To be fair, there are a few things that worry me about an Apple automobile. A car has a lot of moving parts and is exposed to some extremely harsh environments. Wheels and engine parts move at high speed. There is a lot of vibration and the entire thing must work even if partially submerged in water. The iPhone cannot stand even a damp environment and routinely breaks if exposed to any kind of drop or stress. Many automobile failure modes only appear after many hours of use and then can be deadly. I am not saying that Apple or even Google could not make a self driving car. I am saying that it will take some time for them to learn to make a good one.
You think if Apple builds a car, they won't hire the best automotive and automotive production engineers out there and instead have their existing corps of engineers and technologists do the job? Are you nuts?
If Apple builds their own assembly plant, and I don't think they will, I think they'll contract it out. --and that's assuming they go into the car business in the first place, they will hire the best car mfg guys around, probably people well-versed in Toyota-style lean manufacturing and give them at least 5 years to design and build the most advanced car assembly plant in the world.
To be fair, there are a few things that worry me about an Apple automobile. A car has a lot of moving parts and is exposed to some extremely harsh environments. Wheels and engine parts move at high speed. There is a lot of vibration and the entire thing must work even if partially submerged in water. The iPhone cannot stand even a damp environment and routinely breaks if exposed to any kind of drop or stress. Many automobile failure modes only appear after many hours of use and then can be deadly. I am not saying that Apple or even Google could not make a self driving car. I am saying that it will take some time for them to learn to make a good one.
You should email Apple with these concerns. No doubt they were just planning to make a massive, rideable iPhone and have not thought of this stuff.
Apple were getting into a growth industry when they brought out the iPhone. Cars aren't a growth industry, in developed economies anyway.
Internal combustion engine cars might not be a growth industry. But electric cars (fuel cell and battery) is still a nascent industry. This is the time to get into it, if you want to get into it.
I'm not crazy about Apple getting into the automobile business, either. However, if they do, it would be an electric car, which would make the engineering easier than the type of car Akerson is probably referring to. Apple designs things, it doesn't manufactor things - I hope they keep this business model.
That's the same sort of crap that was dished on the public by competitors after the original iPhone announcement in January 2007, during the six months prior to Apple shipping the greatest technological innovation ever.
Now, an Apple car is far more than six months away--there's been no announcement from Apple after all--but nobody should ever believe they can't be replaced--least of all GM. GM killed the electric car because of union pressure. Electric cars just don't have the maintenance requirements of combustion engines--or hybrids! Due to its efficiency, electric is ultimately destined to win the majority marketshare.
That's the same sort of crap that was dished on the public by competitors after the original iPhone announcement in January 2007, during the six months prior to Apple shipping the greatest technological innovation ever.
Now, an Apple car is far more than six months away--there's been no announcement from Apple after all--but nobody should ever believe they can't be replaced--least of all GM.
Reminds me of Ed Colligan's (Ex-Palm CEO) comments on Apple's ability to produce a phone in November of 2006.
"We've learned and struggled for a few years here figuring out how to make a decent phone. PC guys are not going to just figure this out. They're not going to just walk in."
"We take steel, raw steel, and turn it into a car ..." Ha ha, steel, modern cars are made of aluminium, carbon fibre and (reinforced) plastic, and in Apples case liquid metal.
When Apple gets into the car business it's a done deal for GM and most others.
It seems to be that I've heard other CEOs talk about Apple the same way. For example, Palm's CEO said Apple doesn't know what it was getting into when it built the first iPhone.
Obviously, Apple did pretty well with the iPhone.
Heck, cars these days are computers on wheels. In fact, the average GM car has 27 computers in it.
Apple can easily hire the brain power to develop cars.
Certainly, Apple's manufacturing partners - Foxconn, etc. - can build Apple's car in the millions - while giving Apple a huge profit margin. They have hundreds of thousands of well-trained engineers to get the job done - certainly far better than can be accomplished by GM's manufacturing plants.
Worse comes to worse, Apple can simply BUY BMW for $64 BILLION. BMW makes $11 BILLION in profit each year and sells 1.8 million luxury cars each year. BMW is currently making electric cars to fight Tesla while making much more profit that Tesla will ever see. Apple can then switch the manufacturing over to electric cars and increase the economies of scale and efficiency and shoot up the profit margin of BMW to Apple standards.
Certainly by then GM's CEO would see the folly in his remarks.
I'm not crazy about Apple getting into the automobile business, either. However, if they do, it would be an electric car, which would make the engineering easier than the type of car Akerson is probably referring to. Apple designs things, it doesn't manufactor things - I hope they keep this business model.
Apple switched to this model in the mid-90's when they needed to cut costs. Prior to then, Apple built all their own computers/products. It's safe to say Apple is not in financial trouble anymore. They could return to building their own products where scale isn't a concern - just as they've done with the Mac Pro.
Comments
"iPhone?! BWWAAAAHAHA! A $600 phone?! Gimme a break!"
His insecurity is on full display with a comment like that about a rumor.
To be fair, there are a few things that worry me about an Apple automobile. A car has a lot of moving parts and is exposed to some extremely harsh environments. Wheels and engine parts move at high speed. There is a lot of vibration and the entire thing must work even if partially submerged in water. The iPhone cannot stand even a damp environment and routinely breaks if exposed to any kind of drop or stress. Many automobile failure modes only appear after many hours of use and then can be deadly. I am not saying that Apple or even Google could not make a self driving car. I am saying that it will take some time for them to learn to make a good one.
You think if Apple builds a car, they won't hire the best automotive and automotive production engineers out there and instead have their existing corps of engineers and technologists do the job? Are you nuts?
If Apple builds their own assembly plant, and I don't think they will, I think they'll contract it out. --and that's assuming they go into the car business in the first place, they will hire the best car mfg guys around, probably people well-versed in Toyota-style lean manufacturing and give them at least 5 years to design and build the most advanced car assembly plant in the world.
LOL. I think you are my favorite poster here.
Thanks! I can die happy
I just call 'em as I see 'em.
To be fair, there are a few things that worry me about an Apple automobile. A car has a lot of moving parts and is exposed to some extremely harsh environments. Wheels and engine parts move at high speed. There is a lot of vibration and the entire thing must work even if partially submerged in water. The iPhone cannot stand even a damp environment and routinely breaks if exposed to any kind of drop or stress. Many automobile failure modes only appear after many hours of use and then can be deadly. I am not saying that Apple or even Google could not make a self driving car. I am saying that it will take some time for them to learn to make a good one.
You should email Apple with these concerns. No doubt they were just planning to make a massive, rideable iPhone and have not thought of this stuff.
Apple were getting into a growth industry when they brought out the iPhone. Cars aren't a growth industry, in developed economies anyway.
Internal combustion engine cars might not be a growth industry. But electric cars (fuel cell and battery) is still a nascent industry. This is the time to get into it, if you want to get into it.
That's the same sort of crap that was dished on the public by competitors after the original iPhone announcement in January 2007, during the six months prior to Apple shipping the greatest technological innovation ever.
Now, an Apple car is far more than six months away--there's been no announcement from Apple after all--but nobody should ever believe they can't be replaced--least of all GM. GM killed the electric car because of union pressure. Electric cars just don't have the maintenance requirements of combustion engines--or hybrids! Due to its efficiency, electric is ultimately destined to win the majority marketshare.
That's the same sort of crap that was dished on the public by competitors after the original iPhone announcement in January 2007, during the six months prior to Apple shipping the greatest technological innovation ever.
Now, an Apple car is far more than six months away--there's been no announcement from Apple after all--but nobody should ever believe they can't be replaced--least of all GM.
Link for details and laughs
He was probably thinking of a steam engine powered by burning coal.
"We've learned and struggled for a few years here figuring out how to make a decent phone. PC guys are not going to just figure this out. They're not going to just walk in."
It's deja vu time again folks.
"We take steel, raw steel, and turn it into a car ..."
Ha ha, steel, modern cars are made of aluminium, carbon fibre and (reinforced) plastic, and in Apples case liquid metal.
When Apple gets into the car business it's a done deal for GM and most others.
Apple were getting into a growth industry when they brought out the iPhone. Cars aren't a growth industry, in developed economies anyway.
Phones weren't not a growth industry, but smart phones were...
Cars are not a growth industry, but electric cars are.
A couple points to comment on...first, are we 100% sure Apple is getting into this full tilt?
theres absolutely nothing to be sure about, this is a rumor on a rumors site.
Obviously, Apple did pretty well with the iPhone.
Heck, cars these days are computers on wheels. In fact, the average GM car has 27 computers in it.
Apple can easily hire the brain power to develop cars.
Certainly, Apple's manufacturing partners - Foxconn, etc. - can build Apple's car in the millions - while giving Apple a huge profit margin. They have hundreds of thousands of well-trained engineers to get the job done - certainly far better than can be accomplished by GM's manufacturing plants.
Worse comes to worse, Apple can simply BUY BMW for $64 BILLION. BMW makes $11 BILLION in profit each year and sells 1.8 million luxury cars each year. BMW is currently making electric cars to fight Tesla while making much more profit that Tesla will ever see. Apple can then switch the manufacturing over to electric cars and increase the economies of scale and efficiency and shoot up the profit margin of BMW to Apple standards.
Certainly by then GM's CEO would see the folly in his remarks.
Thanks, stupidity beyond belief.
I'm not crazy about Apple getting into the automobile business, either. However, if they do, it would be an electric car, which would make the engineering easier than the type of car Akerson is probably referring to. Apple designs things, it doesn't manufactor things - I hope they keep this business model.
Apple switched to this model in the mid-90's when they needed to cut costs. Prior to then, Apple built all their own computers/products. It's safe to say Apple is not in financial trouble anymore. They could return to building their own products where scale isn't a concern - just as they've done with the Mac Pro.