Apple is at a crossroads. The crucial thing for Apple is to be humble and realize their massive success with the iPhone is not replicable. Apple needs to use their strengths to incrementally grow the company and not rely on hitting it out of the park. Tomorrow is going to be a tough day for AAPL (after the close).
I just don't see a car happening without a partnership with an established company. They wouldn't have to just build a car, but everything else - the dealerships to sell and repair them.
Better Subaru, is cheaper, well positioned to grow into a premium competitor if it wasn't for the derivative styling. With Ive leading the design team Subaru could go really for the premium market. Style wise it resembles the pre-Jobs Apple, but with record profits, sales and bulletproof reliability.
I have doubts about whether skills making glass slabs thinner is applicable to car design. That's an unfair characterization, I know, but the point is probably still valid. Automobile design is a pretty specialized field, requiring years of apprenticeship. I wouldn't assume Ive can do it effectively on day one.
I reckon Ive could do an excellent car design with one hand tied behind his back during lunch.
It's obvious that you don't think anything could possibly be wrong with this project, or Apple for that matter. But it's pretty clear that leaks like this are coming from that review. And most likely, the reason why that chief of the project is leaving. It's possible that Ive's not making things clear and getting upset that results aren't coming.
nothing's obvious -- it's a rumor about a rumor.
however, since Mr Grey said he'd read several accounts im curious who from. because if theyre just the usual regurgitated rumors on these rumor sites, that doesnt mean jack.
and no, i dont think theres anything wrong (DOOOM) at apple. theyre the world's most valuable company, and produce the most successful consumer good in the history of our species. i shed no tears for them, and im certain theyll survive one day more.
A Apple car is kinda silly. Car tech makes sense, buying Tesla.. maybe... Build a damn desktop computer and automate the home would be awesome.
At this point I am not sure how Apple would improve upon the user experience of driving. Personally I am not into self driving cars, self driving train that works for me. But driving a cars is a personal experience I enjoy doing. Today I take mostly back road driving to work which I a little longer but I enjoy the drive far better than taking the regular commute routes.
But automating the home is a far more complicated problems, not every home in the world is built the same way so their are so many problems to solve this will only complicated the solution. In a sense, it easy to build a car than automate most homes, The car you control all the systems in a home someone else over many years made decision about the control systems.
A Apple car is kinda silly. Car tech makes sense, buying Tesla.. maybe... Build a damn desktop computer and automate the home would be awesome.
Yeah, if they want to do a car, I agree buy Tesla. The will be able to add the one thing Tesla is lacking (deep pockets) while the stick to their core competencies (software and devices). Tesla has manufacturing, stores, chargers and design in place. They also have a revenue stream in place. Apple has nothing right now. The problem with a failure in the auto space would not be just the money lost, but rather the taint of failure and the lost focus from the company. Better to have the Tesla division of Apple.
Better Subaru, is cheaper, well positioned to grow into a premium competitor if it wasn't for the derivative styling. With Ive leading the design team Subaru could go really for the premium market. Style wise it resembles the pre-Jobs Apple, but with record profits, sales and bulletproof reliability.
I have doubts about whether skills making glass slabs thinner is applicable to car design. That's an unfair characterization, I know, but the point is probably still valid. Automobile design is a pretty specialized field, requiring years of apprenticeship. I wouldn't assume Ive can do it effectively on day one.
yes, if only apple did more than make thin glass -- such as placing a miniature mainframe computer into the palm of your hand inside a thin slab of glass. and if only there were able to hire hundreds or thousands of experts in relative fields to learn and incorporate new things. and conduct R&D projects for years before we ever heard about them. poor apple....so lost, like a babe in the woods, helpless and lacking in ability. how have they ever made it this far?
It's obvious that you don't think anything could possibly be wrong with this project, or Apple for that matter. But it's pretty clear that leaks like this are coming from that review. And most likely, the reason why that chief of the project is leaving. It's possible that Ive's not making things clear and getting upset that results aren't coming.
There are three major execs that left directly / indirectly due to Ive's displeasure. Scott Forstall, Greg Christie, and now Zadesky. I wonder if Ive is pushing his weight around a little too much or biting off more than he can chew.
actually, you dont know that at all. even after all these years nobody knows why Forstall left -- was it Maps? was it his refusal to sign an apology with Cook? staff conflicts? etc.. rumors from the outside dont tell us anything...you have to be in the room to know, and you werent in the room.
It makes even more sense to buy BMW. BMW is cheap at $60 Billion. It even makes a large profit which Tesla may never do. Apple likes profit. BMW already makes electric cars. And BMW can mass produce cars - Tesla cannot. Tesla' cars are flawed because it hasn't made cars for long. Tesla's bugs would drive perfectionistic Apple nuts Apple can buy BMW with only 6 months of revenue.
What universe do you live in where Apple is still managed by perfectionists? Are they the ones responsible for the new apple mouse not scrolling for older operating systems than 10.11(current)? Are they the ones with the 5S that wont hold a charge?
if you have an iphone 5s that wont hold a charge, its because its several years old and the battery is used up. swap it out -- thats normal maintenance.
They should do what two of the most experienced auto makers do. Both Mercedes and Toyota (probably others) buy batteries, motors and even rolling chassis from Tesla. Then they hire some really cool Southern California auto design firm like Designworks to put together the body and interior styles, and Apple can do the software. You'd probably have a really nice car in about 18-24 months just like other car companies do, including Mercedes, BMW, VW and several other major foreign and domestic auto makers. You start out with Tesla chassis package at first, it would be similar to what they do with third party components for their computers, and as time goes on, you eventually bring more aspects in-house. Reinventing the wheel is not always practical, especially in the beginning.
I think this project just hit a patch of black ice, skidded off the road and plunged into a ravine.
Scratch that 'next big thing'
How about we do a TV guys?
Jobs already talked about wanting to do an AIO TV but couldn't because they were without a viable go-to-market strategy. A TV contract would change that possibility by allow a subsidised TV, but it's proven nigh impossible to iron out an attractive deal there.
For some time I have thought Apple could do a fleet of Satellites for broadcast TV and data and cut out the middlemen.
I just don't see a car happening without a partnership with an established company. They wouldn't have to just build a car, but everything else - the dealerships to sell and repair them.
At this point I am not sure how Apple would improve upon the user experience of driving. Personally I am not into self driving cars, self driving train that works for me. But driving a cars is a personal experience I enjoy doing. Today I take mostly back road driving to work which I a little longer but I enjoy the drive far better than taking the regular commute routes.
But automating the home is a far more complicated problems, not every home in the world is built the same way so their are so many problems to solve this will only complicated the solution. In a sense, it easy to build a car than automate most homes, The car you control all the systems in a home someone else over many years made decision about the control systems.
Yeah, if they want to do a car, I agree buy Tesla. The will be able to add the one thing Tesla is lacking (deep pockets) while the stick to their core competencies (software and devices). Tesla has manufacturing, stores, chargers and design in place. They also have a revenue stream in place. Apple has nothing right now. The problem with a failure in the auto space would not be just the money lost, but rather the taint of failure and the lost focus from the company. Better to have the Tesla division of Apple.
I always have to laugh when people say buy Tesla. Since when is it for sale? And why would Elon Musk want to be a division of Apple.
It's obvious that you don't think anything could possibly be wrong with this project, or Apple for that matter. But it's pretty clear that leaks like this are coming from that review. And most likely, the reason why that chief of the project is leaving. It's possible that Ive's not making things clear and getting upset that results aren't coming.
nothing's obvious -- it's a rumor about a rumor.
however, since Mr Grey said he'd read several accounts im curious who from. because if theyre just the usual regurgitated rumors on these rumor sites, that doesnt mean jack.
and no, i dont think theres anything wrong (DOOOM) at apple. theyre the world's most valuable company, and produce the most successful consumer good in the history of our species. i shed no tears for them, and im certain theyll survive one day more.
There lies your problem. A company can have problems that doesn't spell immediate doom for that company, but a slow blood letting that sneaks up on you. Microsoft didn't all of the sudden wake up one morning with financial losses that put them where they are. It happens over the course of time, acting as though they are invincible and can do no wrong, spending money on things that don't bring the return needed (XBOX ring a bell). So you can ignore things like that if you choose to, I don't. If you sink a lot of money into developing something that either never sees the light of day or doesn't bring the return necessary to recover those costs and then some then it's going to have an impact in the overall company. When the Chief of the project that is 'supposed' to be the next thing leaves the company it means something. And when has there ever been a story about someone leaving Apple that hasn't been true?
A Apple car is kinda silly. Car tech makes sense, buying Tesla.. maybe... Build a damn desktop computer and automate the home would be awesome.
It makes even more sense to buy BMW. BMW is cheap at $60 Billion. It even makes a large profit which Tesla may never do. Apple likes profit. BMW already makes electric cars. And BMW can mass produce cars - Tesla cannot. Tesla' cars are flawed because it hasn't made cars for long. Tesla's bugs would drive perfectionistic Apple nuts Apple can buy BMW with only 6 months of revenue.
That's assuming BMW would like to get sold. So far you would not count German brands like Benz or BMW do this. Therwwould be way too much opposition for Apple to overcome. It is not just about money.
For some time I have thought Apple could do a fleet of Satellites for broadcast TV and data and cut out the middlemen.
Are you joking? Do you think Apple can build a better satellite than the companies that are already building them? There is plenty of satellite bandwidth for lease right now. Tons of satellite TV companies all around the world are leasing bandwidth from satellite owners like ViaSat.
It would take Apple at least a decade to acquire the engineering expertise to build and launch their own system and even if they pulled it off they wouldn't recoup their investment for another couple decades if ever. I suppose you think they should reinvent the rocket ship as well, just to cut out the middle man.
... The all black TV remote with microphones and touch pads built into it, but no illumination on the all black buttons to see what you're pressing when in a dark room? (it's perfectly symmetrical so you fumble with it every time you pick it up. Bonus!) ...
Can't argue with this..... the Apple TV remote is a design FAILURE. Add an LED or two, make it asymmetric so I can figure out which end to hold, .... for pete's sake, make it rational.
Can't argue with this..... the Apple TV remote is a design FAILURE. Add an LED or two, make it asymmetric so I can figure out which end to hold, .... for pete's sake, make it rational.
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however, since Mr Grey said he'd read several accounts im curious who from. because if theyre just the usual regurgitated rumors on these rumor sites, that doesnt mean jack.
and no, i dont think theres anything wrong (DOOOM) at apple. theyre the world's most valuable company, and produce the most successful consumer good in the history of our species. i shed no tears for them, and im certain theyll survive one day more.
actually, you dont know that at all. even after all these years nobody knows why Forstall left -- was it Maps? was it his refusal to sign an apology with Cook? staff conflicts? etc.. rumors from the outside dont tell us anything...you have to be in the room to know, and you werent in the room.
if you have an iphone 5s that wont hold a charge, its because its several years old and the battery is used up. swap it out -- thats normal maintenance.
I always have to laugh when people say buy Tesla. Since when is it for sale? And why would Elon Musk want to be a division of Apple.
It would take Apple at least a decade to acquire the engineering expertise to build and launch their own system and even if they pulled it off they wouldn't recoup their investment for another couple decades if ever. I suppose you think they should reinvent the rocket ship as well, just to cut out the middle man.