Rumors have it that Apple is pursuing entry into the automotive and search engine spaces. Is this a good thing?
Apple maps didn’t start well and one has to wonder if they are reaching too far from their core businesses. The search engine makes some sense to me. Siri seems to have the framework to make a project like that work. Plus, Mozilla changed their default browser to Yahoo recently, so now or soon may make sense to unleash their search engine given the perception that Google's dominant position isn't as impregnable as before.
The car does not make sense at first glance, but it doesn’t have to right now because we have no reliable information on what exactly is in store. I would welcome them to an industry, as I have said in other posts, that should be moving faster.
Is this a bad thing for Tesla?
My gut says no. Apple’s brand will give the electric car more attention which could lead to more acceptance, just like their watch will to luxury watches according to the watchmakers. I’m assuming they’re going to be electric or some special kind of hybrid. Apple and petroleum just don't go together...
They could be doing Tesla a favor if it’s electric and the cars are cross-compatible with charging stations. The infrastructure doesn’t exist in a lot of the US and having even a competitor start adding to it would be good. Nevertheless, what matters most is how Apple would position the car.
Tesla isn’t just an electric car, it’s a luxury performance electric car. The performance has been getting a lot of attention recently, but 0 to 60 in 3.2 silent seconds will do that. It's called insane mode for a reason...
How would Apple position their car?
Will they pursue another level of performance geared towards something different like driving range, charging time & method, connectivity & interface (cue iPhone or iPad), and something new that people don’t associate with real cars?
What could the something new be?
It’s an intriguing question. One I will be thinking about over the couple weeks.