Apple to buy Tesla? One entrepreneur is convinced it'll happen within 18 months

Shawn Knight

Posts: 15,253   +192
Staff member

apple tesla acquisition tim cook car electric car model s elon musk entrepreneur self-driving car

Rumors of Apple jumping into the automotive industry have reached a dizzying frenzy over the past week or so. Between hiring up automotive experts, dedicating a significant amount of resources to a car project codenamed “Titan” and sending out minivans with roof-mounted cameras, speculation is running rampant regarding what could be Apple’s next major play.

All of this is certainly plausible as Apple has the resources and talent to pull it off although it’d likely take several years before the first consumer vehicles roll off the assembly line.

Instead, entrepreneur Jason Calacanis has come up with a prediction that’s not too terribly far-fetched: Apple will buy Tesla within the next 18 months.

Calacanis, who prefaced his prediction with the fact that he has no insider information and isn’t a shareholder in either company, presents a compelling argument as to why it would make sense for Apple to make such an acquisition.

apple tesla acquisition merger tim cook car buyout electric car maps app apple maps model s titan elon musk entrepreneur gigafactory self-driving car

Specifically, he lays out 19 things that would make Apple the likely buyer of Tesla. I won’t cover them all here for the sake of brevity but I’ve selected a few that stand out.

For starters, Apple may be the only company in the world that has the cash to make a run at Tesla.

Once self-driving cars arrive in the next 10 years, drivers will become passengers and will need something to keep them entertained. Dashboard apps for a car could sell for a lot of money and boost the revenue of the App Store exponentially.

What’s more, Tim Cook is a big fan of renewable energy. If his company were to get into the automotive industry, it’s almost a given that they’d do so with a platform that’s environmentally friendly like Tesla’s fleet. Apple is also believed to be interested in Tesla's Gigafactory battery manufacturing facility.

apple tesla acquisition merger tim cook car buyout electric car maps app apple maps model s titan elon musk entrepreneur gigafactory self-driving car

And just imagine the impact that Elon Musk could have as an Apple employee or even a chairman.

Let's also remember that just last year, Musk said he'd held talks with Apple but said an acquisition was unlikely at that point.

Of course, this is all just speculation. The current rumors could indeed signal that Apple is simply doing research in the field. Then again, the photos of vans with roof-mounted cameras could just as easily (and perhaps, more likely) be capturing Street View-like imagery for the company’s Maps app.

Permalink to story.

 
Great, it'll make Tesla owner more difficult to repair their cars..
owner: looks like my brake calipers need replacement, please fix it
technician: well, I think it's impossible, sir, because the brake calipers itself are soldered to the car, sir.. just like macbook
 
I doubt this is really on the cards. It's been stated that Apple have been poaching Tesla staff but I'd put money on them being staff who don't have specializations particular to the automotive industry.
 
Does anybody really want to drive in a walled garden? Cars offer freedom - Apple offers only a prison (yes, it may be comfy, it may "just work", it may be cool, it may be design, but it is still a prison).

So, Apple buying Tesla? Please, noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
 
I doubt this is really on the cards. It's been stated that Apple have been poaching Tesla staff but I'd put money on them being staff who don't have specializations particular to the automotive industry.

Rumor mill has it that they are poaching engineers for an Apple minivan they have in the works.

They may need to do some serious marketing brainstorming, though. Apple's brand for non-computers is the I-SOMETHING. Seeing that BMW already has the I-MODEL nomenclature, they will have to come up with something new.

My money is on the Soccer Mom. And, of course, the variant with all the bells and whistles, the Soccer Mom Pro.
 
I doubt this is really on the cards. It's been stated that Apple have been poaching Tesla staff but I'd put money on them being staff who don't have specializations particular to the automotive industry.

yep, also have to balance that with Tesla poaching Apple staff too :)
 
Rumor mill has it that they are poaching engineers for an Apple minivan they have in the works.

They may need to do some serious marketing brainstorming, though. Apple's brand for non-computers is the I-SOMETHING. Seeing that BMW already has the I-MODEL nomenclature, they will have to come up with something new.

My money is on the Soccer Mom. And, of course, the variant with all the bells and whistles, the Soccer Mom Pro.
Most likely a minivan priced like a Ferrari. Will you only be able to have it serviced by official iMechanics using Apple parts?
 
Most likely a minivan priced like a Ferrari. Will you only be able to have it serviced by official iMechanics using Apple parts?

This is Apple. It'll be priced like a mid-spec Bentley and have performance just above a Honda Odyssey. It will probably be serviceable by the average joe. Obtaining the proprietary tires and replacement wipers, special washer fluid, proprietary oil and transmission fluid, air filter UNIT, and proprietary hybrid battery charger is another story.

But I hear the in-dash touchscreen will be pretty good.
 
And what would Apple do with Tesla?...

- Replace all displays with "retina" screens;
- Re-brand all speakers as Beats;
- Change the charging socket to a new one that requires an expensive adapter;
- Put Apple logo on the car and on the steering wheel;

What else super-duper will or can they do?
 
And what would Apple do with Tesla?...

- Replace all displays with "retina" screens;
- Re-brand all speakers as Beats;
- Change the charging socket to a new one that requires an expensive adapter;
- Put Apple logo on the car and on the steering wheel;

What else super-duper will or can they do?

- Fingerprint keyless entry & ignition;
- Add proprietary square cup holders;
- Add fragrance atomizer a la Mercedes-Benz;
- Only provide two fragrances;
- iCloud integration;

What else super-duper wouldn't or couldn't they do?
 
Back