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I've been a Tesla owner for a couple of years and a Mac user for decades. The Tesla boards are all abuzz over this, too. What's not being talked about in this thread are comments by Elon Musk a week or so ago in an earnings call:

"I do have a secret weapon on the demand side that will probably start to deploy later this year for demand generation. We’ll see how that goes. It isn’t totally necessary but I think and it could be pretty interesting, I could [indiscernible] dealers."

There's speculation on the Tesla boards that the secret weapon is a partnership with Apple. Possibly one in which Apple harmonizes all of the Model S's functions on the 17" display. From CarPlay to navigation and autopilot UI, Apple would do a great job improving the already great user experience.

This would certainly increase exposure for Tesla, presumably increasing demand. Furthermore, because this comment was in the context of countering automobile dealer associations' attempts to block Tesla direct sales, it's interesting to note that having Apple as a partner could make part of every Apple store a Tesla showcase, either through a Tesla mockup in-store or even Tesla demonstrations to interested people. They're not demo-ing the car, per se, just the Apple experience in the car. This could skirt the requirements that Tesla only operate through franchised dealers in those states that are still clinging to that model of car sales. The increase in exposure for Tesla would be enormous.

All in all, I don't think Apple is going to make a car. I think they're going to push CarPlay and their UI brilliance into as many automotive lines as they can, now that the human/car interface is becoming so much more audiovisual than ever before, beginning with Tesla.

Thanks for pointing that up.
 
I wonder if an Apple car will let you go wherever you want. Or will it be a walled garden and only allow Apple approved destinations?

-Hey Siri. How far is it to 354, Seale Avenue?
-You're seeing John again? (Siri starts engine)
-Yes. Please, can you drive me there.
-I'm calling your sister. (Ringtone sound from car speakers)
-Where are you driving me?!
"Hello sis! What's up?"
 
...control this vehicle.



Hope it's a hydrogen fuel cell car, if they do this.



The limits of battery technology need to be blown away to bring purely battery powered cars main stream. Few folk are prepared to wait hours to move on after a flat battery.



Apple could, single handedly, hydrogenise the US automotive industry and infrastructure. In one move, ( admittedly a very big one) removing the need for carbon based vehicles for most users and changing the geopolitical map overnight.


Most people will re-charge an electric car at home overnight just like an iPhone.

For long-distance travel, Tesla has a network of 120 kW charging stations that can re-charge an 85 kWH battery to 50% in 20 minutes (good for about 150 highway miles in a Tesla Model S). The chargers have been acknowledged to scale to 135 kW in this generation of fast DC charging.

The tech already exists for fast charging. The main problem is battery cost. Hydrogen is problematic because it is inefficient to produce, corrosive, and must be stored under high pressure because of its low density. Hydrogen sounds good at first because the fueling process is similar to gasoline, but its actually much worse than batteries in terms of complexity and efficiency.
 
All in all, I don't think Apple is going to make a car. I think they're going to push CarPlay and their UI brilliance into as many automotive lines as they can, now that the human/car interface is becoming so much more audiovisual than ever before, beginning with Tesla.

I'd love to see a partnership with Tesla. I'm not sure how many auto companies will want to give up their dash to Apple. How does Apple do it right and still allow each car company a certain level of uniqueness? Will Ford want their dashboard to look just like GM's?
 
Why are people finding this so hard to believe?

A car is a ubiquitous device that can be radically improved upon and simplified—just like any of Apples other products were. Sure, it's a big 'gamble', but the risk is quite possibly worth the reward, and willingness to venture forward is a hallmark of successful entities.

Further thoughts: Electric car = far less moving parts; Autonomous-driving cars = far less human error; Mark Newson = experienced in car concept design.
 
Apple is building a smart car (computer car) not a car, the computer is the one who enters in the car business and apple happens to be computer company, this how computer evolution works, if you don't like a smart car idea blame you'reselfs, you're the one who replaced that stupid nokia phone with a smartphone (computer) etc.
I highly doubt Tesla, Ford and others knows more about how to build a computer car than Apple or Google, also is not that hard build a normal car, if an ucranian less-known company knows how to build a car, definitely Apple can do it too!
 
That is what I have been saying too. Apple has been reshaping markets since the early iPod days. Never know where they will end up next.

It wasn't too long ago that we heard how the iWatch was never gonna happen and the Apple Pay will never take off...etc....

I don't see how you can compare an iWatch or e payment system with automobile manufacture. They already make tiny electronics, and those tiny electronics have lots of radios capable of making a secure transaction.
 
I'd love to see a partnership with Tesla. I'm not sure how many auto companies will want to give up their dash to Apple. How does Apple do it right and still allow each car company a certain level of uniqueness? Will Ford want their dashboard to look just like GM's?

With all the reports of cars being hackable I wonder if having such "rich" access to car systems (networkable) is such a good idea.

As it is CANBUS (mainly used by the Euro cars) has like no sort of authentication, maybe that should be fixed first before introducing more holes.
 
The only real departure Apple ever had was the iPod, they went from a computer to a mobile MP3 player. The iPhone is in the mobile market like the dozens of iPods Apple had made and is a computer so the iPhone was right in apple's specialty

But at the time the iPod wasn't even close to being a computer. It was a mp3 player with a few functions for playing music. Not until the iPhone did anything like a mobile computer exist for a phone.

If you look at the iPod of that time (not the iPod touch since it didn't exist) It is nothing like a small computer and it only had limited functionality. The iPhone was not simply in 'Apple's wheel house' and an inevitable extension of the iPod.

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I don't see how you can compare an iWatch or e payment system with automobile manufacture. They already make tiny electronics, and those tiny electronics have lots of radios capable of making a secure transaction.

Easy...

What does it take to start a automobile manufacture?

Money (lots of money) --- check
Automobile expertise --- buying up now with all that money
(all areas)

That should be a good start. Lets just see where this goes.
 
Perhaps the best part of this "rumor" is it provides lots of fodder for the late night TV hosts to joke around with. Finding the humor here is a great source of laughs and entertainment until something concrete is officially announced.
 
I can't wait to see how Samsung responds :D.

I know your comment is meant to be a joke, but....

Samsung already build ships... and submarines.

When it comes to heavy industry manufacturing, and integration of navigation and autonomy into vehicles, Samsung has already been doing it for decades.

Samsung Electronics also builds electronics for military vehicles.

Also, Google already have their own consumer facing autonomous vehicle designs... Samsung have the manufacturing ability to produce those.

"Samsung Thales Corp. (STC) is set to win a $120 million contract to supply cutting-edge automated combat systems for the nation's first 3,000-ton KSS-III attack submarine to be deployed after 2020, officials of the Agency for Defense Development (ADD)and the Defense Acquisitio Program Administration (DAPA) said Wednesday. "

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/05/205_44861.html
 
I know your comment is meant to be a joke, but....

Samsung already build ships... and submarines.

When it comes to heavy industry manufacturing, and integration of navigation and autonomy into vehicles, Samsung has already been doing it for decades.

Samsung Electronics also builds electronics for military vehicles.

Also, Google already have their own consumer facing autonomous vehicle designs... Samsung have the manufacturing ability to produce those.

"Samsung Thales Corp. (STC) is set to win a $120 million contract to supply cutting-edge automated combat systems for the nation's first 3,000-ton KSS-III attack submarine to be deployed after 2020, officials of the Agency for Defense Development (ADD)and the Defense Acquisitio Program Administration (DAPA) said Wednesday. "

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/05/205_44861.html

How dare they copy Apple on there secret plans to make military hardware done 2020! Samsung just released their early to Breast askew to the punch!

/s
 
But at the time the iPod wasn't even close to being a computer. It was a mp3 player with a few functions for playing music. Not until the iPhone did anything like a mobile computer exist for a phone.

If you look at the iPod of that time (not the iPod touch since it didn't exist) It is nothing like a small computer and it only had limited functionality. The iPhone was not simply in 'Apple's wheel house' and an inevitable extension of the iPod.

An iPod is definitely a small computer, albeit without the breadth of a general purpose computer. Although an iPhone is not inevitable, it's definitely within or closer to their field of personal computing. It differs in form factor and UI for sure, but you can go back to the Newton to see an earlier example of this IMO.
 
I can't wait to see how Samsung responds :D.

Once the car is released, they'll make over 200 drawings for their version.

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"Samsung Thales Corp. (STC) is set to win a $120 million contract to supply cutting-edge automated combat systems for the nation's first 3,000-ton KSS-III attack submarine to be deployed after 2020, officials of the Agency for Defense Development (ADD)and the Defense Acquisitio Program Administration (DAPA) said Wednesday. "
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Jony Ive would bring that down to 1 ton by 2020 and make it in gold.
 
ok,,, now it looks official...

Apple has lost their marbles... Make a car..... I'll just sit here and think it will be like the Apple Television that never came out either. *folds arms*
 
Spoiler alert - Next article will be on analysts` prediction of how many cars Apple can sell.
 
Apple has decades of experience with electronics, batteries, charging and human interfaces. I am fascinated to see what ideas Apple might incorporate into an electric vehicle.

As I've said before, replacing the internal combustion engine (and related subsystems) with electric motors would eliminate a huge engineering overhead. Vehicle structural design and engineering is such a well established discipline that Apple could quickly bring a product to market.

Apple doesn't have to reinvent the wheel.
 
I need to know a price now, how am I going to be able to afford this. I'm moving into a tiny house so I can get this car.
 
The farthest I'm willing to believe at this point is that Apple is building a power unit that will go into other people's cars. But I guess we will wait and see. Where is Ming-Chi Kuo when you need him?
 
Once the car is released, they'll make over 200 drawings for their version.

----------




"Samsung Thales Corp. (STC) is set to win a $120 million contract to supply cutting-edge automated combat systems for the nation's first 3,000-ton KSS-III attack submarine to be deployed after 2020, officials of the Agency for Defense Development (ADD)and the Defense Acquisitio Program Administration (DAPA) said Wednesday. "
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Jony Ive would bring that down to 1 ton by 2020 and make it in gold.

But it would need a protective case and be prone to scratching :p
 
So when is Samsung going to build a car?

If there is one thing that doesn't scare me it is Samsung trying to build a car because I can't think of any korean made car that I would want to have, not for free. Hyundai, Kia (do they still exist?), Ssangyong :confused: some of the crappiest cars ever built come from over there.
 
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