The Wall Street Journal, usually well-informed, and not prone to rumor source said that Apple has hired hundreds of avtoinženerov to work on a secret project, code-named "Titan". And it is a car.
There were pictures of the Chrysler Voyager in New York and San Francisco, with boxes of equipment and sensors on the roof. Yes, as you suspected. If Apple is working on a new wheelbarrow, then it will be offline.
Internet became feverish claims that Apple will soon will smear all those old sklerotičnyh lâzgaûŝih the giants of the auto industry. But I'm afraid all of this is written in the Internet, because the Internet does not like to reflect a little.
For starters I will say that I like Apple products. They are beautifully made, they have a great design, and they are easy to handle. Apple has a huge opportunity to realize their best qualities in our world of motors. Cars are becoming more complex and unfriendly. Many of them are ugly, and assembling them saved. Many would have spent money on iAlternative, he carefully made, easy to use and were stylish design. And they'd spent money as well for the sake of other stuff from Apple.


Apple is extremely good in design of interfaces, where you interact with the product, and the product-to the outside world. It has become crystal clear when the first iPhone came out. So the hypothetical cars Apple has a huge advantage-nearly all modern interfaces wheelbarrows are disgusting.
Everything is ridiculous and does not react. Schedule is terrible. Communication with the phone suddenly coming apart. Voice activated menu is inefficient, incomprehensible, fucking and all that. But, as far as we know, the Apple project not just car infotainment and not limited to a stand-alone Office. Apple has hired avtoinženerov all profiles. We remind that all Apple computers running Mac OS, integrated through the cloud with iPhones and iPods, and Apple sells content and applications through the iTunes and App Store. So Apple is, without doubt, will want to control the broad business streams around its cars-a network of service stations, car navigation systems and the development of its energy (gasoline? electricity? hydrogen? who knows?). This is the type of user interaction, where the company is based. And this is, I would guess, the goal of the project "Titan". The big to-do list. Let's look at them.
Firstly, the design and production of the base car. Usually when I see startups, I say is virtually impossible. But you know, with the cash cushion as Apple, things may be different. Apple has an incredible 118 billion dollars in bank accounts and securities accounts, which are fairly easy to build a wheelbarrow and a large plant under it. In fact, I'd say 10-15 billion is enough. 15 billion is a huge sum for anyone, but not for these guys.
In fact a considerable amount of investment will go directly to production, and, as previously reported, Apple employees flew to Austria to see Magna Steyr-a company that produced the first generation of the x 3 and the new Mini Countryman for BMW, Chrysler Voyager and G-Class for Mercedes. Invite someone by-standard practice of Apple. Most of its products (excluding large computers) on subkontraktah from the Chinese.
Apple may build a decent car. Need the proper infrastructure and the right people. It seems Apple waits, and it will not have a bad heredity. Make another wheelbarrow "not too difficult. Especially if the command "Titan" will bring together the right vendors: there are companies that can provide a standard engine, gearbox, suspension and driver assistance systems.


But Apple probably will not want to use ready-made solutions. Apple likes to go for a breakthrough. But in the car business breakthrough means risk. Revolutionary cars-whomsoever made, beginners or bison industry-tend to linger, to go beyond the budget and lag behind in quality.
Take a look at Tesla. Again the losses. Under the cover of the electric running gear and the big screen Model S wisely uses the famous aluminum body design, and the air suspension. Model X-SUV with wings Falcon instead of rear doors-was late for two years, he had quality problems. BMW project i was a black hole in the budget of BMW.
Secondly, what about the experience? Tesla and BMW i have made incredible efforts that Apple will have to repeat if it wants not just cost, but the cars get stored in the automobile market. These projects have had a tough start. It was not their fault-too many people by the involved, but all these problems have cast a shadow on brands. Apple is not likely to like it.
So while Apple can and are able to build a car, but why does she need it to build? Apple loves to produce very highly profitable devices and services, and she likes to dominate the market.
Apple can perfectly to all studies and preliminary design of the machine, but this does not mean that it will not abandon the idea before it goes to market. As with many of her adventures before. I suspect this will end the same. Why? Because the auto business is a complex, challenging area, messy and lobbyists and vytoptannaâ competitors. It has a paltry return. BMW made their i-cars, because considers a new type of mobility, the only way to survive. Tesla started because its founders are almost biblical mission: put an end to the hegemony of gasoline. Google is positioning the self-managed project cars benefit: reduce the number of fatalities on the roads, especially in countries where the population of the village was recently behind the wheel.
But Apple no longer has any global mission. It only seems that it is. All that's really like corporations, is profit. And why should it bother?
Text: Paul Horell