Apple's 'Project Titan' chief to reportedly leave company, car team under pressure

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Comments

  • Reply 41 of 103
    ivladivlad Posts: 742member
    The industry is becoming very competitive, it's harder and harder to find talent to lead such unknown project.
  • Reply 42 of 103
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,695member

    foggyhill said:
    What would be the point of commenting, they have not even acknowledging they are doing cars
     and who knows what that guy was really doing (we only got rumors) since he hasn't been involved in the car business in 16 years.

    If he truly left for personal reasons; that's it. No comment.;
    If that guy wants to comment, which I doubt, he'll do it.

    Speculation is rampant about Apple because they tell nothing, never have and never will; drives the media crazy.
    I'm not saying they would comment on the car bit but just confirm that he was leaving. From whag I've read about the guy he wasn't a nobody at Apple. He basically oversaw all mechanical design for iPods and iPhones. Even Tony Fadell tweeted this would be a big loss for Apple. Apple doesn't have a ton of Vice Presidents for a company its size so when one leaves it's pretty big news.
    "Apple doesn't have a ton of Vice Presidents for a company its size so when one leaves it's pretty big news."

    Especially a guy of Zadesky's calibre.
  • Reply 43 of 103
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member

    foggyhill said:
    What would be the point of commenting, they have not even acknowledging they are doing cars
     and who knows what that guy was really doing (we only got rumors) since he hasn't been involved in the car business in 16 years.

    If he truly left for personal reasons; that's it. No comment.;
    If that guy wants to comment, which I doubt, he'll do it.

    Speculation is rampant about Apple because they tell nothing, never have and never will; drives the media crazy.
    I'm not saying they would comment on the car bit but just confirm that he was leaving. From whag I've read about the guy he wasn't a nobody at Apple. He basically oversaw all mechanical design for iPods and iPhones. Even Tony Fadell tweeted this would be a big loss for Apple. Apple doesn't have a ton of Vice Presidents for a company its size so when one leaves it's pretty big news.
    But, what can they say? He spent 16 years at Apple and if he's leaving for personal reasons, say his health, or something else in his family, commenting would be disrespectful.

    He's spent long enough at Apple that leaving is not that big surprise.
    There are few people left at Apple that were there before Jobs came back, which means people leave all the time.

    Seems no one will ever take anything Apple say at face value anyway; so probably better not to comment.

    The car project, if he was involved, would require massive hours from the top brass for likely the next decade; maybe he decided that was just top much.
    Who knows? Again pure speculation and that's how it's going to be.

    If Apple has 30 VP and they stay on average 15 years and they on average got 10 years of service at Apple, there likely would be a major departure every year.




  • Reply 44 of 103

    I'm not saying they would comment on the car bit but just confirm that he was leaving. From whag I've read about the guy he wasn't a nobody at Apple. He basically oversaw all mechanical design for iPods and iPhones. Even Tony Fadell tweeted this would be a big loss for Apple. Apple doesn't have a ton of Vice Presidents for a company its size so when one leaves it's pretty big news.
    "Apple doesn't have a ton of Vice Presidents for a company its size so when one leaves it's pretty big news."

    Especially a guy of Zadesky's calibre.
    He's currently listed on 172 patent applications. 

    http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=0&f=S&l=50&TERM1=zadesky;+Stephen&FIELD1=&co1=AND&TERM2=&FIELD2=&d=PG01
  • Reply 45 of 103
    foggyhill said:
    Argue your point then, you're gut feeling doesn't cut it as an argument.
    Especially since it's likely in at least 3-4 years minimum and who knows what Apple has done up to now.
    Unlike Google, Apple keeps most things under wrap until they're ready.

    Tesla hasn't made 1 once of profit and it's the government who bailed out GM and Chrysler, they should be dead, because they were so god damn shitty at doing what they were doing.

    Yet, Google get probably double the PE just for showing their crap moonshots, same with Uber and Amazon... Well who knows with them why they got their PE.

    There is no magic out there in the current car industry.

    Tesla sells cars yet is losing money like water.

    Apple has one of the biggest manufacturing expertise out there, cars are but a variant.



    Because Apple doesn't have the talent to do it. If you take 4 years to design an electric car the industry will pass you by, it's advancing fairly quickly.  Tesla was already one upped by Chevy. And say what you want about them, the car that they produced for $35k probably won't be a profitable item for them either.  But it does make it available to a lot more people that wouldn't otherwise be able to afford it. Apple won't do that from a price point/profit margin standpoint.  

    In addition, when's the last time that they launched something that wasn't replaced the following year by 'the one they really wanted to release last year'. You can't screw up on launching a car it will sink like a lead weight. 
    larrya
  • Reply 46 of 103
    genovellegenovelle Posts: 1,480member
    steviet02 said:
    I'm more concerned why Apple is venturing into this realm. While one could argue that a cell phone was outside of their business years ago, they at least made portable devices with batteries and storage prior to that. This seems so far outside the zone for them thats almost incomprehensible that they would even know what time frame to assign tasks.
    Electric cars are the ultimate portable device with batteries and storage. 

  • Reply 47 of 103
    foggyhill said:

    I'm not saying they would comment on the car bit but just confirm that he was leaving. From whag I've read about the guy he wasn't a nobody at Apple. He basically oversaw all mechanical design for iPods and iPhones. Even Tony Fadell tweeted this would be a big loss for Apple. Apple doesn't have a ton of Vice Presidents for a company its size so when one leaves it's pretty big news.
    But, what can they say? He spent 16 years at Apple and if he's leaving for personal reasons, say his health, or something else in his family, commenting would be disrespectful.

    He's spent long enough at Apple that leaving is not that big surprise.
    There are few people left at Apple that were there before Jobs came back, which means people leave all the time.

    Seems no one will ever take anything Apple say at face value anyway; so probably better not to comment.

    The car project, if he was involved, would require massive hours from the top brass for likely the next decade; maybe he decided that was just top much.
    Who knows? Again pure speculation and that's how it's going to be.

    If Apple has 30 VP and they stay on average 15 years and they on average got 10 years of service at Apple, there likely would be a major departure every year.




    All they would do is confirm he left (or is leaving) without further comment.
  • Reply 48 of 103
    genovelle said:
    steviet02 said:
    I'm more concerned why Apple is venturing into this realm. While one could argue that a cell phone was outside of their business years ago, they at least made portable devices with batteries and storage prior to that. This seems so far outside the zone for them thats almost incomprehensible that they would even know what time frame to assign tasks.
    Electric cars are the ultimate portable device with batteries and storage. 

    And when you say 'ultimate' you really mean complicated automobile that contains suspension, controllers, motors, and must operate in all climates.  Its nothing like a portable storage device, but it's that type of understanding that worries me about Apple on this one. 
    larrya
  • Reply 49 of 103
    knowitallknowitall Posts: 1,648member
    The best Apple can achieve is to make a car like Tesla is currently doing or going to do in a much shorter timeframe. They might be a bit better with HUD software, but Tesla has a serious software effort going on and E Musk is no newbie in that respect.
    A plus is that Apple is doing something with its money instead of burning it.
    clock07
  • Reply 50 of 103




    All Apple has to do is to buy all of BMW for about $65 BILLION and turn it into a subsidiary of Apple.
    Then Apple can have all of BMW's expertise and manufacturing capability.
    Then Apple can modify BMW's cars to its heart's content.

    clock07larrya
  • Reply 51 of 103
    jdwjdw Posts: 1,324member
    The Bad: A 16 year veteran of Apple left Apple.
    The Good: A former engineer of Ford left Apple.

    As if Ford makes the best cars, right? His other experience at working so long at Apple is the real loss. But to say they lost an x-Ford engineer is NOT saying much negative at all. Hire a Toyota or even Mercedes engineer. Add a Ferrari engineer for some coolness factor. But Ford? Really? Apple ePinto? I think not!
    edited January 2016 RobJenk
  • Reply 52 of 103
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    If this is true it's a big deal. This guy is a 16 year Apple vet who ran iPod and iPhone engineering before allegedly being put on the car project.
    He's also named on a lot of liquid metal patents which, so far, has produced a pin. 
  • Reply 53 of 103
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    steviet02 said:

    Because Apple doesn't have the talent to do it. If you take 4 years to design an electric car the industry will pass you by, it's advancing fairly quickly. Tesla was already one upped by Chevy. And say what you want about them, the car that they produced for $35k probably won't be a profitable item for them either.  But it does make it available to a lot more people that wouldn't otherwise be able to afford it. Apple won't do that from a price point/profit margin standpoint. 
    Music players
    Smartphones
    Mobile processors
    Materials engineering

    Those are a couple of other things that Apple didn't have the talent to build. Thank god they steered clear of all that, eh? It would've been a bloodbath!

    Youve also missed something else here: Apple is never first to market. The iPad project started before the iPhone was conceived, which meant they must have been designing it for a good five years before it saw the light of day. They don't have to be first; they have to be better. 
    edited January 2016 clock07cornchip
  • Reply 54 of 103
    fallenjt said:
    steviet02 said:
    I'm more concerned why Apple is venturing into this realm. While one could argue that a cell phone was outside of their business years ago, they at least made portable devices with batteries and storage prior to that. This seems so far outside the zone for them thats almost incomprehensible that they would even know what time frame to assign tasks.
    Steve Jobs would introduce Apple Car this way: "Today, we introduce a revolutionary product that changes entire human race forever: An Entertainment Center, A Lounge, A Car....An Entertainment Center, A Lounge, A car....Don't you get it?....We call it "APPLE CAR"..." Boom.
    APPLE CAR it be ... Boom
  • Reply 55 of 103
    Rayz2016 said:
    Music players
    Smartphones
    Mobile processors
    Materials engineering

    Those are a couple of other things that Apple didn't have the talent to build. Thank god they steered clear of all that, eh? It would've been a bloodbath!

    Youve also missed something else here: Apple is never first to market. The iPad project started before the iPhone was conceived, which meant they must have been designing it for a good five years before it saw the light of day. They don't have to be first; they have to be better. 
    3 of the 4 don't even remotely compare to designing and manufacturing an auto. The 3rd item they purchased.  They have hired some ex tesla employees and battery engineers but that doesn't mean you know how to design a car. 

    its also easier to risk failing at a music player than a car.  A lot more investment in machining and r&d. So it has to return money and there won't be 60% profit margins on a car. 
    larrya
  • Reply 56 of 103
    The timing of this release seems interesting, such news would invariable lower apple stock price at a time when it typically spikes (pre-earnings announcement.) Especially for a project that we know little about, and potentially leaving for reasons which, again, we don't know.
    Things usually get dumped on Friday nights when it's something people don't want anyone to know about. In Washington DC it's called take out the trash day. Whoever leaked this, there's a reason they did it on a Friday night and it's also interesting that Apple is refusing to comment.
    refusing to comment? did you expect them to comment on a rumored departure from their rumored secret project?
    edited January 2016
  • Reply 57 of 103
    Things usually get dumped on Friday nights when it's something people don't want anyone to know about. In Washington DC it's called take out the trash day. Whoever leaked this, there's a reason they did it on a Friday night and it's also interesting that Apple is refusing to comment.
    refusing to comment? did you expect them to comment on a rumored departure from their rumored secret project?
    Only because he's a 16 year veteran of the company. They could confirm he's leaving without confirming what he was working on. Like I said when the rumor surfaced that Greg Christie was leaving they did comment. He was at the VP level too. And he was also a long time veteran of the company (19 years I think).
  • Reply 58 of 103
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    steviet02 said:
    I'm more concerned why Apple is venturing into this realm. While one could argue that a cell phone was outside of their business years ago, they at least made portable devices with batteries and storage prior to that. This seems so far outside the zone for them thats almost incomprehensible that they would even know what time frame to assign tasks.
    How far out of the realm was a car to someone who made his mark in electronic payments? And yet here we are, with Elon Musk leading the charge [sic] in the new electric automobile era. To imagine Tim Cook, one of, if not the, top supply chain experts in the world could not pull together the manufacture of an electric vehicle, just shows no confidence, where great confidence is warranted. Hell, modders in California garages have been bettering the drab designs that have come out of Detroit for decades. What's the big stretch for a company with the innovation talent Apple has exhibited over the decades and $200 billion in the bank? It's a slam dunk that Apple could build a better car than most, at least on par with the top in the industry, like BMW.  It's not a big stretch that Apple could introduce some innovative out-of-the-box thinking in the fairly nascent realm of modern electric vehicles and self-driving vehicles.

     Along the lines of lines of innovation, Apple might be looking to disrupt the nascent car-as-a-service segment, which has the potential to become a very large slice of the future of personal transportation. This would imply Apple would build functional vehicles with stylish but durable interiors, keeping costs down. The cars would represent a recurring revenue service rather than a one-time sale, and the market is represented by every dense population center around the world. Apple needs only create a few centralized charging depots at strategic locations near a population center, then unleash a swarm of Apple cars to serve that geographic area. Tight integration with an iPhone and Watch app would allow users to request a car, indicating their destination, either for immediate pickup or future pickup, calculated to ensure arrival at a specified time. Toss in regularly scheduled pickups, like taking the kids to school daily, and Apple could optimize utilization of the swarm, driving revenues and profits.  The possibilities to create a seemless car service are coming into focus, as is the technology. This is where I think Apple might ultimately be going.
    edited January 2016 cornchipbrucemcpalomine
  • Reply 59 of 103
    steviet02 said:
    I'm more concerned why Apple is venturing into this realm. While one could argue that a cell phone was outside of their business years ago, they at least made portable devices with batteries and storage prior to that. This seems so far outside the zone for them thats almost incomprehensible that they would even know what time frame to assign tasks.
     Apple might ultimately be going.
    Elon musk didn't start tesla motors.

    Edit: And considering musks background, from an engineering standpoint it's not crazy for him to have been involved . Supply chain master goes to Cook all the way. 
    edited January 2016
  • Reply 60 of 103
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    steviet02 said:
     Apple might ultimately be going.
    Elon musk didn't start tesla motors.

    Edit: And considering musks background, from an engineering standpoint it's not crazy for him to have been involved . Supply chain master goes to Cook all the way. 

    Read back my comment. I didn't say Elon Musk started Tesla. I said he is leading the charge...

     And if having an engineering background is all that's required to gain other's confidence in one's ability to be involved in innovation of the automobile, well, I imagine there are quite a number of people with engineering backgrounds at Apple.
    netmage
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