware and software they are out of their element.
I whole heartily agree. Apple is a hardware company first. Their software is to support the hardware. That's why they give away a lot of the software for free. That's why I never liked the idea from the moment I heard of it. I'm afraid this will end very badly for Apple.
Well, either ends badly or they learn to interface iOS with other OSes properly. If this works out over time, it may mean iOS gains a new way to interoperate with other OSes.
Like I said, OSes are just software. If Mac can work with Windows in a secure way, I don't see why iOS can't work with the rest.
Apple need to get the lead out and move on this before Android or even Microsoft dominate in this market. My only fear as Mstone pointed out above is Apple has historically not been very good at partnering or working with other companies.
People here rant on about the colour of icons or the rumors of different screen sizes on the iPhone.... little things that kick up a fanboy storm.
But THIS news is actually the important stuff and it's sad to see Apple drop the ball. The amount of time people spend in their cars (in certain cities) is something very significant, and having android-friendly google-designed-UI cars take over the market is worriesome. Phone connectivity, imo, is the next big push of technology - Apple have it almost nailed with airplay at home, but are about to be completely trumped when it comes to the car.
It is not impossible surely, but in order for it to work I think there are three essential integration support issues.
Apple would need to allow the car companies the ability to control Apple's built in apps with some kind of launcher and skinning ability so they could differentiate their look and feel from other automakers. Apple would also need to let an iPhone pair up with the in car iPad-like device.
The car companies would need some sort of breakout box behind the dash that they could connect all of their onboard computing and sensors to in order to integrate things like tire pressure alert or door ajar, etc through either BT or the lighting port.
Car companies would have to write their own iOS apps for everything they wanted to display. This could be a very expensive proposition as they would essentially need to reinvent everything they already have working.
I'm not really sure what Apple brings to the table. Sure their GUI is head and shoulders above current in car systems but how do all the other mechanical and electrical systems integrate? Apple isn't really in the business of writing dozens of different auto centric interfaces just so they will match graphically.
Auto systems already can control an iPhone to some extent like reading emails and music. As far as Maps is concerned, I like the onboard data because it is guaranteed to be available unlike Apple Maps which has to get its data from the Internet which is not always accessible or at sufficient speed over the cell network to be useful.
All I'd be interested in would be a kit I could buy to retrofit my old car (probably replace the radio with an in-dash system). Top-to-bottom integration is not a factor for me.
I said it before and I'll say it again, Eddy Cue has way too much on his plate. Apple needs to reorg Internet Software and Services and/or find a new SVP.
From Apple Press from apple.com/pr/bios:
"Eddy oversees Apple's industry-leading content stores including the iTunes Store, the revolutionary App Store and the iBookstore, as well as Siri, Maps, iAd and Apple's innovative iCloud services."
And this gem:
"Eddy's team has an excellent track record of building and strengthening online services to meet and exceed the high expectations of Apple's customers."
Does Apple really believe Maps, Siri, iCloud, and the iBookstore meets or exceeds its customers expectations? I don't.
Until now, Android has been a honey pot for malware.
Do you think texting while driving is a safety issue?
How about debugging while driving?
The same issue applies to iOS in a Car, but I have more confidence Apple will deliver high reliability before Android does.
Sammy to introduce the Galaxy S Bike.
If anyone had said "The disconnect is attributed primarily to overarching organizational issues that are said to place pressure on non-hardware products that do not fit within existing teams." to Steve Jobs back in the day, they would still be extracting SJ's boot from that person's posterior cavity. I miss SJ. Yes he was a tyrant but he never put up with this kind of nonsense and knew how to push people and products to extremes. I definitely do not like hearing things like this come out of Apple.
Now this.I agree ! Eddy Cue needs more help it seems.
Seems like for this initiative to work well for Apple they need to bring in an executive who has automotive electronics experience to head the team. It would not even need to be someone who worked for a car company - it could be a supplier or third party manufacturer like Pioneer. Someone who understands integrating systems and hardware etc.
Now I think things are coming back together again, but we must of course ignore those trolls paid to write bad things about Apple, just as it is sensible not to believe the ultra-zealot fanboys for whom Apple could do now wrong, ever.
Apple need to get the lead out and move on this before Android or even Microsoft dominate in this market. My only fear as Mstone pointed out above is Apple has historically not been very good at partnering or working with other companies.
I think Apple's doing just fine without a car product. Maybe what they're learning is that the problem is harder than they thought, or that they can't do it with the quality they'd like. Not every internal Apple initiative has been a success, and that's fine. Microsoft and Google may put something out only to have it be a dud, after all. If Apple doesn't do it, I'm sure they have good reason.
iOS and Mac OS have been so successful in part because Apple controls all the hardware -- that is to say, there are no driver issues. That's always been a weak point for Windows and other operating systems. In the car market, Apple is just not going to be in a position to tell all the car producers what hardware they have to install for safety sensors, etc. If Apple didn't want to play the discrete device single manufacturer thermostat market, why would they want to play in the hundreds-of-different-kinds-of-sensors-from-dozens-of-manufacturers car market?
I could see Apple forming a partnership with a single car manufacturer. I doubt that it will be Tesla, because I don't think Apple will want to tie themselves to a niche brand. It'll be BMW or Mercedes or somebody like that if they want the historical quality factor. Toyota if they want the mass market.
...we must of course ignore those trolls paid to write bad things about Apple, just as it is sensible not to believe the ultra-zealot fanboys for whom Apple could do now wrong, ever.
How do trolls get paid to write bad things about Apple? I'm willing to sell out if there's enough cash in it. I kinda believe it's just not true, though.
Astroturfing ? There are guerrilla marketing companies or so called reputation management companies you can pay for writing up bad news and reviews (or vice versa). It's rather popular in the gaming industry.
How do trolls get paid to write bad things about Apple? I'm willing to sell out if there's enough cash in it. I kinda believe it's just not true, though.
You clearly don't read much. There have been many court cases where companies have been successfully prosecuted, and agencies discovered to have paid to set up multiple identities for placing negative comments and negative reviews of competitor products in social media. I believe Samsung have been linked with this kind of thing.
But then again, maybe you're just a pedant with a predilection for trolling yourself and are annoyed because I didn't use the word 'shills' instead of 'trolls'? If so, do grow up and get a life.
They probably have consultants or full staff for this project. Tony Fedell was an iPod consultant. That French fashion CEO is another consultant to Tim Cook.
We probably should take that write up with a bucket of salt btw. Hardware companies won't mess around with projects like a dotcom company. They are tight fisted with project investment.