Apple likes to make money and do it by making good products that people actually desire to own. The key here is Apple won't do anything with the "Apple Car" project if they can't find a way to make money with it. R&D is fine and they spend plenty on that, but if the end result won't sell, Apple won't make it. They are not going to do this the Tesla way, where profits are optional.
At the time of this writing, it is early in the day in the US. Where I live, it is supper time - yes, I live in a future that none of you have yet experienced. I am therefore well qualified to let you in on Apple's plans for the future because I live there...
Apple's car is actually an autonomous 'flying' car. Actually, 'flying' is a misnomer as lifting surfaces are not employed. Apple has been testing the technology for about 73 years, longer than the company has existed because they sent test articles back to 1947 for trials to avoid modern technology spying on activities - Apple can do that now (in the future). They lost a couple of units but still have a laugh over the way their crash test dummies were received in the 1940's. Apparently, the navy has captured some data on recent tests but Apple is completely un-phased by this, knowing that any investigation and resulting in-depth report on sightings were (looking back from the future - they can do that too), a whitewash. So there you have it. Only the faithful will see this post and so Apple's secret was safe (in the future they know this). In fact, Kevin authorised this release.
Oh, you want proof that this news is genuine? Okay then, check on Apple's valuation in the future... yes, makes $2.5T look like pocket change eh!
I've been bullish on an Apple Car from the beginning. But I'm beginning to think that this is now just another sign of an overall lack of vision and continuous lack of leadership overseeing whatever vision there was to begin with. It seems that children have been conceived, born, raised, and graduated from college in the time that Apple has been working on the Car, all without any evidence of an actual ship year--or even decade.
Meanwhile...Lucid has rolling stock and production schedules in about half the time. Get a professional to run the "division", stop the endless invention and re-invention and concept tinkering and set up a schedule. This isn't Jonny Ive-ville anymore. Real companies ship.
Apple is such a failure, isn’t it. How it stays in business is a mystery, especially with Tim Apple at the helm.
There is not an Apple Car because Cook can’t find a way to make a 35% Profit yet. Nothing will be released for at least the next 2 years as they transition to M1 computers. Better to wait than have another HomePod flop.
Apple likes to make money and do it by making good products that people actually desire to own. The key here is Apple won't do anything with the "Apple Car" project if they can't find a way to make money with it. R&D is fine and they spend plenty on that, but if the end result won't sell, Apple won't make it. They are not going to do this the Tesla way, where profits are optional.
This does seem the divide between the pre & post 2011 Apple... Things like X grid offered unlimited potential and embedded value on principle. I am reminded of the saying 'accountants know the cost of everything and the value of nothing' (let the flames begin and yet the only Apple products I upgraded (have actually wanted to buy) after 2011 include an iPhone 7 and a Time Capsule, the latter unfortunately discontinued along with Thunderbolt Display, both of which could (to me) have been modestly upgraded with USB3 and 4K. I also still miss the 30" Apple Cinema Display, which has only recently had a reincarnation at a much higher cost... I invested elsewhere. Kudos to management for shareholder profitability, yet as a daily user that was never my primary metric... I want to be able to upgrade my ram and storage to suit my needs vs having to buy a whole new computer, and has the move to annual macOS upgrade cycles made software far less compatible - is it Windows 10 that now (mostly) 'just works' and macOS that is 'plug & pray'...?
Apple's car project seems to be a form of punishment for executives at this point.
Tim Cook - "So Kevin... Apple Watch sales are down" (
Kevin Lynch - "wewewewewwwell wwwweee are working hard on the next version with a glucose monitor, wweeee are certain ittttt wiwill be a bbbibig hit!,"
Silence in the room. Tim Cook wanders Kevin's office picking up different items that decorate Kevin's office, rotating them in his hand as he examines them. He stops and puts down some trinket. He raises his gaze and locks eyes with Kevin.
Confirmed: The Apple Car will be totally controllable from your Apple Watch, and have automatic health monitoring, probably in the seats, and will be able to detect when someone is in distress and drive immediately to the nearest emergency facility.
I've been bullish on an Apple Car from the beginning. But I'm beginning to think that this is now just another sign of an overall lack of vision and continuous lack of leadership overseeing whatever vision there was to begin with. It seems that children have been conceived, born, raised, and graduated from college in the time that Apple has been working on the Car, all without any evidence of an actual ship year--or even decade.
Meanwhile...Lucid has rolling stock and production schedules in about half the time. Get a professional to run the "division", stop the endless invention and re-invention and concept tinkering and set up a schedule. This isn't Jonny Ive-ville anymore. Real companies ship.
Apple is such a failure, isn’t it. How it stays in business is a mystery, especially with Tim Apple at the helm.
There is not an Apple Car because Cook can’t find a way to make a 35% Profit yet. Nothing will be released for at least the next 2 years as they transition to M1 computers. Better to wait than have another HomePod flop.
Edit :” not”
HomePod wasn't a flop. The original was discontinued after some years, but the product still exists. You seem to be confusing a breakout hit with a flop. Two different things. By all accounts I read the original HP was profitable, and lead the market for the top tier of connected speakers. This seemed to be too niche for Apple's preferences, so they switched the line over to less-premium minis.
I've been bullish on an Apple Car from the beginning. But I'm beginning to think that this is now just another sign of an overall lack of vision and continuous lack of leadership overseeing whatever vision there was to begin with. It seems that children have been conceived, born, raised, and graduated from college in the time that Apple has been working on the Car, all without any evidence of an actual ship year--or even decade.
Meanwhile...Lucid has rolling stock and production schedules in about half the time. Get a professional to run the "division", stop the endless invention and re-invention and concept tinkering and set up a schedule. This isn't Jonny Ive-ville anymore. Real companies ship.
More expert management tips from the armchair. 🙄
Oh, I didn't realize that we all have to be industry insiders in order to comment. Duly noted. However, If you ran a company you just might be a little irritated that a division in which you have invested many billions of dollars and seven to ten thousand employees has yet to deliver a single product of any sort besides patents. And the apparent difficulty in keeping senior management around in the absence of any corporate funding issues ought to be a sign that all is not well.
Comments
Apple's car is actually an autonomous 'flying' car. Actually, 'flying' is a misnomer as lifting surfaces are not employed. Apple has been testing the technology for about 73 years, longer than the company has existed because they sent test articles back to 1947 for trials to avoid modern technology spying on activities - Apple can do that now (in the future). They lost a couple of units but still have a laugh over the way their crash test dummies were received in the 1940's. Apparently, the navy has captured some data on recent tests but Apple is completely un-phased by this, knowing that any investigation and resulting in-depth report on sightings were (looking back from the future - they can do that too), a whitewash. So there you have it. Only the faithful will see this post and so Apple's secret was safe (in the future they know this). In fact, Kevin authorised this release.
Oh, you want proof that this news is genuine? Okay then, check on Apple's valuation in the future... yes, makes $2.5T look like pocket change eh!
Edit :” not”
You heard it here first!
/s
Oh, I didn't realize that we all have to be industry insiders in order to comment. Duly noted. However, If you ran a company you just might be a little irritated that a division in which you have invested many billions of dollars and seven to ten thousand employees has yet to deliver a single product of any sort besides patents. And the apparent difficulty in keeping senior management around in the absence of any corporate funding issues ought to be a sign that all is not well.