McLaren Confirms Talks With Apple, But They 'Never Matured to Definitive Proposition'

[0958400]

Steve knew that a tight focus on a few products enabled Apple to get the most out of the products. Apple's current approach to encompass so many different things at once, reminds me of Microsoft. Spreading into the car manufacturing industry is by far the most ludicrous idea Apple's ever had. I wouldn't mind if all the products were up and running and running well, but quite frankly, nobody can deny that Apple's quality standards have slipped, in software and in hardware development. If a company tries to do too much at once, it may fail.

While at it, here are some more ideas for Apple: cow milking is an industry that may need an Apple product, or toilet seats, or false news generators (although the latter would at least be in the field that Apple used to be in, before it became a bank, a streaming service, and faulty software developer.

Sigh.

I've loved Apple. I hate what it has become.

 

[zhenya]

now that big Ron is gone, talks can resume

Pretty sure these rumors were a result of Ron trying to find a partner with the capital to buy out the Bahrainis. Hence why he's now out.

 

[Phoenixx]

Wrong target. It's Ive that's doing the damage. When I see a laptop where everything is soldered to the motherboard, including AFAICT, the touch ID, I conclude function has gone bye-byes. A computer where any damage to what effectively is the 'On' switch needs a new motherboard including the SSD, is design gone mad.

I've been a Mac user since the early 90s and if Windows wasn't such a pos, I'd be looking seriously at jumping ship.

I'm pretty sure that the soldered design is another reason that updates are so slow. In the past (other than a major redesign), in order for Apple to update a machine all that was needed was to plug different chips into the appropriate sockets. Even if the sockets needed to be changed, it wasn't as major a thing as creating entire motherboards.

 

[MarsViolet]

Yes, very sad. I think Apple needs a safe space in which to cry and regroup. This despite being the most valuable company in the world; their leading product, the iPhone, selling as fast as they can make them with latest estimates that nearly a quarter of a billion people will buy it; their latest product, the Macbook Pro, already having set records for sales and selling as fast as they can make them; having $10 billion net income in the last quarter alone; conversions from Android setting an all time record; service revenue setting an all time record and now the equivalent of its own Fortune 100 company, Apple Pay growing at an exponential rate, up 500%; just set the record for the most revenue in a year by any company in the world. Estimated to have sold more smart watches than the entire rest of the industry lifetime sales combined and having now reached 104% of the entire cell phone industry's profits, we weep for Apple.

Maybe if they could just, as you state, innovate like Google did with the Pixel. Of course they would have to give up a waterproof phone, have a greatly reduced processor power and speed, no duo lens camera, etc., etc. but good point.

Great observation- It's indeed a very sad time for Apple.

Seems you weren't around the last time this happened to Apple, when Jobs's departure was followed by a period of huge growth and profit, and then a slow, excruciating decline to the point of near-irrelevance.

 

[mrhick01]

McLaren's, Beats headphones, music subscriptions.....

I wonder if anyone there is focused on making some good Macs?

They are no longer "just" a computer company, they are much larger than that.

Despite many people's protestations, this was Steve Jobs' vision...this is what he wanted. Now, questioning Tim Cook's execution of that is fair game, questioning Jony Ive's vision for engineering and design is fair game as well...but too many of you folks have become unreasonable and unrealistic.

Like it or not, Apple is a $225+ billion a year multinational corporation now. Their Mac business, for all of people's criticisms, are far more profitable than any days that they had as Apple Computer, Inc.

It is impossible for them to go back and "scale down" to "just" computers. The world's markets would not allow that, pundits, perception and the grip both have on society would generate enough rhetoric and activity that it would kill the company.

You cannot go from $225 billion back to a $15-$20 billion computer business. They can't without it being called "decline."

 

[reden]

Sounds like a tinder date.

 

[mrhick01]

I'm pretty sure that the soldered design is another reason that updates are so slow. In the past (other than a major redesign), in order for Apple to update a machine all that was needed was to plug different chips into the appropriate sockets. Even if the sockets needed to be changed, it wasn't as major a thing as creating entire motherboards.

I actually agree with this.

Other than the components that they source from other vendors, Ive has fallen so in love with custom, industrial design that every computer has focused on the design, as opposed to the component parts of functionality. "Plug and Play" is gone.

Not just the motherboard. The batteries and the industrial design of every notebook has to be tweaked. Making great computers matter, but the threshold has been crossed where the love of design has overtaken the need of computers to create and develop. That's a problem.

 

[theheadguy]

Wrong target. It's Ive that's doing the damage. When I see a laptop where everything is soldered to the motherboard, including AFAICT, the touch ID, I conclude function has gone bye-byes. A computer where any damage to what effectively is the 'On' switch needs a new motherboard including the SSD, is design gone mad. ... I've been a Mac user since the early 90s and if Windows wasn't such a pos, I'd be looking seriously at jumping ship.

Generally well said, but what makes the current version of windows such a POS? The majority of MR members are quite late at the realization that the post-Jobs Apple is going downhill. What's surprising to me, though, is they are even later at the realization that Microsoft is no longer operating off of Windows Vista. Windows 10 is not perfect, but it's FAR from a POS. Jumping ship is an extremely viable option right now.

 

[fishmongerer]

Apple committee got together and couldn't figure out what to do. Now they are thinking about the Mac Pro and Mini.

 

[Sasparilla]

Thank goodness. Apple needs to concentrate on its own backyard.

Besides we want our autos to be able to be worked on with components you can switch out and upgrade. A sealed up throwaway iMclaren just wasn't going to do it.

 

[Piggie]

The more stories I read, the more I'm starting to think deep down in reality, those running Apple, without Steve simply don't know what to do.
There is a mix of, what would Steve have done still floating about I'm sure, but in reality they are just buffing, and polishing his creations or ideas.
They are simply lacking the visionary figure.
You simply cannot replace such a person.
Like Elon Musc and Tesla etc.
If he died tomorrow, sure others can follow on what he's started, but he has gone.

I just feel Apple really is adrift in the sea in an amazing ship, and honestly simply don't know which way to go.

They need a new Steve with a new vision.
The problem is, they would never let a new guy into the role.

Steve only came back to save them as he was the founder and they knew what they were getting.

Right now I can't see how they are going to move forward.
It's like someone very rich, that COULD do so much, but just has no dramatic imagination to boldly more forward.

It's a shame.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Every time Apple goes fishing, somebody is bound to report that they are about to spear Moby Dick.

 

[dan110]

Clear sign of leadership was "out of focus". Why would you even talk to a company that only sells products to the top of the 1%? Apple's partners should be Cadillac, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, etc. Luxury but not totally out of reach for most people. Then create options for the Jeep, Dodge, Ford, etc crowd.

 

[zhenya]

Clear sign of leadership was "out of focus". Why would you even talk to a company that only sells products to the top of the 1%? Apple's partners should be Cadillac, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, etc. Luxury but not totally out of reach for most people. Then create options for the Jeep, Dodge, Ford, etc crowd.

Apple did not approach McLaren. Ron Dennis approached Apple.

 

[saba01]

I'm pretty sure that the soldered design is another reason that updates are so slow. In the past (other than a major redesign), in order for Apple to update a machine all that was needed was to plug different chips into the appropriate sockets. Even if the sockets needed to be changed, it wasn't as major a thing as creating entire motherboards.

YES and the sockets were not soldered in.... I am sure YOU are right!

 

[kerstov]

Maybe it's time for a 300$ photo book showing how Phil tries to get behind the wheel of his McLaren

 

[Joseph Rash]

You guys are just having a wind up, right? Right???

P1 is a road car that is worth million dollars , it's a hyper car with V8 engine and electric engin .
[doublepost=1479599597][/doublepost]

Attention to detail? McLaren automobiles are notorious for poor quality and mediocre resale value. This is well-documented.

I have to disagree

 

[MacsRgr8]

That's why it's called R&D.

I think they are paying attention and that is why Cook is still there and probably will be there for a while.

Simply paying attention to short term effects (as usual...):
Are Steve's products selling well in Tim's new territories?

 

[sudo1996]

I feel the same way. The only way Windows can compete with macOS is abandon its Registry based virus heaven legacy foundation and completely re-design a new Unix based OS from ground up. Are they "courageous" enough to do it? I doubt it very much.

I think it's more likely that someone else will make a commercial desktop Linux OS that could compete with OS X / macOS; maybe Google will take Android to the desktop. The open source community doesn't seem interested in making a user-friendly OS.

 

[dan110]

Apple did not approach McLaren. Ron Dennis approached Apple.

Again, "Why would you even talk to a company ..."

 

[zhenya]

Again, "Why would you even talk to a company ..."

Because McLaren has some of the most advanced automotive modeling software in the industry. And Ron Dennis has a similar professional personality as Steve Jobs did - the willingness to go to any length for perfection. Ron was trying to find a new partner with the capital to buy out his current partners. Apple has that capital, was exploring the automotive space, and has a culture that could, potentially, have synergy with a company like McLaren. Ron has the gravitas to get important people's ear at Apple. That doesn't mean Apple ever did anything more than listen.

 

[chr1s60]

Makes sense. Apple is too cheap to pay what another company is worth and has absolutely no direction on future innovation. Now they went from building a car, which was relatively stupid, to making systems that no vehicle manufacturer will want. Why would vehicle manufacturers want anything from Apple when they develop their own semi-autonomoues technologies in-house or get them from Mobileye? Even Tesla rolled its own solution into production vehicles in less than a year... Apple has been chewing on this for how long? Idiots.

After $20 billion in R&D, Apple will announce something stupid that nobody wants. And Tim Cook will talk about all the great products in the pipeline. Unfortunately, by the time anything they are "working on" is ready, iPhone and iPad sales will be tanking while other companies, like Google, innovate with actually desirable phones like the Pixel. Nobody will want a car that integrates seamlessly into the iOS ecosystem by 2020. Look at the sales trajectory of Apple's mobile products: DOWN.

Tim Cook's days are numbered, that is, if the Board of Directors is paying any attention to what's not happening in Cupertino: Innovation. Cook has not structured the company in a way that promotes innovation, clearly evident by the lack of any attention being paid to its UI and product lines. Phil Schiller keeps getting fatter as he pumps out useless products nobody wants.

This is a very sad time for Apple.

I don't disagree that a apple is currently in a crucial time and they need to pull through it. That said I'd love to know what's so innovative about the Pixel? It's a standard phone that, had the s7 Note not blown up, would be relatively unnoticed by most. It's gained almost all of its popularity due to the fact that it was a solution to the s7 Note not being available and people being cautious about buying a Samsung. It's more a phone benefitting from opportunity than one that's filled with innovation that made it popular.

 

[tentales]

I feel the same way. The only way Windows can compete with macOS is abandon its Registry based virus heaven legacy foundation and completely re-design a new Unix based OS from ground up. Are they "courageous" enough to do it? I doubt it very much.

Then you missed the news about Microsoft joining the Linux Foundation this week: https://www.extremetech.com/computing/239616-hell-freezes-microsoft-joins-linux-foundation

 

[manu chao]

McLaren's, Beats headphones, music subscriptions.....

I wonder if anyone there is focused on making some good Macs?

Yeah, Apple should never have bothered with those iPhone thingies. /s

 

[kwikdeth]

I've been a Mac user since the early 90s and if Windows wasn't such a pos, I'd be looking seriously at jumping ship.

ive been a mac user since that time as well and I can tell you, its not nearly as bad on the other side as it used to be. ive been slowly transitioning the last two years since even in 2014 I could tell the writing was on the wall. Apple's future is low-spec high margin disposible computers that you cant get into and mess with, either on the software side or the hardware side. with recent developments like the Mac Software Automation manager being eliminated, I'm positive the future of OSX is just as locked down as iOS is now.