Apple could not even make a TV, let alone an entire car. Keep dreaming on that one. It is obviously a mapping car. Why would they waste money shipping a California registered car to Hawaii when they could drive it around California instead, if they were making a car? The van is obviously mapping Hawaii's topography. If Apple made a car, it would have Apple Maps and everyone would get lost. Ask anybody that uses a smartphone for navigation in their car and they will tell you they use Waze, not Apple Maps. Apple Maps cannot even ignore toll roads. If they are going to base it off a Dodge Caravan (a total POS), no one would buy that crap. But the people here will eat it up and believe everything.
Yes, the margins are terrible. GM has an 8% gross margin. Ford has a 12% gross margin. Apple currently has a 39% gross margin.
Apple is an insanely efficient company, and just like all their other products, if they ever DO produce a car, you can be damned sure they'll get sufficient margins by using the same such efficiency in the entire production process.
Even though he is supposedly only working "part time," Jony Ive's friend Marc Newsom does have some experience designing "transport," including a car...
Apple could not even make a TV, let alone an entire car. Keep dreaming on that one. It is obviously a mapping car. Why would they waste money shipping a California registered car to Hawaii when they could drive it around California instead, if they were making a car? The van is obviously mapping Hawaii's topography. If Apple made a car, it would have Apple Maps and everyone would get lost. Ask anybody that uses a smartphone for navigation in their car and they will tell you they use Waze, not Apple Maps. Apple Maps cannot even ignore toll roads. If they are going to base it off a Dodge Caravan (a total POS), no one would buy that crap. But the people here will eat it up and believe everything.
You think Apple couldn't produce a damn TV if they wanted to? It's not that they "couldn't", it's cause they chose not to, probably because Apple believes a product only deserves to exist if they can differentiate it significantly from everything out there, and how it fits in the rest of their ecosystem. Every industry has its own specific dynamics.
The rest of your comments bashing Apple maps, etc is equally as idiotic. "Ask anybody that uses a smartphone for navigation in their car and they will tell you they use Waze, not Apple Maps. "
Oh really? Every single person I know with an iPhone uses Apple maps for navigation. I've been using it for the past year with zero issues, and not once have I "gotten lost". Please look beyond whatever tiny circle of Apple-hating acquaintances you have before making these laughable, insane, ridiculous statements.
Apple is an insanely efficient company, and just like all their other products, if they ever DO produce a car, you can be damned sure they'll get sufficient margins by using the same such efficiency in the entire production process.
GM and Ford have been making cars for more than a hundred years, as have many other companies. It is, frankly, quite silly to think that Apple could just jump into such a competitive and complex business and achieve greater efficiencies than companies that have been refining their design and manufacturing processes for decades.
GM and Ford have been making cars for more than a hundred years, as have many other companies. It is, frankly, quite silly to think that Apple could just jump into such a competitive and complex business and achieve greater efficiencies than companies that have been refining their design and manufacturing processes for decades.
I have real doubts about this rumor, but if Apple were to challenge car makers they'd be coming at it with no legacy to protect and could 100% focus on quality and user experience.
Is Apple making a version for the newly licensed youth driver? Code name... Wait for it... Teen Titan?!? Oh, that is so bad in the truest definition of the word that I think I'll give myself a thumbs down...
I hope the car doesn't have Windows. I don't think Apple wants to release a car that crashes often.
But seriously guys. I don't wanna be a di** but you're thinking too in the box.
I imagine a car with so many hidden parts and and GPS installed into the windshield. An example of this would be a green highlight around a house while Siri says "here's your destination".
And oil? "Oil?!! Who wants oil?!! You gotta have a special compartment for it and you lose it, it gets all over the place. YUCK!!"
Probably a button to open the doors and less clutter under the hood. It would be so bad ass if the front hood doubles as a storage for camping gear, clothes or an ice chest or whatever!
I also see their car being deeply integrated with ?Watch and iPhone. You could be headed toward the parking lot and control the AC and radio before you get in the car. Wave the iPhone or ?Watch by the door ?Pay style and the door unlocks and opens.
Have you seen the new display tech Nintendo is rumored to use? It's curved displays. Imagine the whole dashboard being a digital display!
Imagine a car where you can't locate the headlights or signal lights etc. until they're activated?
I swear car tech is so old and mechanical. We're in a digital age and cars are still the same. They really need Apple !!
Apple could not even make a TV, let alone an entire car. Keep dreaming on that one. It is obviously a mapping car. Why would they waste money shipping a California registered car to Hawaii when they could drive it around California instead, if they were making a car? The van is obviously mapping Hawaii's topography. If Apple made a car, it would have Apple Maps and everyone would get lost. Ask anybody that uses a smartphone for navigation in their car and they will tell you they use Waze, not Apple Maps. Apple Maps cannot even ignore toll roads. If they are going to base it off a Dodge Caravan (a total POS), no one would buy that crap. But the people here will eat it up and believe everything.
Tim Cook in conversation with Jeff Williams (senior VP, operations):
"Hey Jeff, great idea sending one of the vans to Hawaii, press has fallen for the idea that we're only mapping with the thing!"
Only historically relevant iVan I can recall, was iVan the Terrible, won't be that then! " src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" />
<span style="line-height:1.4em;">I do like how one moron found one van registered to Apple and now suddenly they’re making their own car. It’s great.
There's quite a bit more evidence than that. Just one of them is that you don't hire the head of R&D at Mercedes for too many purposes. Helping design a car is a pretty obvious one of them.
GM and Ford have been making cars for more than a hundred years, as have many other companies. It is, frankly, quite silly to think that Apple Tesla could just jump into such a competitive and complex business and achieve greater efficiencies than companies that have been refining their design and manufacturing processes for decades.
Given that Apple is an aspirational brand, you would probably need to know the margins that Mercedes, Audi, BMW, etc., get on their vehicles to have a better understanding of what kind of margins Apple will be aiming for.
High end cars have margins from 10-18%, average probably near 12-13%. (18% is Porsche).
Cars and Health care are two high margin areas were there is much money to be made and Apple is not in it.
Given that Apple is an aspirational brand, you would probably need to know the margins that Mercedes, Audi, BMW, etc., get on their vehicles to have a better understanding of what kind of margins Apple will be aiming for.
How is 14% a high margin? And don't give me BS THAT 28% of a $200 iPod is less than 14% of a $50k car. Dollars to donuts. 28% of $50k worth of iPods is still more than 14% of $50k worth of 1 car.
Comments
Apple could not even make a TV, let alone an entire car. Keep dreaming on that one. It is obviously a mapping car. Why would they waste money shipping a California registered car to Hawaii when they could drive it around California instead, if they were making a car? The van is obviously mapping Hawaii's topography. If Apple made a car, it would have Apple Maps and everyone would get lost. Ask anybody that uses a smartphone for navigation in their car and they will tell you they use Waze, not Apple Maps. Apple Maps cannot even ignore toll roads. If they are going to base it off a Dodge Caravan (a total POS), no one would buy that crap. But the people here will eat it up and believe everything.
Yes, the margins are terrible. GM has an 8% gross margin. Ford has a 12% gross margin. Apple currently has a 39% gross margin.
Apple is an insanely efficient company, and just like all their other products, if they ever DO produce a car, you can be damned sure they'll get sufficient margins by using the same such efficiency in the entire production process.
Even though he is supposedly only working "part time," Jony Ive's friend Marc Newsom does have some experience designing "transport," including a car...
Apple could not even make a TV, let alone an entire car. Keep dreaming on that one. It is obviously a mapping car. Why would they waste money shipping a California registered car to Hawaii when they could drive it around California instead, if they were making a car? The van is obviously mapping Hawaii's topography. If Apple made a car, it would have Apple Maps and everyone would get lost. Ask anybody that uses a smartphone for navigation in their car and they will tell you they use Waze, not Apple Maps. Apple Maps cannot even ignore toll roads. If they are going to base it off a Dodge Caravan (a total POS), no one would buy that crap. But the people here will eat it up and believe everything.
You think Apple couldn't produce a damn TV if they wanted to? It's not that they "couldn't", it's cause they chose not to, probably because Apple believes a product only deserves to exist if they can differentiate it significantly from everything out there, and how it fits in the rest of their ecosystem. Every industry has its own specific dynamics.
The rest of your comments bashing Apple maps, etc is equally as idiotic. "Ask anybody that uses a smartphone for navigation in their car and they will tell you they use Waze, not Apple Maps. "
Oh really? Every single person I know with an iPhone uses Apple maps for navigation. I've been using it for the past year with zero issues, and not once have I "gotten lost". Please look beyond whatever tiny circle of Apple-hating acquaintances you have before making these laughable, insane, ridiculous statements.
Apple is an insanely efficient company, and just like all their other products, if they ever DO produce a car, you can be damned sure they'll get sufficient margins by using the same such efficiency in the entire production process.
GM and Ford have been making cars for more than a hundred years, as have many other companies. It is, frankly, quite silly to think that Apple could just jump into such a competitive and complex business and achieve greater efficiencies than companies that have been refining their design and manufacturing processes for decades.
I have real doubts about this rumor, but if Apple were to challenge car makers they'd be coming at it with no legacy to protect and could 100% focus on quality and user experience.
But seriously guys. I don't wanna be a di** but you're thinking too in the box.
I imagine a car with so many hidden parts and and GPS installed into the windshield. An example of this would be a green highlight around a house while Siri says "here's your destination".
And oil? "Oil?!! Who wants oil?!! You gotta have a special compartment for it and you lose it, it gets all over the place. YUCK!!"
Probably a button to open the doors and less clutter under the hood. It would be so bad ass if the front hood doubles as a storage for camping gear, clothes or an ice chest or whatever!
I also see their car being deeply integrated with ?Watch and iPhone.
You could be headed toward the parking lot and control the AC and radio before you get in the car. Wave the iPhone or ?Watch by the door ?Pay style and the door unlocks and opens.
Have you seen the new display tech Nintendo is rumored to use?
It's curved displays. Imagine the whole dashboard being a digital display!
Imagine a car where you can't locate the headlights or signal lights etc. until they're activated?
I swear car tech is so old and mechanical. We're in a digital age and cars are still the same. They really need Apple !!
Apple could not even make a TV, let alone an entire car. Keep dreaming on that one. It is obviously a mapping car. Why would they waste money shipping a California registered car to Hawaii when they could drive it around California instead, if they were making a car? The van is obviously mapping Hawaii's topography. If Apple made a car, it would have Apple Maps and everyone would get lost. Ask anybody that uses a smartphone for navigation in their car and they will tell you they use Waze, not Apple Maps. Apple Maps cannot even ignore toll roads. If they are going to base it off a Dodge Caravan (a total POS), no one would buy that crap. But the people here will eat it up and believe everything.
Tim Cook in conversation with Jeff Williams (senior VP, operations):
"Hey Jeff, great idea sending one of the vans to Hawaii, press has fallen for the idea that we're only mapping with the thing!"
Also, congrats to AI for making the Drudge Report with this article.
It will be called iVan. Sounds Russian.
Only historically relevant iVan I can recall, was iVan the Terrible, won't be that then!
GM and Ford have been making cars for more than a hundred years, as have many other companies. It is, frankly, quite silly to think that Apple Tesla could just jump into such a competitive and complex business and achieve greater efficiencies than companies that have been refining their design and manufacturing processes for decades.
Edited your comment.
Given that Apple is an aspirational brand, you would probably need to know the margins that Mercedes, Audi, BMW, etc., get on their vehicles to have a better understanding of what kind of margins Apple will be aiming for.
High end cars have margins from 10-18%, average probably near 12-13%. (18% is Porsche).
Cars and Health care are two high margin areas were there is much money to be made and Apple is not in it.