Organizational strife said to bedevil Apple's iOS in the Car intiative
Apple's hardware-oriented corporate culture has been responsible for delays that have plagued the rollout of the company's automotive strategy, a new report suggests.
Apple executives "didn't quite know what to do" with the iOS in the Car program, according to The Information's Jessica E. Lessin. 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.
Even in the lead-up to iOS in the Car's high-profile unveiling at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference last June, executives were reportedly still unsure about the product's future. The iOS in the Car group was forced to "lobby hard" for stage time, sources told the publication.
Following that announcement, Apple CEO Tim Cook called the initiative "very, very important" and a "key focus" for the company heading into 2014. Despite those assurances, however, development appears to have remained slow.
Alliances with major manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari have failed to bear fruit thus far, and announcements from other automakers have been few and far between. Only Apple's Siri Eyes Free functionality has made it into production vehicles.
The news comes as rival Google is positioning its Android operating system as an alternative for in-car 'infotainment' systems. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company announced partnerships with automakers including Audi, Hyundai, Honda, and General Motors earlier this month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Apple executives "didn't quite know what to do" with the iOS in the Car program, according to The Information's Jessica E. Lessin. 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.
Even in the lead-up to iOS in the Car's high-profile unveiling at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference last June, executives were reportedly still unsure about the product's future. The iOS in the Car group was forced to "lobby hard" for stage time, sources told the publication.
Following that announcement, Apple CEO Tim Cook called the initiative "very, very important" and a "key focus" for the company heading into 2014. Despite those assurances, however, development appears to have remained slow.
Alliances with major manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari have failed to bear fruit thus far, and announcements from other automakers have been few and far between. Only Apple's Siri Eyes Free functionality has made it into production vehicles.
The news comes as rival Google is positioning its Android operating system as an alternative for in-car 'infotainment' systems. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company announced partnerships with automakers including Audi, Hyundai, Honda, and General Motors earlier this month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Comments
What sleepy time?
The sleepy time that anyone can see a mile away if they pay attention and their loyalties aren't so far ingrained in one company that they overlook obvious missteps. The sleepy time of not realizing that you can't control each and every aspect of every single product and that control has a point or curve where once reached experiences diminishing returns. If Apple would stop trying to control every single minute thing and worry about the only control that truly matters which is overall quality control they would be in a better place. Here is what's going to happen... iOS in the car WILL indeed be launched, it will then be received with lukewarm fan fair... it will be 'neat' for a bit and then because of the way Apple thinks and their corporate culture it won't go far because essentially carmakers are going to need to concede to add the functionality into their already functioning in-dash products which essentially perform all the functions that iOS in the car does but with an interface that's as pretty. THEN Google will start it's onslaught and through their partnerships with these same manufacturers will get Android as the actual operating on the in-dash units themselves. Rather than just essentially a plugin which beams or streams iOS data from the iPhone onto in-dash unit, Googles partnership will see Android actually installed directly on those units. This coupled with Googles approach to be less open and less controlling will give way to a LOT of developer support for the in-dash unit to customize the interface and make it as pretty and/or informative as said developer imagines and the users/customers of these in-dash units will have true choice over the look of their dash, the functionality, and the information they are presented. Apple all the while will be Apple and they will control their little app plugin and give the users no options for how it looks, no options for the information displayed, and real options for developers to tap into it's potential (just like with Apple TV). At the end of the day this will play out just like iOS vs. Android. iOS in the car will have a sizable following but Googles initiative will dominate the industry because they work WITH people instead of arrogantly always presuming on people and making an environment that feels like even though you partner with them, you really are just working FOR them and that they know best, always, at all times, even when they don't.
"News"? No sources that I can see.
Maybe it is in the linked article but it's behind a paywall.
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.
The sleepy time that anyone can see a mile away if they pay attention and their loyalties aren't so far ingrained in one company that they overlook obvious missteps. The sleepy time of not realizing that you can't control each and every aspect of every single product and that control has a point or curve where once reached experiences diminishing returns. If Apple would stop trying to control every single minute thing and worry about the only control that truly matters which is overall quality control they would be in a better place. Here is what's going to happen... iOS in the car WILL indeed be launched, it will then be received with lukewarm fan fair... it will be 'neat' for a bit and then because of the way Apple thinks and their corporate culture it won't go far because essentially carmakers are going to need to concede to add the functionality into their already functioning in-dash products which essentially perform all the functions that iOS in the car does but with an interface that's as pretty. THEN Google will start it's onslaught and through their partnerships with these same manufacturers will get Android as the actual operating on the in-dash units themselves. Rather than just essentially a plugin which beams or streams iOS data from the iPhone onto in-dash unit, Googles partnership will see Android actually installed directly on those units. This coupled with Googles approach to be less open and less controlling will give way to a LOT of developer support for the in-dash unit to customize the interface and make it as pretty and/or informative as said developer imagines and the users/customers of these in-dash units will have true choice over the look of their dash, the functionality, and the information they are presented. Apple all the while will be Apple and they will control their little app plugin and give the users no options for how it looks, no options for the information displayed, and real options for developers to tap into it's potential (just like with Apple TV). At the end of the day this will play out just like iOS vs. Android. iOS in the car will have a sizable following but Googles initiative will dominate the industry because they work WITH people instead of arrogantly always presuming on people and making an environment that feels like even though you partner with them, you really are just working FOR them and that they know best, always, at all times, even when they don't.
You want Apple to be more like microsoft...? Let them take their time to perfect whatever it is they are doing. In the end it will play out just like iOS and Android. People will pay to have iOS in the car, and a ton of cars will have the android equivalent just because its there, but nobody really uses it.
Right. So the answer is to buy Tesla. Re-design it so that it is truly great and Apple opens up a huge new front.
Apple TV like device connected to a touchscreen hardwired into a dash.
Keep it simple.
Maybe the reason so many are choosing Android is that they gain enough control themselves to be able to go the Kindle Fire type route if ever need be..
Here’s your problem: You’re playing golf, Apple is playing football.
Guess you missed the last, oh, THIRTY-SEVEN YEARS.
And tens of millions of cars suddenly won’t drive faster than 25 or let you make a right turn without viewing an ad first.
Yeah! Apple should stop trying to control things and let Google control things even more!
You’ve lost it.
So? They had experience designing music players, phones, and tablets?
I for one very much want to see my Apple Maps pushed up as well as some other features. However, I agree with others that Apple is not a good fit for the end-to-end. The core needs to be completely self contained. Ideally, you will see google's effort as the basis and support for Apple's integration laid on top. I say this because Apple's system requires there to be a core system already in place and seems not to be meant as the full encapsulating piece of tech.
I don't know if they want to take over the car OS, the car manufacturers use very primitive hardware. What Apple may want to do is to make sure their services can be transferred over in a pristine and secure way.
No point rolling out something for the car and give the hackers a back door.
If they add more new hardware to the car, iOS can always talk to these additional hardware without disrupting the car OS.
Even if the car comes with Android or better yet, some sort of in-car standards, as long as it coexists nicely with all my assets in the iOS world, I don't really care. Heck some of them already run other OSes. Stop hating on Android or WinOS. They are just software.
Developers can always write iOS app that works in the car. If they indeed do it for ATV, then they can certainly do it for iOS in the car. The developers probably don't have to worry about h/w performance too.
Me too !
Come to think of it, it's like TV.
Even if Samsung TV comes with smart OS, I will still use AppleTV because it's just a more natural extension of my other so called digital lifestyle preferences.
Of course there will be iOS apps. If the rumours are correct, the ATV will have apps. iOS in the car looks similar in requirements to me. They already have the new Text kit that can accommodate different text styling and screen layout in iOS7 right ?
Frankly, if there is an aftermarket iOS in the car kit, I will probably get it over the car vendor's solution. The latter tend to overcharge. So the car manufacturers should throw in some iOS goodies for me. :-)