Didi Chuxing president says Apple deal closed in 22 days, talks in progress in several areas

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 41
    tzeshantzeshan Posts: 2,351member

    tzeshan said:
    Apple could help integrate ApplePay into Didi Chuxing services.  In turn it will help iPhone sales.  
    Why would you need to take a 5% stake in a company to do that?
    Because this is funding to make it successful to compete with Uber China.
  • Reply 22 of 41
    mj webmj web Posts: 918member
    Chinese Bakshish, fine with me. High time AAPL began investing its war chest in accretive businesses instead of black holes like payola to Jimmy Iovine.
  • Reply 23 of 41
    blastdoorblastdoor Posts: 3,258member
    blastdoor said:
    If it were just a shakedown, then we'd see a $1 billion donation to the Chinese crippled orphans fund (or something else erroneous). 

    This is spot on aligned with a strategy of providing transportation as a service. China is ultimately a much bigger market for that type of product than the US, and Apple clearly needs a local partner to make it work there. I wouldn't be surprised to see a similar investment in an Indian company, too. (probably no need to make such an investment in the US or Europe, though, since those markets are more easily accessible to a Western company like Apple). 
    Maybe. But I'll wait for more evidence. I'll also wait a few weeks and make sure that there isn't some news item somewhere that shows someone's brother-in-law or cousin was involved....
    There are a lot of brothers-in-law and cousins in the world.... actually, I'm both. 
  • Reply 24 of 41
    tzeshantzeshan Posts: 2,351member
    Didi Chuxing is also an iOS developer. 
  • Reply 25 of 41
    NY1822NY1822 Posts: 621member
  • Reply 26 of 41
    jb510jb510 Posts: 129member
    I didn't see it at first, but I do think this is a smart move.

    - ride hailing is very consumer focused and drives smart phone adoption in emerging markets
    - Siri fetch me a didi ride to Tian'anmen
    - America please welcome Didi to your fine shores you can trust us our cars have Apple logos on them...

    yeah, I can see a lot of ways this investment has potential, li,e any investment I can see a lot of disaster scenarios to... But Appe, and specifically Tim, is pretty damn shrewd and ruthless in bussiness partnerships... Remember GT Advanced?  
    edited May 2016
  • Reply 27 of 41
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    tzeshan said:
    Apple could help integrate ApplePay into Didi Chuxing services.  In turn it will help iPhone sales.  

    tzeshan said:
    Apple could help integrate ApplePay into Didi Chuxing services.  In turn it will help iPhone sales.  
    Why would you need to take a 5% stake in a company to do that?
    Right now they accept cash (of course), WeChat Wallet and Alipay. Since Alibaba has a large position with Didi I doubt ApplePay would replace Alipay. Of course there's no reason not to include them as the 4th payment option. 
    edited May 2016
  • Reply 28 of 41
    VisualSeedVisualSeed Posts: 217member
    I have long suspected that Apple would not develop a car for end consumers but would make a fleet style vehicle for car services. If it offered its own service it would follow the iTunes model when you "lease" access to a car that will self drive (or be driven) for you.
  • Reply 29 of 41
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    I have long suspected that Apple would not develop a car for end consumers but would make a fleet style vehicle for car services. If it offered its own service it would follow the iTunes model when you "lease" access to a car that will self drive (or be driven) for you.
    They'll probably do both. Not everyone lives in big cities. People like me that live in the burbs want our own vehicles not something we're sharing with others.
  • Reply 30 of 41
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    I have long suspected that Apple would not develop a car for end consumers but would make a fleet style vehicle for car services. If it offered its own service it would follow the iTunes model when you "lease" access to a car that will self drive (or be driven) for you.
    They'll probably do both. Not everyone lives in big cities. People like me that live in the burbs want our own vehicles not something we're sharing with others.
    Apple doesn't try to be everything to everyone. I would not be surprised if they concentrated on only major population centers (where the money is) for whatever car plans they have and leave the 'burbs and farmlands to someone else to collect pennies. 
  • Reply 31 of 41
    sirlance99sirlance99 Posts: 1,293member
    tzeshan said:
    Apple could help integrate ApplePay into Didi Chuxing services.  In turn it will help iPhone sales.  
    And other phone sales of other OEMs since they will also be able to use the NFC payment's. 
  • Reply 32 of 41
    getvoxoagetvoxoa Posts: 84member
    I think it's a good move on Apple. China is moving people to cities, mega cities with 20-50 million people. Transportation is going to be huge there. I hope that Apple will have its "cars" or services there for those cities.
  • Reply 33 of 41
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    gatorguy said:
    They'll probably do both. Not everyone lives in big cities. People like me that live in the burbs want our own vehicles not something we're sharing with others.
    Apple doesn't try to be everything to everyone. I would not be surprised if they concentrated on only major population centers (where the money is) for whatever car plans they have and leave the 'burbs and farmlands to someone else to collect pennies. 
    A lot of wealthy people live in the suburbs. ;)
  • Reply 34 of 41
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    clemynx said:
    Having a little firsthand knowledge of the depths of corruption at work in China, I may be one of the few here who views this entanglement with a politically-connected Chinese business with skepticism. In my experience, foreign money invested in unaccountable Chinese companies tends to suddenly vanish with little recourse. I see Tim's reliance on China for Apple growth as riskier and riskier. What happens when Trump becomes president and opens up a full on trade war with China? The odds that Apple will be punished increase severely.
    Trade war? Americans wanted free market and now you have it. You can't complain now !
    Trump has stated he will impose import taxes on China. Frankly, I think Hillary would end up doing the same if she were elected. IMO, it would be better for the US to get China kicked out of the WTO instead.
  • Reply 35 of 41
    VisualSeedVisualSeed Posts: 217member
    gatorguy said:
    Apple doesn't try to be everything to everyone. I would not be surprised if they concentrated on only major population centers (where the money is) for whatever car plans they have and leave the 'burbs and farmlands to someone else to collect pennies. 
    A lot of wealthy people live in the suburbs. ;)
    A lot of wealthy people live in countries where Apple doesn't do business at all. If Apple does introduces a car there is no certainty that the US will the first market or even its primary market or even a market at all. The Apple car / transportation service may be like one of those strange McDonald's menu items that are only available in some far away country. 
  • Reply 36 of 41
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 3,949member
    Should we be concerned that this deal happened so quickly? A billion dollars isn't chump change.
    To paraphrase a famous member of Congress years ago, "A billion here, a billion there; pretty soon you're talking about real money."
  • Reply 37 of 41
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 3,949member
    This sounds very smart to me. If you're going to disrupt an established industry (automotive), dont just start with the status quo (building personal cars).
  • Reply 38 of 41
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    NY1822 said:
    Well if you think about it, how many people who believe that run multibillion dollar companies? Not that many I suspect.
  • Reply 39 of 41
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    blastdoor said:
    If it were just a shakedown, then we'd see a $1 billion donation to the Chinese crippled orphans fund (or something else erroneous). 

    This is spot on aligned with a strategy of providing transportation as a service. China is ultimately a much bigger market for that type of product than the US, and Apple clearly needs a local partner to make it work there. I wouldn't be surprised to see a similar investment in an Indian company, too. (probably no need to make such an investment in the US or Europe, though, since those markets are more easily accessible to a Western company like Apple). 
    Maybe. But I'll wait for more evidence. I'll also wait a few weeks and make sure that there isn't some news item somewhere that shows someone's brother-in-law or cousin was involved....

    I'm going to wait this one out before deciding. There are certain things about this that don't smell right.

    For a start, there's this statement. It seemed to me that this chap went out of his way to mention that the deal was negotiated in 22 days. I did a quick check on the calendar to see when iTunes Movies and iBooks was shut down in China. Yes, it was round about 22 days ago.

    So I'm thinking that these investment talks started near the same time that China shut down parts of Apple's service.

    Still, the mark of a great leader is his/her ability to turn a setback into an advantage; it's entirely possible that Cook has done that.
    edited May 2016
  • Reply 40 of 41
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    Rayz2016 said:
    Maybe. But I'll wait for more evidence. I'll also wait a few weeks and make sure that there isn't some news item somewhere that shows someone's brother-in-law or cousin was involved....

    I'm going to wait this one out before deciding. There are certain things about this that don't smell right.

    For a start, there's this statement. It seemed to me that this chap went out of his way to mention that the deal was negotiated in 22 days. I did a quick check on the calendar to see when iTunes Movies and iBooks was shut down in China. Yes, it was round about 22 days ago.

    So I'm thinking that these investment talks started near the same time that China shut down parts of Apple's service.

    Still, the mark of a great leader is his/her ability to turn a setback into an advantage; it's entirely possible that Cook has done that.
    Maybe they had their choice of "bribes" ;-); this being the best one.
    When you're a dictatorship, why settle for a money bribe...
    Or maybe it is just coincidence? Who knows really!
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