Apple Car Development Reportedly Stalls as Apple Implements Hiring Freeze

[d0minick]

"They'd better think carefully if they want to get into the hard-core manufacturing," he said of Apple. "We take steel, raw steel, and turn it into car. They have no idea what they're getting into if they get into that."

- https://www.macrumors.com/2015/02/18/former-gm-ceo-on-apple-car/

its hard to make a car. not just a piece of tech. but your accountable for the lives in the vehicle, or you just declare bankruptcy before the lawsuits.

 

[Rogifan]

I'm not sure what Steve Jobs would do right now, but not investing in new markets is not an option.

One inevitable situation for every public company is that they need to keep growing. If they don't keep growing eventually they fade away, because people don't like investing in companies that don't grow.

Apple under Steve Jobs was able to come with three products (besides the original Mac) that saved the company and made it grow, the iPod (2001), the iPhone (2007) and the iPad (2010).

The iPod has been in decline for a long time. The iPad was/is extremely popular, but the market is not growing any more. The iPhone is the only product Apple has that keeps growing constantly, but one day this is expected to change.

When the iPhone growth ends, Apple will need another market. There is no way the PC/Apps Market can in any way replace their iPhone current profits.

Yep. If Apple isn't working on what comes after iPhone then that's a scary thing. In 2014 Tim Cook said iPhone would be Apple's dominant revenue source for the next 5 years. What comes after iPhone? VR goggles? I don't think so.

People don't invest in apple for growth any more. That's why it's valued at a discount compared to its competitors within its industry.

Investors will pay a 3 times premium for one Google share compared to an apple share. This is due to investors seeing higher growth possibilities and will pay more for that growth.

Apples is now a value stock. They just need to maintain their revenue and increase dividends.

That's assuming Apple is correctly valued. I think that's BS. Apple leadership would be derelict in their duties if they're not thinking beyond their current product portfolio. No publicly traded company exists just to maintain, every company is looking for growth opportunities. Plus it's impossible to retain and attract the best talent if they're not constantly being challenged.

 

[yaxomoxay]

That's what happens when a company's genius CEO, who never hired anyone who challenged him, dies. He made his company wildly successful, but didn't set it up for future success.

No, it simply means that we are more exposed to rumors, therefore we know more about Apple's failures than we are used to. Today if someone is a "credible analyst" we read about predictions, and stuff that happens inside the company. Ten years ago? Almost impossible, we had a general idea at best. We on MR know more about a product before it's released than most people AFTER the product is released. That's the new game, doubling down or not.

 

[Skryll]

apple went from a company that was creating things that simplified our life (ipod, itunes, iphone, ipad) to things that might look pretty but most don't actually need (apple tv, watch, car). this brand has lost its core focus and it's a shame. anyhoo, let's hope we see new macbook pro's soon. due for an update.

What are you taking about - the apple watch makes my life easier for sure, responding to texts with voice or from a pre canned answer pulldown, DUO 3-factor confirms, slack chat updates... yeah the new iOS software introducing microsoft-like modal dialogues on the phone causes additional unneeded friction that wasn't there before, but the apple watch is definitely removing friction for me.

 

[Logic368]

Don't you guys mean that Jony Ive forstalled development on the car?

 

[samcraig]

Plus it's impossible to retain and attract the best talent if they're not constantly being challenged.

I imagine working for Ive is plenty challenging

 

[Rogifan]

apple went from a company that was creating things that simplified our life (ipod, itunes, iphone, ipad) to things that might look pretty but most don't actually need (apple tv, watch, car). this brand has lost its core focus and it's a shame. anyhoo, let's hope we see new macbook pro's soon. due for an update.

How do you define "core focus"? i'm sure there are plenty of people that felt/fee; the iPod, iPhone and iPad were/are distractions and Apple's "core focus" should only be Macs. I mean I see plenty of posts here referring to "iToys".

I imagine working for Ive is plenty challenging

Except the majority of Apple employees don't work for him.

 

[GhostRaider]

Isn't Apple Car Steve Jobs idea? He obviously didn't go through with it due to its complication. Honestly, I think this project is will reach to a point where they question if it's even a good idea. If Apple can barely have stable releases of software, or even fix them, one can only hope that this car doesn't kill anybody.

 

[stanman64]

I like to think Apple isn't working on an actual car, but rather some sort of transportation project in general. Like maybe they are going to attempt to revolutionize how traffic flows, how cars interact with each other, etc.

But then again my head is in the clouds today.

 

[Mr. Dee]

Zadesky was probably adding too many friends to the payroll and Apple found out then fired him first, but gave him the chance to leave gracefully. Weeding out the Dollar Sign folks who are not committed and are only looking for a easy trust fund.

 

[samcraig]

Except the majority of Apple employees don't work for him.

Sooner or later, they all work for Ive. Kidding mostly. But as a prominent member of the Executive Team - his influence is no doubt felt by many that don't actually work for him.

 

[rick987611]

I'd like to just see them focus on CarPlay. I can't afford to upgrade my car every year

 

[stanman64]

Why is Apple making a car? Apple has so many other things they need to fix/improve.

I'm sure people said the same thing in 2006/2007.

"Why is Apple attempting to make a phone? They have so many other things they need to fix/improve with the Mac."

Not disagreeing with you, there are issues. Just playing devil's advocate.

 

[Woyzeck]

Obviously the project was stopped due to the nay-sayers:
No, Mr. Ive, we can't charge the battery using Thunderbolt III or add any other proprietary power plug to it.
And we can't remove the doors so that our customers can't replace the passengers by themselves.
And no, the authorities won't accept an iPhone remote instead of a steering wheel.

 

[JamesVSmith]

For a "open secret" project this is all too suspicious. No way Apple would simply let these types of rumours "slip". I suspect this is just a nice little hype machine designed to keep the dream alive. New hires, setbacks, some freezes and failures. All part of building up the eventual mass histeria that Apple is known for. 2020 is already ambitious in my opinion. The design goals will most likely be based on commercialising "premium" affordable vehicles that fixes the shortcomings of existing EVs i.e. interface design, innovative interiors and materials, connected drive-by-wire functions and accessible charging infrastructure.

 

[Mums]

I'm not sure what Steve Jobs would do right now, but not investing in new markets is not an option.

One inevitable situation for every public company is that they need to keep growing. If they don't keep growing eventually they fade away, because people don't like investing in companies that don't grow.

Apple under Steve Jobs was able to come with three products (besides the original Mac) that saved the company and made it grow, the iPod (2001), the iPhone (2007) and the iPad (2010).

The iPod has been in decline for a long time. The iPad was/is extremely popular, but the market is not growing any more. The iPhone is the only product Apple has that keeps growing constantly, but one day this is expected to change.

When the iPhone growth ends, Apple will need another market. There is no way the PC/Apps Market can in any way replace their iPhone current profits.

I see what you mean. But that means Apple actually is doomed. That means that they can't focus on products which make for a good company - but only on products which lend themselves to eternal growth - that is a death sentence because nothing can sustain eternal growth.

 

[HiRez]

This might have something to do with it:

Jony Ive is reportedly not happy with the Apple Car and there's a hiring freeze in place

[Ugh, sorry, noticed someone already mentioned this and I can't delete it]

 

[carlgo]

I see what you mean. But that means actually is doomed. That means that they can't focus on products which make for a good company - but only on products which lend themselves to eternal growth - that is a death sentence because nothing can sustain eternal growth.

 

[Rogifan]

Sooner or later, they all work for Ive. Kidding mostly. But as a prominent member of the Executive Team - his influence is no doubt felt by many that don't actually work for him.

I suppose so but I thought last year everyone was putting his "promotion" in quotes saying it signaled he was on his way out. Now he's the one deciding whether the car project gets more resources or not? Something doesn't add up.

 

[carlgo]

Why would Apple's car be so much more compelling? What advantage do they have? It may be the general difficulty of the business that is giving them pause.

 

[Pilgrim1099]

Glad Jony Ive stepped in. That guy probably ran the whole thing poorly

No, I think it's OTHER WAY around. It's not hard to figure it out. I hate to say it, despite how creative Jony may be, I think he comes off an introverted " drama queen ".

 

[SlipperySlop]

I never knew you could stall a electric car...

Of course you can.

apple went from a company that was creating things that simplified our life (ipod, itunes, iphone, ipad) to things that might look pretty but most don't actually need (apple tv, watch, car). this brand has lost its core focus and it's a shame. anyhoo, let's hope we see new macbook pro's soon. due for an update.

Simplify? You really don't understand this business at all. These products enrich our lives. Making our lives easier is also the goal. The watch and tv are great products.

How will said apple cars be distributed? Dealers? Hmm.

Through Amazon and BestBuy. Wow, I told a joke.

Is that guy wearing a backpack or a jacket? That photo is so weird!

It's the outline of a car. Notice the side view mirror?

Why is Apple making a car? Apple has so many other things they need to fix/improve.

Humans have the ability to do more than one thing at a time. Many animals have the same capability. Apple is able to do that. No large successful company does only one thing at a time. Oh wait, I'm sure many will claim Apple isn't a successful company. This is, after all, an Apple bashing site more than anything else.

 

[HarryPot]

Apples is now a value stock. They just need to maintain their revenue and increase dividends.

I'm not sure about this. Tech companies are very different.

For example, I would agree that a brand like Coca-Cola does not need to come up with different markets. They just need to keep a good job going.

In tech you never know when the next "big thing" will come along, so Apple must always be searching for this next big thing. If investors ever believe that Apple has no potential to find this, Apple will loose a lot.

I see what you mean. But that means actually is doomed. That means that they can't focus on products which make for a good company - but only on products which lend themselves to eternal growth - that is a death sentence because nothing can sustain eternal growth.

Not at all, it just means they need to come up with new products when old ones are no longer profitable.

Just like the iPhone, it came to replace the declining iPod. Then the iPad, which in part came to replace a part of the PC market.

In 2001 no one would have thought about Apple being the most-profitable smartphone maker. Phones looked like such a different market. The car industry might just happen to be a similar scenario, a lot of similarities (old companies that have no interest in coming up with big innovations, that have settled for just sustaining their current market).

 

[CFreymarc]

I never knew you could stall a electric car...

Yes you can. It is called power interruption.

 

[aliensporebomb]

The problem was the car was skeomorphic but they made the door handles and everything else flat. The car is there and exists but nobody can figure out how to open it up.