Report: Apple Plans to 'Ship' Some Sort of Car By 2019
Apple will formalize what kind of car it may produce (or have already produced) by 2019, the Wall Street Journal reported.
According to the report, the Cupertino, California-based company has labeled the car a “committed project” but stopped short of saying that the car would be delivered to consumers by 2019. The report only indicates that the car could be ready for consumers, finalized or conceptualized by engineers by 2019.
If all this seems vague, consider that most of the project’s executives have essentially vanished into witness relocation after joining Apple to work on the car.
The report indicates that Apple’s first venture may not be a fully autonomous vehicle.
It was rumored that the car project could be named “Titan” although insiders say that could also be the name for Apple’s mapping program.
Last month, Tesla engineer Jamie Carlson was recruited to work on the secret program. In July, former Chrysler VP Doug Betts began work at the company, according to his LinkedIn page. These people could also be working in the mail room.
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They should get into space exploration instead, less competition. Let's be honest, Apple is about successful branding. Revolutionize the car? Unlikely. The marketing, maybe.
Judging by their track record of closing off their products and creating a proprietary mess, I can picture what will happen when routine maintenance or a repair is needed. All of it will have to be performed by Apple and only Apple. Third-party or DIY service will be impossible, and will probably be forbidden by the silly EULA. Somehow, even the tires will be proprietary. Because of this, I wouldn't count on a running example five years after it was purchased new. About two to three years after the first models have been released and sold, these will start to fill the tummies of crushers since they will be so uneconomical (and impossible) to maintain and repair. But that's okay because Apple and most of their customers always think short-term and only look as far as the next release.
Alot of backward looking in the comments, anyone see more tech in transportations future? What companies software will be used to move people and goods in the future? This game is afoot and it won't involve tinkering in the backyard with the carburetor. More likely people like the kid who made the clock in high school.
As others have said above, car UIs suck. See Doug DeMuro's article on Subarus. In most cases, I just want to be able to use the dang thing. But as far as entry cost to the industry, the high cost used to be the motor, as in BMW's middle initial. Design and testing of the propulsion were highly technical and esoteric. That's not needed any longer. See Tesla. Electric motors, no transmission or emissions control. Electric/electronic suspension, steering, and for that matter everything else. There is no reason Apple couldn't build a car. Of course, that doesn't make it a great idea... Should Apple actually release a car, it wouldn't be a Honda Civic fighter, it'll be aimed at the high-end, high-margin cars. Apple doesnt compete with low end computers or phones, they make high end devices and charge accordingly. Will they actually do it? Who knows? But it's certainly possible. I'm not sure I'd buy one. I'm not sure I could afford one. I am sure it would change the industry though. Even if it failed, you'd see improvements across the industry.