[TheOtherHobbes]

Apple Car was and is a fundamentally bad idea.

Limited/no cross-sale synergies with other products

Massive up-front costs to establish a manufacturing network

Massive up-front costs to establish a dealer and maintenance network

Strong existing competition which will only get stronger with time

No clear USP ("Made by Apple" is not a USP)

The only way to crush the market would be to make a car that flies and to set up the infrastructure to make flying cars usable for domestic and work commuting.

Since that's not going to happen, the absolute best anyone expects from Apple Car is a me-too car that looks a bit nicer and rounder than the rest. And is available in white, black, pink, and gold. And it absolutely has to self-drive, because that's where the competition will be.

Me-too isn't enough to win in that market.

[snowwrestler]

Apple is undoubtedly looking to change the car market.

If you imagine that people will buy, own, and sell cars the same way they do today, forever, then sure--an Apple car makes no sense. But it's pretty likely that the relationship between cars and people will change at some point, and that is the point at which Apple wants to be ready.

Or rather, just beyond that point--when the new direction is clear, but the early products still suck. That's when Apple likes to get into new markets.

[georgespencer]

> Apple Car was and is a fundamentally bad idea.

Given that the range of possible ideas you're talking about extends from better software to power autonomous cars, through to an entirely autonomous electric car which Apple manufactures in its entirety, and also incorporates potential partnership with another brand such as BMW, it seems hard to believe that someone could dismiss Apple car as "a fundamentally bad idea".

> Limited/no cross-sale synergies with other products.

CarPlay is a fairly good example of this not being true. And if cars become fully autonomous, there's unending cross-sale opportunity for Apple (since people will be doing in cars what they do with Apple products outside of cars).

> Massive up-front costs

Apple has not incurred, as far as any of us know, any costs related to manufacturing, dealer, or maintenance networks.

> Strong existing competition

Strong by what measure? AI? UX for in-car systems? Industrial design?

> No clear USP ("made by Apple" is not a USP)

It is when for many people that's a byword for simplicity, smart features, and elegant design. In any event, it's hilarious that someone's arguing that a car the company has never acknowledged existing "has no USP".

> The only way to crush the market would be to make a car that flies and to set up the infrastructure to make flying cars usable for domestic and work commuting.

Apple has never sought to crush a market. They seek to have the highest share of profit in a market.

> the absolute best anyone expects from Apple Car is a me-too car that looks a bit nicer and rounder than the rest. And is available in white, black, pink, and gold. And it absolutely has to self-drive, because that's where the competition will be.

Yeah, if you arbitrarily cut out user experience and the integration of hardware and software as a competitive advantage, then Apple's car will just get people from A-B in the same way as any other car.

> Me-too isn't enough to win in that market.

Nobody except you is arguing that the Apple car would be "me-too" and completely devoid of any unique advantages which other car manufacturers would seek to emulate.