Apple Invests $1 Billion in Chinese Ride-Sharing Company Didi Chuxing

[mcdj]

Breaking news; Apple has just installed Dr. Dre as President of China.

 

[vooke]

Is this essentially a bribe to Chinese regulators? That is, look, we're invested in Chinese companies, let us play in this market?

Yes it is a bribe

 

[ReneR]

Apple should invest into their products and innovation. Macs are outdated enough as it is (I'm actually considering to buy a more state-of-the-art Dell XPS 15, ...). And instead of selling us newer generation Mac mini, MacBookAir, MacBookPro or eve Mac Pro devices they do this? :-/ ??!?

I enjoyed Apple more when they were an innovative IT company. Now it looks they want to become Samsung and sell everything from fridges, washing machines to cars :-/

 

[x0vash0x]

Christ, all of your being so 'Chinaphobic' makes me cringe. America is freaking doomed if you're so xenophobic and scared of Chinese that all you can do is think they are inferior to you. The amount of ignorance one this forum regarding Chinese is ridiculous.

http://www.wired.com/2015/12/tech-innovation-in-china/

So, go on, tell me more how China lacks innovation, or technology, or anything else. I'm fully convinced is all stemming from ignorance or fear.

 

[ipedro]

Um -- here's what I'm smoking. I'm a creative marketing director here in LA. Me and five of my counterparts (entertainment) signed up to drive UBER - for 4 weeks - to get a firm understanding of the ride share phenomena. Each night we worked we assembled at a meeting spot every two hours to document what we learned from the riders.

Needless to say the people we transported during this adventure were our captive audience and the data we accumulated yielded a TREASURE TROVE of valuable information about people's habits and how they interacted with TRANSPORTATION.

Apple entering that realm regardless of the market is GENIUS.

One strategic point we immediately saw in the L A market that I'd like to share was that -- at that time we were out there on the streets of LA - the VAST majority of Uber riders -- were iPhone owners.

Some of you will appreciate why this is a great move for Apple. Transportation is undergoing a paradigm global shift that is EPIC. Apple SHOULD have a place at that table and clearly THEY see it and they agree.

Shocked at how narrow people think these days.

Exactly. The people complaining about Apple entering into the "automotive industry" are simply incapable of understanding the shift that is occurring. A "car" in the 2020's is going to be no more like today's cars than an iPhone is anything like a rotary telephone.

Apple is building a transportation "device" that is essentially a computer on wheels. The ultimate electronic gadget. If traditional car manufacturers don't grasp that and skate towards where the puck is going, the Fords and Toyotas of the world are going to end up like Motorola and Ericsson.

 

[Shirasaki]

Bye-bye parking garages for the masses. Hello fleet depots.

And we can see some sort of aircrafts floating above us, sending cars automatically.
Anyone in the world will be able to get the car in 5 minutes, and take the ride to their destination.
[doublepost=1463126268][/doublepost]

Christ, all of your being so 'Chinaphobic' makes me cringe. America is freaking doomed if you're so xenophobic and scared of Chinese that all you can do is think they are inferior to you. The amount of ignorance one this forum regarding Chinese is ridiculous.

http://www.wired.com/2015/12/tech-innovation-in-china/

So, go on, tell me more how China lacks innovation, or technology, or anything else. I'm fully convinced is all stemming from ignorance or fear.

But I also can find tons of posts saying China is just copying stuff invented/created/manufactured in USA.
http://appleinsider.com/articles/16...hone-mimics-apples-iphone-6s-design-3d-touch-
Some old ones like Xiaomi Store copies Apple Store.
And more.

 

[x0vash0x]

But I also can find tons of posts saying China is just copying stuff invented/created/manufactured in USA.
http://appleinsider.com/articles/16...hone-mimics-apples-iphone-6s-design-3d-touch-
Some old ones like Xiaomi Store copies Apple Store.
And more.

Yeah? Your point? Mine: Stop bashing Apple for investing in China if you don't actually understand the Chinese market or China. Granted, this is a forum on the internet, so of course there is going to be a whole bunch of uninformed opinions. But needless to say, China has a very robust self-driving car industry, that the central government is actively supporting. Unlike the U.S where states are regulatory uncertainty is preventing innovation in this area, China is supporting it full-steam.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...to-completes-1-200-mile-autonomous-drive-test

China, not America, will be the future of technology. Apple sees this, the rest of you clearly don't.

 

[sudo1996]

It certainly is. Apple may have naively thought they were entering something remotely resembling an open market. This is probably just the first of many shakedowns.

Yeah, I definitely think now that playing in the Chinese market requires playing dirty like the rest. It's a protectionist economy. You've gotta do some shady things to work with it.
[doublepost=1463126640][/doublepost]

Yeah? Your point? Mine: Stop bashing Apple for investing in China if you don't actually understand the Chinese market or China. Granted, this is a forum on the internet, so of course there is going to be a whole bunch of uninformed opinions. But needless to say, China has a very robust self-driving car industry, that the central government is actively supporting. Unlike the U.S where states are regulatory uncertainty is preventing innovation in this area, China is supporting it full-steam.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...to-completes-1-200-mile-autonomous-drive-test

China, not America, will be the future of technology. Apple sees this, the rest of you clearly don't.

You're talking about implementing technology, not inventing it. They're already one of the greatest implementers of technology at present, but they don't seem to support innovation. This is typical of non-free-market nations. Not saying it doesn't work; it could work very well for them.
[doublepost=1463126850][/doublepost]

Is this essentially a bribe to Chinese regulators? That is, look, we're invested in Chinese companies, let us play in this market?

AFAIK Chinese regulators are blatantly hostile to outside corporations, so yeah. But this might also give Apple more information about the Chinese market.

 

[x0vash0x]

Yeah, I definitely think now that playing in the Chinese market requires playing dirty like the rest. It's a protectionist economy. You've gotta do some shady things to work with it.
[doublepost=1463126640][/doublepost]
You're talking about implementing technology, not inventing it. They're already one of the greatest implementers of technology at present, but they don't seem to support innovation. This is typical of non-free-market nations. Not saying it doesn't work; it could work very well for them.

1. China is very protectionist. It's not shady or anything, its pretty transparent. You will work for the benefit of China, or you will not work in China at all. That's not shady, there's no bribes. It's a 'If you want to play in the Chinese market, you must support the Chinese market.' That's not shady at all. That's just reality. And the CCP is very open about it.

2. China is transitioning. The greatest mistake the west can have is to assume that China can never compete technologically with them. Historically, this has been true. But this doesn't need always be true. To be complacent in the face of competition is foolish.

 

[jeremiah256]

China's push into manufacturing has brought 100's of millions of their people out of poverty, given them global power, and kept peace in their country. There is no way in hell they are going to allow companies to automate and throw people into unemployment. Driverless cars = dead politicians. Too much automation in general = dead politicians. Apple paid the cost/bribe of doing business in a country like China. It's just what it is. And since it's damn near impossible to buy anything that is not made in China, I'm assuming others do or will do the same.

 

[x0vash0x]

There is no way in hell they are going to allow companies to automate and throw people into unemployment. Driverless cars = dead politicians. Too much automation in general = dead politician

Like I said, so more China ignorance.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-economy-layoffs-exclusive-idUSKCN0W33DS

China is actually putting money where its mouth is: its providing tens of billions of dollars to displaced workers to train them for the new economy. Learn some Chinese politics and economics before you spout garbage.

 

[gijoeinla]

Exactly. The people complaining about Apple entering into the "automotive industry" are simply incapable of understanding the shift that is occurring. A "car" in the 2020's is going to be no more like today's cars than an iPhone is anything like a rotary telephone.

Apple is building a transportation "device" that is essentially a computer on wheels. The ultimate electronic gadget. If traditional car manufacturers don't grasp that and skate towards where the puck is going, the Fords and Toyotas of the world are going to end up like Motorola and Ericsson.

Yep. So right. Exactly.

 

[Arndroid]

This is an example of why Apple's here to stay for the long haul. Even when they jump in bed with Communist China, buying the country's acceptance, Apple devotees cheer them on.

Few if any Millennials care, or even know what communism is.

Unable to comprehend, too complacent to educate themselves, too deep in a life of entitlements, they'll never know the difference until it's too late. If they're ever hit by the slap of reality, it's going to be the biggest wake up call of their lives.

Do you think China practices economic communism in 2016?

 

[Analog Kid]

I get what this person is saying.

Have you researched communism and what it has caused over the past 100 years?

People are so quick to forget just how horrible it is. The party is still illegal in the USA, yet it flourishes.

And not to get off course here but as much as the Cuban people don't deserve their fate, we should never have opened up relations with Cuba until both Castro's were dead or exiled. Just my opinion.

What do you think communism is?

I think communism is an economic system under which a billion dollars of direct foreign investment in a privately held company would be doubly illegal-- which is why I don't understand why it's even being discussed in this thread.

Your usage of the word "communism" has become synonymous with "boogy man", making it useless in discussing its role in the horrors you're associating it with.

As far as the party "flourishing" in the US, it has 2,000 members, or about .0005% of the population.

I'm pretty sure that my local Costco has more members...


[doublepost=1463128668][/doublepost]

But I also can find tons of posts saying China is just copying stuff invented/created/manufactured in USA.
http://appleinsider.com/articles/16...hone-mimics-apples-iphone-6s-design-3d-touch-
Some old ones like Xiaomi Store copies Apple Store.
And more.

And I can find tons saying Apple is copying the Koreans... In the 80's, everyone was freaked out about the Japanese-- first they were "copying" us, then they were going to economically bury us, then they became a key and interdependent trading partner...

 

[Mactendo]

This is an example of why Apple's here to stay for the long haul. Even when they jump in bed with Communist China, buying the country's acceptance, Apple devotees cheer them on.

Few if any Millennials care, or even know what communism is.

Unable to comprehend, too complacent to educate themselves, too deep in a life of entitlements, they'll never know the difference until it's too late. If they're ever hit by the slap of reality, it's going to be the biggest wake up call of their lives.

Oh yeah, communism is so evil, communists eat people for lunch, but capitalism is so much better and human oriented. Just look at all those happy and prosperous americans and the nations they democratically destroyed in the last 20 years. Actually started with native americans 200 years ago and just can't stop.

 

[tw1ll]

Is it just me or is there something not quite right about the fact there isn't a press release about this on the Apple website? If Cook has just invested a $bn of my money (ok - in truth only 0.0000000000000001% of it is mine as a shareholder) I'd expect to hear a bit more about the rationale and strategy behind it. If it is just VC funding of a company to make a return then since when was Apple an investment fund? If it's part of a grander plan then I think shareholders should know more in order to make informed investment decisions of their own. Apple product secrecy I get - things move fast and are easily copied in the IT industry - however don't shareholders have a right to understand where the company they own is going strategically? I buy Intel I buy a chipmaker, I buy Disney I buy an entertainments/comms company - I'd like to know what I am buying with Apple (other than a bunch of ageing products, ageing execs and shedloads of empty rhetoric about how great the future will be). Come to think of it I sold my minuscule Apple stake only yesterday........

 

[djcerla]

it's funny if Apple invested this kind of money on Uber it would probably receive a different reaction.

Yet, Didi which serves more than *5 times* the rides as Uber (global) daily and has 14 million drivers (Uber has less than 400k drivers), gets labelled as a "random" Chinese company... and Apple investment in Didi is labeled as "flushed" away.

Just because the company is not from the US/Europe or seems foreign or we haven't heard of them before doesn't mean it's random or trivial.

.

That was *exactly* my point.

 

[thewitt]

The number of ill informed, xenophobic posts in the topic is astonishing.

 

[nicho]

This and Apple's intense focus on China are an overt hint at what Apple plans to do with their electric car.

China is a booming market for car sales and for automobile transportation in general. Cars on Chinese roads have multiplied several times over in the last decades but polls show that while Chinese are attracted to the status symbol that a car represents, they aren't attached to the Western centric romance of driving a car. Essentially, they're the perfect market for an autonomous car.

We'll likely see Apple quickly build the condition for an autonomous vehicle fleet in large cities via Uber-esque service which will allow a newly wealthy Chinese population to flaunt their status symbol Apple cars while working on their iPad Pros in the back seat as their car drives them to work.

It's not a car in the traditional sense. It's the ultimate electronic gadget.

Sitting in an autonomous car in china would be like playing Russian roulette.

 

[likwidplastik]

To all the China haters...
I challenge you to get rid of everything in your life that is "made in China".
I'm betting that there won't be much left.
Just sayin.

 

[x0vash0x]

Sitting in an autonomous car in china would be like playing Russian roulette.

China has extremely competitive offerings in the autonomous car industry. Seriously just Google 'Chinese autonomous car' and you'll find tons of articles on how China is very advanced in the industry.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-autos-china-leeco-idUSKCN0XH10D

The best quote from that article: ""When everyone is questioning us over our ability to develop a car like this and is laughing at us, we are still able to be here and show you this car ... I am so emotional," Jia said at a LeEco launch event for several products in Beijing on Wednesday."

Like I said before, the absolute biggest mistake western companies can make is to underestimate China.

 

[ipedro]

Sitting in an autonomous car in china would be like playing Russian roulette.

I'll take autonomous traffic over Chinese driving.*

*This isn't a racist joke, just the reality of horrible driving skills generally in Chinese cities.

 

[MH01]

Christ, all of your being so 'Chinaphobic' makes me cringe. America is freaking doomed if you're so xenophobic and scared of Chinese that all you can do is think they are inferior to you. The amount of ignorance one this forum regarding Chinese is ridiculous.

http://www.wired.com/2015/12/tech-innovation-in-china/

So, go on, tell me more how China lacks innovation, or technology, or anything else. I'm fully convinced is all stemming from ignorance or fear.

Goes both ways mate . Take any high end electronic you own, jump on eBay and do a search for an accessory you want, there are dozens knock off of the official one. I very much struggle to find an accessory that has come from China that is not a copy...

On the flip side, I'm into high end audio, and there is some awesome innovative stuff coming out.

Yes there lots of examples of innovation, though lets not pretend there is a huge industry of knock offs.
[doublepost=1463132169][/doublepost]

I'll take autonomous traffic over Chinese driving.*

*This isn't a racist joke, just the reality of horrible driving skills generally in Chinese cities.

I was in India recently , amazed by the driving there, I'd actually say that if you can drive in China / India , you can drive anywhere .

I'd say western drivers are worse , cause if something at all happens we get massive pile ups, put a western in China / India they will crash.

 

[spellnight]

The idea of Apple entering the automotive industry is unfathomably stupid. It's as if Nissan decided to build a smartphone. It's just dumb.

The automotive industry is an entirely different ballgame from the tech industry. Apple is gonna learn that the hard way it seems.

Apple really is just a rudderless ship now, they essentially just do whatever sounds good to the cloned MBA's in a boardroom. Buying up Beats, Apple Music, selling 16GB iPhones in the year 2016....they really are shooting themselves in the foot.

No wonder AAPL has taken such a dive, I'm surprised they lasted as long as it did

No lies but I remember people saying the same about making a smartphone... Apple proved us wrong.
Let's see what's all the fuss about, I'm actually quite curious

 

[nicho]

I'll take autonomous traffic over Chinese driving.*

*This isn't a racist joke, just the reality of horrible driving skills generally in Chinese cities.

everyone in autonomous cars? great.

me in an autonomous car and the rest of them driving like my father in law? no thanks.
[doublepost=1463132758][/doublepost]

China has extremely competitive offerings in the autonomous car industry. Seriously just Google 'Chinese autonomous car' and you'll find tons of articles on how China is very advanced in the industry.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-autos-china-leeco-idUSKCN0XH10D

The best quote from that article: ""When everyone is questioning us over our ability to develop a car like this and is laughing at us, we are still able to be here and show you this car ... I am so emotional," Jia said at a LeEco launch event for several products in Beijing on Wednesday."

Like I said before, the absolute biggest mistake western companies can make is to underestimate China.

to make this comment is to completely misunderstand mine.

in a perfect situation, the autonomous car i have no issues with or worries about. it's the non-autonomous ones around me, that'll make my autonomous one do something stupid or put me in danger, that has me scared.