Mysterious Apple Van Captured on Video in Palo Alto Residential Neighborhood

[swissmann]

Saw one in Hawaii

It was around February 2nd. My family was on vacation on a tiny dead end street south of Laie getting ready to go on the beach when a van just like this drove down the street turned around and drove away. We all looked at each other and asked what it was. We speculated that it was either a Google street view car or a Google self driving car. I even checked out google maps to see if we were on the street view there but we aren't yet.

 

[Westside guy]

Maybe Apple should invest some of those billions of dollars towards finding a cure for those people who are physically incapable of rotating their phones to a horizontal position when shooting video.

 

[xARx2]

There are minivans licensed in Apple's name with sensors for location and mapping and we get an Car out of that?

Someone, please explain this to me because I, personally, don't understand all the hype.

 

[Michael Scrip]

Can't get enough updates on the apple minivan

I never dreamed we'd ever need this:

Tag: Apple Car

 

[the8thark]

How do they know it's an Apple minivan if it has no markings? Maybe it's speculation, or maybe it's really a Samsung van spying on Apple.

Going by your logic then this has to be an Apple car right? It's clearly marked with Apple logos on it.

 

[wootberg]

Pulled over by cop car on 280 S

Saw a similar vehicle pulled over by cop when I was driving down 280 S today Was wondering which company the car belonged to!

 

[Music Ambulance]

I think it's simply a mapping-street-view type vehicle, as Apple would be a lot more secretive about the major product development of an Apple-branded Car.

Having said that, I do think Apple are working on a Vehicle—it makes perfect sense, as Apple traditionally favour products people can use every day, which are currently crap. Most things are crap and cars are no exception—think ugly industrial design, poorly designed dash panels, sometimes unnecessarily unsafe, poor attention to detail, short-lived, etc. Apple are stepping out of our pockets, onto our wrists—and soon—into our houses and (potentially) transportation devices.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Going by your logic then this has to be an Apple car right? It's clearly marked with Apple logos on it.

Image

Definitely not an Apple car, but there are a few here who might drive something like that.

 

[NY Guitarist]

This certainly has me curious what Apple is doing.

Now... about that vertical video, isn't the camera sensor square in phones and gets cropped into 16x9 by the software? Why can't the orientation sensor know that the phone is being held vertically and adjusts the aspect ratio accordingly?

 

[AppleScruff1]

I think it's simply a mapping-street-view type vehicle, as Apple would be a lot more secretive about the major product development of an Apple-branded Car.

Having said that, I do think Apple are working on a Vehicle—it makes perfect sense, as Apple traditionally favour products people can use every day, which are currently crap. Most things are crap and cars are no exception—think ugly industrial design, poorly designed dash panels, sometimes unnecessarily unsafe, poor attention to detail, short-lived, etc. Apple are stepping out of our pockets, onto our wrists—and soon—into our houses and (potentially) transportation devices.

What does Apple make that is long lived? I think there are a lot of great looking cars with outstanding performance. Most cars today will last for 15 years with proper maintenance. Do you think Apple is going to improve on that?

 

[fitshaced]

It's quite obvious that it's either a photo selfie roof rack system for dogs or a car charger for the apple watch. 'REVolutionary' will be used at its launch.

 

[mbh]

It seems almost pointless for Apple start their own street view project, unless they had some major upgrade to the original....which I can't imagine what it would be.

Google definitely gets credit for all the "legwork" they've done on street view so far, but it's far from perfect. Having a full 3D view of the street like Apple's flyover is an obvious improvement.

 

[UltimaKilo]

It was around February 2nd. My family was on vacation on a tiny dead end street south of Laie getting ready to go on the beach when a van just like this drove down the street turned around and drove away. We all looked at each other and asked what it was. We speculated that it was either a Google street view car or a Google self driving car. I even checked out google maps to see if we were on the street view there but we aren't yet.

All street-view pictures must be at least 2 years old for security purposes, so you won't see yourself for two years, if that was indeed the case.

Also, I think Apple working on street-view is a great idea, Google's is great, but it can be much improved.

 

[Music Ambulance]

What does Apple make that is long lived? I think there are a lot of great looking cars with outstanding performance. Most cars today will last for 15 years with proper maintenance. Do you think Apple is going to improve on that?

I run my macs into the ground with heavy, daily usage and they last 5 years, after which I give them away and they last several years more (with standard usage); My housemates iPhone is an ancient 3GS, which—once again—has been used very heavily.

I'm referring to run of the mill cars, which aren't finished well, and generally don't show much flair in terms of design. I understand there are exceptions, but I'd expect an Apple Car to be priced in the middle range, and exceed in the areas I mentioned. I'd also welcome the Googles and Teslas in the fray.

 

[shuka.margolin]

This is not the way to take video - LANDSCAPE please

 

[mbh]

Whatever this is, it won't see the light of day, which is a good thing. Maybe some technologies will, which is fine, but a car and everything that comes with developing one? Yeah right.

Stick to what you know, cars aren't your wheelhouse, Apple. Go back inside.

They should cancel that telephone project too. What does Apple Computer know about telephones?

 

[twigman08]

To me it just seems like it has to be like a street view or adding more features to flyover type of thing.

Only thing that seems odd is the sensor on the rear hubcap. Not entirely sure what that would be used for in a street view type of feature.

 

[NovemberWhiskey]

lol. The clickbait news reporting re. the "Apple Car" has just gotten out of control.

ANYONE should be able to see those are clearly cameras and mapping apparatuses mounted to the top of the van. There are also sensors leading down to the wheels, measuring the rotation.

This has NOTHING to do with an electric vehicle to compete with TSLA. At least not based on these vans. Apple may be working on other car technologies, but they are not being tested in these vehicles.

If i had to guess, Apple is not working on an electric car to compete with TSLA. They are trying to beef up their mapping tech, along with their carplay tech.

 

[puma1552]

They should cancel that telephone project too. What does Apple Computer know about telephones?

do you have a CLUE whats involved in bringing a mass production car to market? comparing an electronics bringing a phone to market with bringing a car to market is laughable.

it aint happening.

 

[byulasfjazz]

Anyone else think it's strange that a company with 700 billion dollars would Lease a van? wouldn't they buy a car to keep it more secret?

 

[GermanPenguin]

You are all wrong...

... it is a new kind of delivery drone, failing to lift up that car...

 

[Michael Scrip]

Anyone else think it's strange that a company with 700 billion dollars would Lease a van?

wouldn't they buy a car to keep it more secret?

You'd think Apple would just use a fake company name to buy or lease these vans.

Reminds me of Walt Disney and the Florida Project... using dummy corporations to buy up 27,000 acres in Central Florida without sparking land speculation.

But... these vans aren't what Apple is trying to keep secret. Buy, lease, whatever... this project isn't about vans.

It's what Apple is DOING with those vans that they are trying to keep quiet. And... so far... they're keeping that secret.

 

[peterdevries]

Definitely not an Apple car, but there are a few here who might drive something like that.

LTD for example. What a character that was / is (he was banned).

 

[smulji]

Whatever this is, it won't see the light of day, which is a good thing. Maybe some technologies will, which is fine, but a car and everything that comes with developing one? Yeah right.

Stick to what you know, cars aren't your wheelhouse, Apple. Go back inside.

Good thing Apple doesn't take your advice otherwise the only thing it would ever make is Macs.

 

[thekev]

I run my macs into the ground with heavy, daily usage and they last 5 years, after which I give them away and they last several years more (with standard usage); My housemates iPhone is an ancient 3GS, which—once again—has been used very heavily.

I'm referring to run of the mill cars, which aren't finished well, and generally don't show much flair in terms of design. I understand there are exceptions, but I'd expect an Apple Car to be priced in the middle range, and exceed in the areas I mentioned. I'd also welcome the Googles and Teslas in the fray.

I wouldn't expect an Apple car at all. A tighter connection with Apple electronics inside would seem more likely, as they're always focused on interaction.