It's Official: Apple is Testing Self-Driving Cars 76
Apple has been granted a license for testing autonomous vehicles in California, marking the formal launch of its race with the likes of Uber, Alphabet and Tesla to define the future of driverless transportation. The permit was revealed with Apple's appearance on the list of approved companies on the California automotive regulator's website on Friday morning. From a report: This suggests Apple's ambitions in the auto industry are alive, despite some reported upheaval in the project, code-named "Project Titan." Reports last year centered on changing leadership and shifting focus within the project, which is under the command of veteran Apple executive Bob Mansfield. Still, as Apple looks for its next major growth driver after the iPhone -- and as cars increasingly become computers -- it's easy to see why the company would be interested.
Only one drawback. (Score:4, Funny)
Quick: Contact CEO. Tell him Apple is computer co. (Score:1)
Eventually, people will tire of paying $800 for new iPhones, so maybe Apple needs a new field of business.
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Re:Quick: Contact CEO. Tell him Apple is computer (Score:4, Insightful)
Apple already has become a completely different company than what it was in the 80's and early 90's.
Just as Apple has neglected it's PC / laptop customers due to focus on the iPhone, I suspect the same will happen with the new distraction on self driving cars.
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> Will Apple become a completely different company?
Apple already has become a completely different company than what it was in the 80's and early 90's.
Just as Apple has neglected it's PC / laptop customers due to focus on the iPhone, I suspect the same will happen with the new distraction on self driving cars.
You apparently haven't been paying attention: Apple is most certainly NOT neglecting its "PC/laptop" customers.
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For some well-crafted definition of "neglect" that may be true, but for any reasonable definition they certainly are. The product line has had gaping holes for a decade, products are cancelled and not replaced, products go many years without update, software gets buggier and buggier. It's not different than Microsoft neglecting their Win95/98 codebase with Millennium and likely equally by design. The Mac Pro is neglect at its finest.
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For some well-crafted definition of "neglect" that may be true, but for any reasonable definition they certainly are. The product line has had gaping holes for a decade, products are cancelled and not replaced, products go many years without update, software gets buggier and buggier. It's not different than Microsoft neglecting their Win95/98 codebase with Millennium and likely equally by design. The Mac Pro is neglect at its finest.
Actually, Apple realized that, and in a really uncharacteristic move, not only admitted they had "painted themselves into a thermal-corner" with the Mac Pro, but also revealed that they are hard at work on a totally revamped line of Desktop Macs, including a new "modular" Mac Pro, "Pro"-oriented iMacs (perhaps even ones with Xeons), and a "not-so-mini" Mac mini. (Wonder what that means!) I personally think they are shooting for a home-server with the new mini, with an integrated AppleTV, and possibly more.
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Sorry to reply to my own post; but this needed saying:
Apple also made a HUGE update to Logic Pro X and MainStage 3 a week or so ago.
https://www.appleworld.today/b... [www.appleworld.today]
https://www.appleworld.today/b... [www.appleworld.today]
AND they released a HUGELY DISCOUNTED Bundle of "Pro" Apps for Students and Educators (and yes, they are the "full" versions of the Apps) :
https://www.appleworld.today/b... [www.appleworld.today]
So, yeah, Apple is listening...
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Sorry but every freaking year Apple says that they have exciting new products in store for us and every year they disappoint.
On the hardware front they keep removing ports and while other companies can make a laptop with > 16G we can't get that on the MBP. I can get a lightup bar that changes depending on the app but sadly I touch type and rarely look at the keyboard so this isn't for me or most of the developers I know that can type.
Sure, if you have to look at the keyboard as you hunt and peck it's p
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Sorry but every freaking year Apple says that they have exciting new products in store for us and every year they disappoint.
On the hardware front they keep removing ports and while other companies can make a laptop with > 16G we can't get that on the MBP. I can get a lightup bar that changes depending on the app but sadly I touch type and rarely look at the keyboard so this isn't for me or most of the developers I know that can type.
Sure, if you have to look at the keyboard as you hunt and peck it's probably useful but Apple doesn't seem to know that a keyboard that changes as you type isn't a step in the right direction. I tried the new MBP in the store and it's lost all of it's feel. We shouldn't have to sacrifice in the race to be thin.
The new mini is a joke and they don't even do monitors or access points anymore.
My mac's have served me well but if I never have to open iTunes again I'll be happy.
Looking at what they just released as the new iPad I can see that they have started to go the cheap route. It's no longer about the product but about the profit.
So, yes, Apple has abandoned the PC market they just don't want to admit it.
1. You may be disappointed with Apple's gear; but the fact that they continue to dominate the higher end laptop sales says you are in the minority.
2. Apple has removed ports that are no longer needed, and replaced them with ports that not only are future-proof; but also give the 2016 MBP the most expandability of any laptop on the market. And if you'd pay attention to what is available in that front, you'd understand that you are just parroting an (incorrect) Internet meme.
3. Apple can make laptops with m
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You apparently haven't been paying attention: Apple is most certainly NOT neglecting its "PC/laptop" customers.
Well you you just state that without a follow up then it must be true..trump?
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You apparently haven't been paying attention: Apple is most certainly NOT neglecting its "PC/laptop" customers.
Well you you just state that without a follow up then it must be true..trump?
How about straight from the horse's mouth?
https://techcrunch.com/2017/04... [techcrunch.com]
And they have already done significant updates in the past few months to Logic Pro X, Final Cut Pro X, and MainStage 3 (plus GarageBand and iMovie for Macs). They have also done a HUGE Bundle of pretty much ALL their Pro Apps for $199 for students and educators.
So, I think they "get it".
Do you?
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You're not the fake Tim Cook - you're the real one!
COURAGE!
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You're not the fake Tim Cook - you're the real one!
COURAGE!
God, I wish!
$8MM salary, the ability to make Apple do what I want.
Yeah, I'd take that!
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LG4, best smartphone I have ever owned: $340.
Yes, you CAN spend a lot of money. If you like spending a lot of money.
The problem with Apple phones is...you WILL spend a lot of money.
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Maybe Apple needs some iNtelligence. Will Apple become a completely different company?
Eventually, people will tire of paying $800 for new iPhones, so maybe Apple needs a new field of business.
Do you know what they pay for Samsung's flagship phones?
Hint: More than iPhones.
Re: Quick: Contact CEO. Tell him Apple is computer (Score:1)
Re: Quick: Contact CEO. Tell him Apple is computer (Score:2)
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The good news is that they'll be electric.
The bad news is that you'll have to charge them with a Lightning cable.
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And a bunch of people will complain that you contain charge them wirelessly.
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More! (Score:2)
Also, unable to mod, change inside, etc. :(
Will they drive on normal roads (Score:4, Interesting)
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and what is the update cycle for those roads. I know the cars will stop working after 2 newer models become available but the roads at least i hope they support beyond 2 revisions.
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Once they find that powering their car with an electric drive train is a thicket of patents, Apple will have the courage to use an internal combustion engine.
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What do you want to bet that an Apple car will only be compatible with other Apple products? iPhones. iPads. Macbooks.
Once they find that powering their car with an electric drive train is a thicket of patents, Apple will have the courage to use an internal combustion engine.
Funny, it hasn't stopped Hyundai, and (IIRC) Kia and who-knows-who else from introducing all-electric and Hybrid-Electric cars with Electric Drive Trains.
Oh, and speaking of "Trains", aren't pretty much ALL trains actually Electric? Why yes, yes they are. And have been for DECADES.
Any current (no pun) patents in that field are in the batteries and possibly the drive-electronics. Using "traction motors" to drive vehicles is WAY not Patentable.
But who knows with our rubber-stamp Patent system in the U.S...
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Given that Apple can't even do math right [slashdot.org] them requiring proprietary roads would be a huge safety boost. If allowed on streets where there might be other people, those things are going to kill people. As anyone who's used iTunes recently knows, Apple doesn't care about software quality or UI design any more. All they care about is making things thinner.
So we'd better hope they can only drive on their own proprietary iRoads or we can expect to have an Apple Car come barreling straight at us any day.
That bullshit about the "math error" has been disproved time and again.
Here's an explanation posted right here YESTERDAY, in fact:
https://apple.slashdot.org/com... [slashdot.org]
Re: Will they drive on normal roads (Score:1)
Yes it should (Score:1)
Only a non-programmer or an idiot would think there's anything wrong with what the code does, of fail to understand the side effects of rounding floating point numbers.
Curious which you are?
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Or do they require their own proprietary iRoads?
It's totally beyond me how someone votes up an old fart of a joke like that and calls it "interesting". I'd call it an example of pre-teen humour, and not a good one.
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You'll only be able to drive inside Apple's "Walled Garden."
What they meant to say (Score:3, Interesting)
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Hipster fanbois rejoice! (Score:5, Funny)
Those guys who take the apple logo sticker that came with their iPhones and stick it on the back of their cars... you know they're gonna be gasming bigly!
Also: the first 100 iCars will come with a permanent new car registration sticker, you will never have to put license plates on your car so you can park it in any handicapped spot, just like Mr. Jobs!
With great Apple(c) exclusives! (Score:2)
-Non replaceable battery
-Proprietary fuel tank (requires $2,000 adapter)
-4" steering wheel (iCar PLUS features a 6" one for only $5,000 more)
-No 3rd party accessories
All the great features iUsers have come to expect and love!
Obligatory: (Score:3)
1. Every time they repaint the lines on the road, you have to buy a new Apple car.
2. Every year, you'll have to replace the Engine with a new version. This will be free, but the handling will become less responsive. The only way to fix this will be to buy a new car.
3. It will be the narrowest car ever made. There will only be room for a driver, but for some reason people will say this is better than the old clunky fat cars from over 100 years ago. Besides, everyone loves driving, why would you want a passenger?
4. Because it's so narrow, there won't be room for a steering wheel. But the car will come with an iTouch that links to the car via bluetooth to let you steer using touch screen controls.
5. There will only be one pedal. You press it with your right foot to accelerate and left foot to brake.
6. Headlights will not be user replaceable. When the headlights burn out, you have to buy a new car.
7. The oil, engine, gas and alternator warning lights would be replaced with a single "General Car Fault" warning light.
8. People will get excited about the "new" features in the Apple Cars, forgetting completely that they have been available in other cars for many years.
9. The Apple car will only work with Apple fuel. It will be much more expensive, less efficient, and more polluting than gasoline, but Apple will tell us how great it is for the environment anyway.
10. The airbag system would say "Are you sure?" before going off and start a 60 second countdown.
11. They won't build their own engines, but buy them from their most hated competitors who they're constantly involved in court battles with.
12. The latest engine will have 32 cylinders, and multi-point fuel injectors. But the fuel pump will be so under-powered that the car stalls several times a day.
13. They will replace the liquid cooling system with an air cooling system. If you ever take the car up to highway speeds, you'll have to stop for 5 minutes every half hour, but the car sure will run quiet.
14. You will only be able to listen to music on Apple Music. Playing any other audio in the car will void the warranty.
15. All roads will have to become toll roads with 30% of the tolls going to Apple. If any states refuse to charge these tolls, your car won't drive on them.
16. If you don't upgrade to the latest version every year, people will make fun of you even though your car drives faster.
17. The car will only be able to drive in the right lane. The ability to switch to other lanes will require an ICP (in car purchase) and you'll have to spend 5 TimGolds every time you change lanes.
18. Using the windshield wipers will be 10 TimGolds.
19. Instead of being made of steel, the car will be made out of paper thin aluminum. Crashes will not be survivable but every will applaud when Apple makes he car 3mm narrower.
Adapting meme. (Score:2)
To better adapt this old Microsoft Car meme to Apple.
7. The oil, engine, gas and alternator warning lights would be replaced with a single "General Car Fault" warning light.
7. The oil, engine, gas and alternator warning lights would be replaced with a single "Sad Mac" smiley warning light, while a spinning beachball is animated on the infotainment screen.
10. The airbag system would say "Are you sure?" before going off and start a 60 second countdown.
10. The airbag system would need to force your install the latest upgrade from iTunes be going off.
(But you'll have a selection of 10 different fart sounds that can play while it deploys).
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Ubuntu Car (Score:2)
Now let's talk about the Ubuntu Car.
When the industry decides that internal combustion engine are a too old and too problematic type of design, all the industry will start developing electric engines. All the industry, except Canonical who will start developing a nuclear fusion propelled Ubuntu Unity Car (despite the rest of the industry warning that such an endeavor might not be realist, and it would be better to stick with the same electrical drive as anyone else). After 10 years of unsuccessful development Canonical finally announces switc
Every time you fill the tank... (Score:2)
Space Gray (Score:2)
oil changes from $99 at the apple store (Score:2)
oil changes starting from $99 each 3000 miles at the apple store and if you go to jiffy lube or DIY you car will lock out with error 53.
Is the car going to be epoxied together? (Score:2)
Is their car going to be at all serviceable or is everything epoxied together, requiring you to have to have it towed to a "genius shop" only to be told "sorry it's unserviceable and you didn't buy Applecare, so would you like to buy iCar 2.0 for the low, low price of $132k?"