It ’s 2016 , and Apple ’s mysterious , often - buzzed aboutcar projectis still tucked away under the “ ideas that may or may not happen in this lifetime ” section of the company ’s filing cabinet . Despite a potent hearsay John Mill — former Apple dining table extremity Mickey Drexleronce claimed it was Steve Jobs ’ “ dream ” to make an iCar , andreportshave repeatedlymaterializedover the long time that Apple was in various degree of building its own vehicle — we’re still waiting , and the will - they - or - won’t - they nature of the projecthas us askingif we ’ll ever see the vehicular rendering of Sasquatch .
But ahandfulofrecent reportsfeaturing big - name hire and new plans have poke at the car rumors back into horizon , and now we ’re yet again lead wondering what the hell Apple is up to .
So , what ’s really proceed on with the mythic Apple car ?
Apple is reportedly bringing in the big players
According to a July 25thstoryfrom the Wall Street Journal ’s Daisuke Wakabayashi , Apple has tasked former administrator Bob Mansfield with running Project Titan , thecodenamegiven to the undertaking last year . Mansfield wasresponsible forthe hardware technology ontogeny for a routine of the caller ’s high - profile product , include the MacBook Air and the iMac , but left the fellowship ’s executive team in 2013 . Helater came backto oeuvre on “ especial project under CEO Tim Cook . ”
On the surface , lease someone with a track record like Mansfield ’s seems like a fairly good reading that Apple is getting serious about its car . But as Wakabayashi write , “ his affaire is n’t necessarily a sign that the car task is ready to move forward at an accelerated charge per unit , ” as he ’s shut down other projects before . It may but be a sign of the zodiac that Apple want someone to add up in and clean up what ’s reportedly apretty mussy cognitive operation .
Meanwhile , Bloomberg ’s Mark Gurman and Alex Webbreported yesterdaythat Apple has also hired Blackberry ’s Dan Dodge to work under Mansfield . Dodge co - founded QNX , which makes the “ entertainment , piloting and connect - gimmick system used by Volkswagen AG , Daimler AG , Ford Motor Co. and others , ” agree to Bloomberg . QNX was gain by Blackberry in 2010 .
Project Titan appears to be moving in a more technology-focused direction
accord to one of Gurman and Webb ’s origin , bringing on both Dodge and Mansfield is a signal that Apple is travel away from its original design — build a fomite — and toward one that puts ego - drive package in the spotlight .
Though it does n’t appear at this point that the ship’s company has totally eliminated program to make its own fomite , the switch in manufacture care to autonomous technology opens up a quad for Apple that did n’t necessarily exist before .
The work shift in focus might not be a defective thing , either . Project Titan — which , it should be noted , has never been formally confirmed by Apple — has reportedlyseen its comely share of problems . In January , Titan party boss Steve Zadeskyleft the company , and the project find itself in the middle or a hiring freeze , according to reports at the prison term . Meanwhile , The Informationrecently claimedthat the car ’s original 2019 ship date had been agitate back to 2021 — that is , if a car is even in the oeuvre anymore at all .
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about Apple’s clandestine car operations
late reports have pointed to Apple’sincrease in R&D spendingas a signboard it might at last be preparing to unleash some sort of gondola - touch undertaking , and last twelvemonth , a few minivan outfit with LIDAR and cameraswere recognize in New York and California . One of the permit plates was registered to Apple , which prompted a wave of vociferation that at last , here was substantiation of the motorcar !
As Jalopnikpointed out , however , the minivan were more likely part of the Apple Maps operation .
This type of frothy agitation is n’t rare . Motor Trend range a big “ exclusive ” on the Apple car in April thatsimply turn out to bea bunch of mockups of what the auto might appear like . Other evidenceput forth has been equally — that is to say highly — bad .
Which convey us to an important point : Exciting and telling rumor are still rumors , and the Apple cable car is a choice example .
But there is some (slightly more) convincing evidence out there
In May , Appleinvested$1 billion in Didi Chuxing , a Chinese drive - hail service . Tim Cooktold Reutersthe move was made partly to “ learn more about certain segments of the China mart . ” But crucially , he added that it was also done because “ we believe it will fork up a inviolable reappearance for our vest uppercase over time as well . ” Is the subtext an launching level into the large , buzzy world of transportation ? Maybe .
Competitors like Google arealready eagerto make a dent in the market , and starter like Uber , Tesla , and Lyft are all examine to bridge the crack between the technology and automotive industriousness . It ’s come from the other side , too : Even automobile behemoths like Chrysler are set about in on the activity . In January , Cook envisioneda “ massive change in the manufacture ” thanks to the rise of self - tug railroad car . At this stage in the game , if Apple does n’t get in on the activeness itself , it does n’t foreshadow well for the future .
Which brings us to our final point: Apple really needs to find a new source of revenue
In April , the company post itsworst quarterly solution in 13 years . bury within that revenue fall was the news that iPhone sale have slow down down — it tape loading of rough 50 million iPhones , versus 61 million last yr . The iPhone is Apple ’s flagship product , and if sales continue to stagnate , it ’s going to need to find a fresher cash moo-cow .
We ’ll have to wait and see if the iCar — or whatever the company decide to call its fabulous product — ends up filling the void . For now , at least , the rumors are back in full swing .
AppleGoogleSelf - driving carsSteve JobsTESLA
Daily Newsletter
Get the just technical school , science , and acculturation news program in your inbox daily .
word from the future tense , have to your present .
You May Also Like
