Elon Musk: If You Don't Make It at Tesla, You Go Work at Apple

[lkrupp]

Just remember Steve Ballmer’s dismissive response to the iPhone in 2007. “It doesn’t have a keyboard so it can’t be used for business.” (laugh, chuckle). Just remember the European watchmaker’s dismissive response to the Watch right before their sales started to slump.

It sure looks like Musk is whistling past the graveyard in this post of his.

 

[scaramoosh]

Or maybe they leave because they're fed up of working for a ****.

+ Haven't Tesla's cars all be crap so far? Every time they were on Top Gear they just got ripped into for how unpractical they're.

 

[jkichline]

He sounds like Ballmer when he heard about the iPhone, only with a dose of spoiled brat instead of doofus monkey. I wouldn't under estimated Apple.

 

[Rogifan]

Tesla is everything Apple's automotive arm wants to be.

Apple wants to be unprofitable?

 

[AustinIllini]

Apple wants to be unprofitable?

No. It wants its brand to become synonymous with automotive innovation.

Right now, Tesla has the cache in automotive that Apple has in personal devices.

 

[jm001]

To be fair a design mistake in a car is a bit more serious that an iPhone 4.

Then you're driving it wrong.

 

[sudo1996]

He doesn't need to have class. Steve Jobs didn't have class. He straight out called people bozos if he didn't like them.

Anyway, Musk is Tesla's boss. What do you expect him to say?

Just because he's not as bad as Jobs doesn't mean he's OK. Jobs lived under constant stress and ended up dying young with a broken family. Not a happy way to live.

I like what Tesla does, but I've always seen Musk as an arrogant **** and don't really care to see him succeed. At this point, I'd rather Mercedes or someone just copy their technology and put it in normal cars.

 

[Rogifan]

He said it like a jerk, but he's right that electric cars are much more meaningful than iToys. Though Apple makes a lot more profit... infinite times as much profit.

What are iToys and where can I buy one?

 

[tennisproha]

Damn there's so much truth to Elon's comments though.

 

[rmatthewware]

As much of a fan boy I am about Apple, I can't afford either car, so I really don't have a dog in this fight. However, some competition for Tesla would be good. They really need to pick up the pace in terms of development.

Those Teslas are pretty sexy, though. I drove past one on the highway the other day.

 

[Rogifan]

No. It wants its brand to become synonymous with automotive innovation.

Right now, Tesla has the cache in automotive that Apple has in personal devices.

Tesla has a cult following that's for sure.

 

[themongooseman]

Tesla's work is awesome. Their market and mindshare outside the "car enthusiast" markets are arguably pretty tiny. Apple has more cash available than any other company in the world that I know of. They may make a car. I could see them buying Tesla into non-existence or marginalising them into being a boutique manufacturer very easily indeed.

 

[HiRez]

So let me get this straight. All the guys who left Tesla for Apple are losers and castoffs, but all the guys who left Apple for Tesla are the best of the best?

 

[slu]

Building cars is not rocket science.

Nice.

And what else is Musk supposed to say? That they are taking our best people and are going to make a better car than we are? We need competition in this space for prices to drop. If true, I am glad Apple is making a car to compete with Tesla. And I really like Tesla.

 

[sudo1996]

Or maybe they leave because they're fed up of working for a ****.

+ Haven't Tesla's cars all be crap so far? Every time they were on Top Gear they just got ripped into for how unpractical they're.

Maybe the Tesla Roadster (their original car, a Lotus Elise lookalike) is what you're thinking of. Top Gear rigged the test for that, and there was a lawsuit. Anyway, the Model S is a great car, only it's too darn expensive.

 

[Rogifan]

So let me get this straight. All the guys who left Tesla for Apple are losers and castoffs, but all the guys who left Apple for Tesla are the best of the best?

Perhaps Tesla shareholders should be concerned that they're hiring so many losers they have to fire?

 

[joueboy]

Now I love this guy more than I used to.

 

[MacSKY]

Those certainly aren't the comments of a CEO that isn't worried about Apple. I'm a huge fan of both companies and both are great innovators, but Musk sounds nervous to me.

 

[Rogifan]

Nice.

And what else is Musk supposed to say? That they are taking our best people and are going to make a better car than we are? We need competition in this space for prices to drop. If true, I am glad Apple is making a car to compete with Tesla. And I really like Tesla.

Everybody knows you don't punch down. When you're the top dog you don't even mention your competition. Does Coke ever mention Pepsi or McDonald's Burger King?

 

[joey66215]

Shots fired! I think Mr. Musk knows something that we don't know about Apple car plans. Either way, competition is good for us!

 

[AustinIllini]

Tesla has a cult following that's for sure.

Reminds me of Apple circa 1998

 

[Falcon16]

Elon Musk just pulled out the metaphorical flame thrower. I hope Tim Cook has a burn suit cause wow ouch!

 

[sudo1996]

What are iToys and where can I buy one?

The iPhone, iPad, and iPod lines, plus their accessories.

 

[slu]

Everybody knows you don't punch down. When you're the top dog you don't even mention your competition. Does Coke ever mention Pepsi or McDonald's Burger King?

This is a good point. But that being said, he was asked a question about Apple taking his "best engineers". Maybe he went overboard with the answer, but it is not like he came out of nowhere. Maybe he was tired of hearing about it?

 

[Kaibelf]

This is why Tim Cook meets with heads of state, while Musk sweeps up parts of crashed rockets. He really needs to leave this kind of thing to Larry Ellison.