Although no rumors have been confirmed, the idea that an Apple car is in the works has floated around the web and made quite a few headlines this past month. Despite the lack of public acknowledgements regarding the potential project, there is a good amount of evidence leading to speculation that it may not be too long before our cars, just like our phones, computers, and tablets, are sporting the iconic Apple logo.
Origins of Speculation
Supposedly, suspicious white vans have been spotted in both New York City and the San Francisco areas sporting mysterious devices. According to local DMVs, Apple is the current leaser of the vehicles. The high number of cameras on the car leads professionals to the conclusion that it is not a mapping car, but a self-driving one.
In terms of employees to work on the research and development of said cars, Apple has recently and coincidentally hired the perfect bunch.
According to a court filings, car battery maker A123 Systems has sued Apple for poaching top engineers that have been involved in important battery systems to build an original large-scale battery division. (Since A123 Systems’ only focus industry is that of electric cars, it’s safe to assume that Apple has intentions to go the electric route.)
In addition, the supposed 200 workers the company has designated for the endeavor also include past Tesla and Toyota professionals. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, admits to having met with Adrian Perica, chief of acquisitions at Apple, however he will not release details.
When can I buy it?
Despite what seems to be worthy evidence, the Apple organization has yet to publicly affirm that they have officially undertaken the project of creating their own car models. This being said, there is no formal product release date, let alone a press release date assigned to provide details to the public.
However, you can be certain that even if Apple fails to deliver a line of automobiles, they have considered the potential cars could bring, not just within their own company but to the daily lives of the consumer as well.
A not-so-accurate visual representation of future Apple cars. Image via takefiveaday.com.
Room for Failure
No rumor arises without doubtful critics. Dan Akerson, past CEO of General Motors, strongly advises caution before Apple delves into the auto industry, bluntly stating that “they have no idea what they’re getting into” if they intend to partake in the “hard-core manufacturing” aspect of automobiles.
Senior editor for advanced technology cars at Edmunds.com, John O’Dell, insists that with Apple’s appetite, they will not be content “selling 20,000 to 30,000 [cars] a year,” based on Tesla’s sales figures.
Technical and financial logistics aside, Apple in its current state is the epitome of robust. Last quarter, the technology powerhouse posted the biggest profit ever seen in corporate history. After receiving word of this, CEO Tim Cook expressed that the “volume [was] hard to comprehend” and that the all time high interest in Apple products shattered all their expectations.
With a value of over $700 billion, insanely loyal customers, and intellectual geniuses behind them, now is the perfect time to step away from what they’ve been doing for so long and shift into a different industry that could benefit greatly with their involvement.
Strong Potential for Success
Let’s not forget that after the unveiling of the original iPhone in 2007, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer laughed at the device: “In six months, they’ll have the most expensive phone by far ever in the marketplace and let’s see … let’s see how the competition goes.” Less than ten years later, the iPhone is the single leading smartphone model in the country with increasingly high numbers after each release.
As perfectly summed up by Alan Deutschman, author of The Second Coming of Steve Jobs: “if you’re Apple, your greatest fear is missing out on what’s next.” As an organization that has rarely release a failed product, if they decide to follow through I have high hopes for the future endeavor. Though the future is hard to predict, there’s certainly a possibility that some of us may be deciding between Apple cars post-graduation.
Do you see potential in Apple cars? Or do you think the whole concept is merely a rumor? Tweet me at @meganminier or share your thoughts in the comment below!
