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On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's decision to cancel its long-rumored electric vehicle project.


Despite Apple's reputation for innovation, the company struggled to achieve the breakthroughs necessary to offer a viable self-driving car. The project's ambitious scope and shifting focus led to repeated setbacks.

Earlier this week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman broke the news that Apple has officially canceled its plans to launch a car, informing approximately 2,000 employees working on the project of the decision. Many of the staff working on the car will apparently move to Apple's artificial intelligence division. The company apparently spent over $10 billion on the project over the period of a decade.

We discuss the multifaceted reasons behind the Apple car's cancelation and its implications for the future of the company and the wider automotive industry. We talk through the strategic missteps and missed opportunities that characterized the vehicle's development, such as Apple's failure to secure a partnership with an established automaker or to acquire a company like Tesla.

Our conversation also touches on the competitive dynamics of the automotive industry, such as the reluctance of some automakers to adopt the next-generation CarPlay experience. Despite these challenges, the project's cancelation opens new avenues for Apple to reallocate its resources toward improving its existing product lineup and emerging technologies such as generative AI.

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If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion with Brian Tong about the Vision Pro, the new Apple Sports app, enhanced iMessage security, and more.

Subscribe to The MacRumors Show for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Quinn Nelson, Kevin Nether, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Luke Miani, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

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Article Link: The MacRumors Show: RIP Apple Car
 
The Apple car was the best product the company ever made. I’ll miss it so much.
 
Here's an alternative theory: Apple realized that EVs weren't going to be all the rage over the next 10 years like so many predicted. When long-established car companies are pulling back from EVs and returning to internal combustion engine vehicles for a whole host of reasons, Apple decided to cut their losses. Couple that with the theory that self-driving technology needs a lot more mature AI technology to work, and the focus needs to shift.
 
Here's an alternative theory: Apple realized that EVs weren't going to be all the rage over the next 10 years like so many predicted. When long-established car companies are pulling back from EVs and returning to internal combustion engine vehicles for a whole host of reasons, Apple decided to cut their losses. Couple that with the theory that self-driving technology needs a lot more mature AI technology to work, and the focus needs to shift.
I think they underestimated how hard building cars is. The basics are just as difficult as the pie in the sky stuff.
 
I’m not heartbroken over the car because I couldn’t afford it anyway. I’m more interested in the technology inside!
 
Nice video, you both brought up some good points. Personally I’d rather see Apple invest its resources in AVP and AI.
 
I only have two concerns with this cancellation.. first that they milked it for so long to keep their "Top Innovator" tag alive.. and second that they actually dumped it to make that lousy no good useless trash that is Vision Pro.


As a two decade long Apple Fan, I'm truly disappointed with the brand. I hope this terrible misstep shows as a red spot on their stock value.
 
Even if Steve Jobs were still CEO and the Apple Car's software had the rock-solid stability of the final version of Snow Leopard, I still wouldn't trust my life to it with autonomous driving. Knowing how immensely buggy Apple's software has become under Tim Cook's so-called "leadership," who in his right mind would ever trust his life to an Apple Car's autonomous driving system when all it takes is just one bug to cause a fatal accident?
 
Great episode. I loved how it started all sad and dreary as you paid your respects and then it got more serious as the episode went. There was a background of snark that I enjoyed.

You asked the question what you look for in a car, and for me, the Infotainment System is actually the number 1 thing. It's why right now I'm actually considering switching from Apple back to Samsung or something where I can use Android Auto. After being in a Kia Rental Car and experiencing Wireless Car Play, I got jealous. I hate how my Car Play doesn't work any more and it's Honda's fault.
 
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