zlacker

Apple. LOL.

>>thetea+(OP)
It's been known for years that Apple has been working on a car project.

The latest is that they have given up trying to make it autonomous-only and will be looking to launch in the next few years.

Not entirely implausible given that their close partner Foxconn is already making EVs:

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/18/business/foxconn-electric...

>>thetea+(OP)
Apple is extremely good at being a late mover in key markets. Few even remember MP3 players before the iPod or smartphones before the iPhone. Or look at how the smartwatch market changed after the Apple Watch was introduced.

They also have one of the world's strongest brands, with a lot of dedicated customers. They don't have to compete on price, so despite having 13% of the global phone market, they are making 75% of all smartphone profits: https://www.imore.com/apple-takes-75-smartphone-profits-desp...

I am not an Apple fan and own none of their gear, but even I can recognize how Apple would be a formidable player.

Those wanting more should look at two recent articles from Jean-Louis Gassee. One where he makes the pro case: https://mondaynote.com/apple-car-software-and-money-51f86a33...

And one where he makes the anti: https://mondaynote.com/apple-car-bad-idea-after-all-94689476...

>>threes+F
Latest rumor is that they pushed it from 2025 to 2026.

By 2026 it'll be next to impossible to make any serious impact in EV market, certainly not serious enough to affect Tesla.

In 2026 Tesla will be at run rate of 5+ millions cars.

There's no magic in this business.

Even if Apple has a car with that kind of demand, it takes 1 year to build a factory and 3 years to ramp it to 1 million cars a year. This is what Giga Shanghai did and that's faster than anyone ever done it.

So we're talking 2030 for 1 million cars, if somehow Apple can build it's first factory at the same scale and speed as Tesla it's second factory, after lots of painful learning scaling Fremont production.

Plus, without robotaxi what's the point? Luxury brands like BMW / Audi / Mercedes top out at ~2.5 million a year. That's a business, but it's not a Tesla destroying business.

>>kjksf+j4
> By 2026 it'll be next to impossible to make any serious impact in EV market

a) People buy more than one car in their life so winners and losers will change over time.

b) We are close to to 2023 and EVs represent just 10% of total car sales.

>>wpietr+C2
> Few even remember MP3 players before the iPod or smartphones before the iPhone. Or look at how the smartwatch market changed after the Apple Watch was introduced.

You say your not an Apple fan, but really sounds like you've been hanging out the Apple Store a bit too much lately.

> Apple would be a formidable player.

Hehe. Stop.

>>thetea+lA
Those are all cold business fact. At the various times, I owned an Archos Jukebox, a series of Palm devices, and a Pebble, so I was paying attention to all of those markets as Apple swept in. I have never owned an Apple device, as I dislike their sealed-box, consumerist nature, and I thought Jobs was a gaping asshole. But despite my personal dislike, I can recognize that there are reasons they are the world's most valuable company (4x Tesla's value): https://companiesmarketcap.com/