The MacRumors Show: RIP Apple Car

[MacRumors]

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

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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

 

[sniffies]

Plot twist:

Apple never cancelled the Apple Car. It goes on sale tomorrow.

 

[arkitect]

Tragic…
I didn't realise MacRumours were so heavily invested in this Apple Car.
🙄

 

[sparkinstx]

The Truth About Cars (TTAC) had a good article yesterday about the history of the project:

Abandoned History: The Apple Electric Car Project, Rest in Peace (2014-2024)

 

[coffeemilktea]

The video thumbnail is so overly dramatic and I love it.

 

[icanhazmac]

I didn't realise MacRumours were so heavily invested in this Apple Car.

It was an Apple thing right? MR does cover Apple things right? 2+2=?

Anyway, I still see this as a good thing. Apple was well outside their box with aspirations of a car. Better to focus on what they do well.

 

[sw1tcher]

Plot twist:

Apple never cancelled the Apple Car. It goes on sale tomorrow.

The Apple Car is already on sale

 

[pdaholic]

The Apple car was the best product the company ever made. I’ll miss it so much.

 

[bax2023]

Worst video thumbnail, ever.

 

[RogueWarrior65]

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.

 

[choreo]

Finally, an Apple product that they kneecapped "before" I purchased one... usually happens 60 days after purchase!

 

[MayaUser]

RIP rumours

 

[Digital Dude]

Perhaps now they can focus on a calculator for the iPad. 🤷‍♂️

 

[Surf Monkey]

Should have used their Vision force ghost “personas” for the article illustration. Missed opportunity.

 

[jdavid_rp]

Just here to support the thumbnail lol

 

[beermode]

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.

 

[boswald]

I’m not heartbroken over the car because I couldn’t afford it anyway. I’m more interested in the technology inside!

 

[krull1015]

Nice video, you both brought up some good points. Personally I’d rather see Apple invest its resources in AVP and AI.

 

[rikki_t]

Look on the bright side, makes more room for R&D into the Apple Mountain/ Electric Bike, be a good fit for their wearables/smart watch line

 

[DFZD]

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.

 

[hybrid_x]

I don't know what they thought they'd accomplish in the automotive space anyway. Building cars is hard, and heavily regulated. Look at how long it took Tesla to become viable.

 

[ThomasJL]

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?

 

[VisceralRealist]

Perhaps now they can focus on a calculator for the iPad. 🤷‍♂️

Future headline:

Apple Calls it Quits on iPad Calculator App Project, Losing Billions; 4000 Workers Laid Off

"The calculator just looked weird"--Apple said in a press release.

 

[kol77]

The Apple Car is already on sale

Of course it is and I have one - love the version 1.0!

 

[sjsharksfan12]

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.