I agree. These rumors seem to pop up like weeds, but it's just such a different kind of business than anything they are involved in that I can neither see how nor why. There is so much more money to be made so much more easily by continuing to build out in consumer electronics and media services like they are doing. Add home automation gadgets + subscriptions, more home audio solutions, more media and publishing services (books subscription next?), televisions, AR devices (as planned), build out iCloud further to get more subscribers (privacy-respecting email, improved photo services, video sharing), etc. etc..
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Apple to Invest $3.6 Billion in Kia Motors for Apple Car Production
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Apple is, at its core, a design company. Expanding to every part of life where design is a factor makes perfect sense, if they want to continue their growth.
When I first shopped at amazon, they just sold books, and everyone thought of them as a bookseller. But their vision was to be the best at etailing logistics.
The key is to look at what a company is good at, not a what a company currently sells.
You think Apple needs a pump right now?
That's up to each brand to decide for themselves. Do they want high margin or not? What market do they want to compete in. I think we all know the answer for Apple. Remember, Apple buys a large percentage of components for its products from the same company that builds those "garbage Android phones." Apple is heavily involved in the manufacturing and quality control of everything it outsources. This will be no different.
You have a lot of kids on your lawn?
Tesla ≠ Apple. While Tesla is breaking new ground in the EV market place, they are also breaking down in the EV marketplace.
Not true. The computing element of a car is minor in comparison to rest of the hardware. A tv or a one of these modern voice managed mono speakers has more computing as a necessary percentage of the product than a car.
I'm curious to see how Apple and other high-tech car companies like Tesla will navigate the more stringent right to repair laws that are coming into force with model year 2022. Hopefully they'll extend the same rights & privileges to iPhone, iPads, and Macs as well!
Genius Bar Appointments for everything but the Apple Car. You'll receive a Genius Bay Apptointment for that at a Kia Dealer. 🤣
#1 except that South Korean vloggers have been talking about this for a while. I've been hearing about the potential tie-up since mid last year (at least that's when I started looking and researching for a SUV). And I was hoping it wouldn't happen. Oh well.
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You mean external chassie design? Hyundai/Kia have some of the best designers in the automotive industry now -- Luc Donckrwole runs the design dept at Hyunda/Kia. Just look at their recent Genesis SUVs like GV80 and sportier GV70 just released, designed by Sangyup Lee. Their highly-anticipated new EV based on E-GMP, Ioniq 5, to be announced this month, is also likely to be a hit.
Hyundai would probably do much of the heavy lifting -- ie, automotive design, engineering and manufacturing -- while Apple would drive all things digital -- ie, automonous driving, sensor development, infotainment, etc.
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How did you come to the conclusion that Kia is the lowest-end car company? According to US News, Kia ranks #5 in their list of best brands for 2021. According to RepairPal, Kia vehicles rank in reliability alongside Toyota and Honda. 🤷🏼♂️
In more niche auto enthusiasts forums, the Stinger was very well received, and the new K5 seems pretty amazing. Overall, seems like a legit company to me.
This feels like a flop. I imagine smart cars 2.0 that never take off. They’re probably just aiming for making something more integrated.
Apple is rumored to be planning to invest 4 trillion won ($3.6 billion) in Kia Motors as part of a planned manufacturing partnership between the two companies, according to Korean site DongA Ilbo (via Bloomberg).
Apple and Kia (an affiliate of Hyundai) are said to be establishing a production relationship that will see Kia build Apple Cars at its U.S. facility located in Georgia.
Apple could sign a deal with Kia as soon as February 17, with the aim of introducing Apple Cars in 2024, though that release timeline is earlier than some prior launch estimates. Apple and Kia are aiming to produce 100,000 vehicles per year when manufacturing kicks off.
There have been multiple reports of a partnership between Apple and Hyundai, and prior reports have suggested that Hyundai's Kia brand will handle manufacturing. Earlier in January, Korea IT News also said that electric vehicles manufactured by Apple would likely be made at Kia's Georgia factory.
When rumors of talks between Hyundai and Apple first hit, Hyundai confirmed that it was holding discussions with Apple, but later revised the statement and eliminated the Apple mention.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today that Apple is planning to collaborate with Hyundai and will use Hyundai's E-GMP battery electric vehicle platform for its first vehicle chassis in addition to using the Kia factory for U.S. production. Kuo believes an Apple Car will come in 2025 "at the earliest" but Apple is already on a tight schedule if it wants to meet that deadline, so a launch could be pushed back further.
Article Link: Apple to Invest $3.6 Billion in Kia Motors for Apple Car Production
Why would you think the car would be a re-badged Kia? Every bit of information surrounding this rumor suggests Kia would be an OEM manufacturer like a Foxconn. They would be assembling parts manufactured by various vendors to complete Apple's vehicle specifications. It would make no sense for Apple to sell a badge engineered car.
“I can’t see Apple making a mobile phone“ was said once upon a time.
Honestly?
By the time Apple gets a car to market, the market for overpriced "Self-driving" EVs that simply enable crappy drivers to be even crappier drivers, will be saturated. Hell, even my uncle has one at this point.
I just don't see it?
I could see Apple developing the EV/Self-driving OS/CarPlay/Platform and becoming the next Delphi/Bosch/etc for this next generation of cars? And, then leveraging that into relationships that would allow Apple to have one "Apple-Car" with each brand that uses that platform?
What I, and many other people who don't hate driving, and actually enjoy driving, would prefer to see?
Apple become the Ferrari of EVs. (I'd say BMW, but BMW has gone from fun to drive cars, to cars that seem to be getting too big, too heavy, and target people who hate driving, so struggling to find the right fit here? Sorry? *Edit, Mazda perhaps?)
No electronic toys, no "self-driving" crap, no extra future e-waste making the car heavy and decreasing it's range while inflating its price. Simple, light-weight, fun to drive EVs for the masses. A sports car, a city car, a 2-door/4-seat coupe, and a 4-door sedan. Switches and dials, aluminum and carbon fiber. Add lightness by leaving out all the crap that only targets dip ***** who don't belong on the road in the first damn place. Retro-futuristic, light weight, and fun to drive EVs.
It's a market that hasn't been touched, never-mind become saturated.
Sadly, I don't think Apple wants to be in the "cars for people who don't hate cars" market? Doesn't seem like anyone does these days? Seems destined to be a money left on the table segment for the foreseeable future.
By the time Apple gets a car to market, the market for overpriced "Self-driving" EVs that simply enable crappy drivers to be even crappier drivers, will be saturated. Hell, even my uncle has one at this point.
I just don't see it?
I could see Apple developing the EV/Self-driving OS/CarPlay/Platform and becoming the next Delphi/Bosch/etc for this next generation of cars? And, then leveraging that into relationships that would allow Apple to have one "Apple-Car" with each brand that uses that platform?
What I, and many other people who don't hate driving, and actually enjoy driving, would prefer to see?
Apple become the Ferrari of EVs. (I'd say BMW, but BMW has gone from fun to drive cars, to cars that seem to be getting too big, too heavy, and target people who hate driving, so struggling to find the right fit here? Sorry? *Edit, Mazda perhaps?)
No electronic toys, no "self-driving" crap, no extra future e-waste making the car heavy and decreasing it's range while inflating its price. Simple, light-weight, fun to drive EVs for the masses. A sports car, a city car, a 2-door/4-seat coupe, and a 4-door sedan. Switches and dials, aluminum and carbon fiber. Add lightness by leaving out all the crap that only targets dip ***** who don't belong on the road in the first damn place. Retro-futuristic, light weight, and fun to drive EVs.
It's a market that hasn't been touched, never-mind become saturated.
Sadly, I don't think Apple wants to be in the "cars for people who don't hate cars" market? Doesn't seem like anyone does these days? Seems destined to be a money left on the table segment for the foreseeable future.
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Not really, that was widely predicted to happen and even I believed an Apple Mobile phone would surely happen (and I’m no future analyst by any means)
There's a lot of people complaining about Kia vehicles. As the owner of a Kia Niro EV (fully electric vehicle), I am pretty impressed with it. When compared with the Tesla Model 3, it does better in quality and ergonomics (according to people who have owned both vehicles) even though it isn't nearly as fast.
Before you start badmouthing Kia vehicles, drive one. Even if it's a gas-powered model. Honda didn't start off with great cars either. Kia's current electric vehicles are worthy of the Apple logo on it IMHO.
Before you start badmouthing Kia vehicles, drive one. Even if it's a gas-powered model. Honda didn't start off with great cars either. Kia's current electric vehicles are worthy of the Apple logo on it IMHO.
I have a Hyundai SUV and was really looking hard at that GV80. But... since the pandemic delayed production a bit, and since, you know, i can't actually go anywhere and am not even commuting to work anymore, I'm gonna eye the 2022 model. But that's at the top of my list for a new car... Unless this Apple Car materializes somehow in the next two years.
I think this will be more like the first iPhone being exclusive to AT&T. I'm not sure how it would work, but I wonder if in ten years we'll be seeing "Apple Car" models specific to different dealers and companies. Or at the very least, Apple Car versions across Kia, Hyundai, and Genesis. I can't even imagine what the Genesis Apple Car would look like, but I already want it.
I mean, more than one person has seen my Hyundai at a distance and thought it was a Lexus, and even when I see a Lexus sometimes I think its a Hyundai. Hyundai really did an excellent job of cribbing Lexus' chassis designs.
So if we're gonna get an Apple Car from a company already copying another luxury brand, bring it on!