[Lockbox]

Makes you think about going from a high profit to a low profit business.

[Lockbox]

Interesting article about Apple’s car business outlook.

[BunnySlippers]

I haven’t seen one Apple person that was excited about this contrary to the article.

And, if Apple were to get into the auto business, which aspect of the business? Making the computer software?

Why would they assume that Apple would want to retail automobiles.

Seems like a real stretch.

[Responsibility2nd]

I would drive an Apple. Drove plenty of Lemons, so time for a change.

[shove_it]

Four year old iMove concept car ...

[jjotto]

And remember, Porsche’s profit margin is a lot higher than most auto makers. Breaking into a new market is not going to be profitable for many years without government subsidies of some kind (which may be what they’re after).

[The_Victor]

Makes you think about going from a high profit to a low profit business.

Realize too that Apple could slap it's logo on a 1970's Pinto and probably break even just based upon sales to the Podpeople.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

A dealer oil change in a 911 runs $200 or more. Parts like engine seals run $1,000 installed.
If Apple can get prices like Porsche, they’ll make a pot of money.

[SamAdams76]

I seriously doubt that Apple will get into the business of manufacturing cars. More likely, they will pair with existing manufacturers to wrap their software into certain product lines. Most likely models on the high end to start.

[mad_as_he$$]

Tribal knowledge in the car making business is a formidable hurtle. Porsche has had some spectacular failures in recent years and they are not the new kids.

[nascarnation]

Interesting analysis.

Tesla exists because of California and northeast state enviro mandates and crony affiliation with the Baraqqi regime.

Apple could certainly work within that biz model.

Maybe they could deliver a new POTUS limo for Liz Warren’s inauguration parade in Jan 2017?

[mjp]

So if Apple sprouts a car business the size of Porsche's, Apple's operating profit will increase by ... 5%.

It's not about how much extra profit they will make. It is about the return on investment. If the return is more than the average rate of return for the economy as a whole, or is more than the return that they could make on other investments, and more than they could make by lending, then it is a good investment.

[CodeToad]

Just more money Apple intends to suck out of the US economy by keeping the cash overseas as they do now and not paying taxes on it and by using foreign labor instead of US labor. Apple has record profits but refuses to use US labor to "save money" but sells their products into the US markets. Apple is very anti-American.

All these Apple threads are by Apple's paid social media trolls out to pump the Apple stock price.

[jim_trent]

If Apple got into the car business, it would only work on 5% of the roads — at least until Microsoft bought them.

[Swordmaker]

Another speculation article about an Apple Car. . . based on rumor and air, but interesting. — PING!

Apple Car Rumors? Ping!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[Rebel_Ace]

Full disclosure:

My Wife, my Son and I all use DROID phones.
I own an iPod given to me as a gift. I rarely use it any more.
My wife owns an iPad as well as an MS Surface. She uses both as a middle school teacher. She and her students prefer the Surface.
I make a living developing applications that run under Windows.

The above pedigree should show that I am NOT an Apple Fan Boy.
Hopefully, showing that there are 2 Apple devices in the household should indicate that I am NOT a Knee Jerk Apple hating reactionary.

Now, here is the correct assessment of Apple's tinkering around with an automotive product:

If they are looking at licensing a control and user interface for the outwardly "electronic" aspects of the car, treating it like a "rolling computer", then they are on firm ground.

If they are thinking about actually manufacturing an automobile for sale and distribution, they are too far afield of their core competency to be effective.

The historical episode of entering the "phone" market is not a good comparison. What Apple did there was recognize that mobile phones were mutating into small hand held computers. Computers are what they did. It was not the huge stretch some people seemed to think it was.

Automobiles, on the other hand, have a CENTURY of harsh, mechanical lessons that are not part of Apple's core business experience, and it is difficult to simply "purchase" that. (Although, if any company had the ready cash to "purchase" that kind of institutional knowledge wholesale, it would currently be Apple).

[Vendome]

I don’t think Apple is getting into building automobiles.

I do think they are after the HUD windshield and dashboard display, as well connecting devices within the cockpit.

I thought I heard a whisper about them and Mercedes, who opened their research lab in Mountain View recently.

[Wyatt's Torch]

I’m an AAPL shareholder and the car business makes zero sense. I don’t buy the rumors. I can see them teaming up with TSLA for batteries to power devices. That makes sense. AAPl is an iPhone company. That was a disruptive technology that completely changed an industry and where they make all their money. Cars? no... There has to be more to this story.