🚗 Why Apple’s Self-Driving Car Failed and the Vision Pro Succeeded 🕶️
The Apple Car and the Vision Pro headset were both highly ambitious projects from Apple, but only one of them ultimately made it to the market. Here's the reason behind this outcome.
Why Vision Pro succeeded while Apple Car failed | ENBLE
Everywhere you look, the failure of Apple’s secret self-driving car is dominating the news 📰. Yet, it comes shortly after another moonshot project — the Vision Pro — launched to higher-than-expected initial sales 💥📈. Why did one crash and burn while the other was successfully brought to market?
Well, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, the Apple Car (internally known as Project Titan) was “doomed nearly from the start.” In the end, there are many reasons for its failure that the Vision Pro was able to navigate its way around. Let’s dive into the details and find out why Apple’s car project took a wrong turn 🔄🚫 while the Vision Pro raced ahead 🏎️💨.
Jumbled and Unfocused 🔄🔍🤷♂️
Take a look back at Apple Car leaks and rumors over the years and one thing becomes immediately obvious: Apple kept changing its mind 🤔❗ Every year or so, we’d read a new report that claimed Apple had switched tracks and decided to adjust the project’s focus 🔄📈.
It was going to be a fully autonomous self-driving car 🚘, or it was going to be a fairly standard electric vehicle that would compete with Tesla ⚡🚗, or it would be something else entirely 🔄🛠️. All of these possibilities came to the fore and hinted that all was not well at Apple.
While iteration is common in futuristic concepts, the frequent and fundamental changes in the Apple Car’s direction made it jumbled and ill-defined 🚧🤷♀️. This lack of a coherent strategy is something that separates the Apple Car from the Vision Pro and cuts to the core of how Apple does business.
Not the Apple Way 😕🍎
One crucial difference between the Apple Car and the Vision Pro is Apple’s business model. Most vehicles have razor-thin profit margins, making the automotive industry an expensive business to get into 💸💼. Apple, on the other hand, enjoys sizable markups on its products thanks to the luxury perception of its brand 💰🍎.
Now, the Vision Pro is barely expected to make any profit on each unit sold, considering the high manufacturing costs and other expenses involved. However, unlike the automotive industry, Apple has the potential to improve its profit margins over time as component costs decrease and R&D expenses stabilize. In contrast, the automotive industry is inherently low-margin, making it unattractive for Apple in the long run.
A Market Ripe for the Taking 🌱💯
Apple might have been willing to tolerate all these setbacks if the electric vehicle (EV) market was still as hot as it was a decade ago. However, the EV market has cooled down, making Apple less willing to tolerate the obvious shortcomings of its car project 🥶❌.
On the other hand, VR headsets, like the Vision Pro, haven’t taken off in a truly mainstream way just yet. Apple’s willingness to accept modest numbers and low margins now is based on the expectation of future growth in the VR market 🚀🔥. Can we say the same thing about EVs?
Perhaps Apple stuck with its car project for so long because it believed in it just like it believed in the Vision Pro. In the end, however, the automotive industry’s realities and Apple’s endless vacillating put an end to that dream 😞💔. There’s no guarantee the Vision Pro will be a long-term success, but it certainly stands a much better chance than the Apple Car ever did.
🙋♀️🙋♂️ Q&A: What Readers Might Be Wondering 🤔
Q: Will Apple ever revisit the idea of a self-driving car in the future?
A: While nothing can be said for certain, it’s unlikely that Apple will jump back into the self-driving car arena anytime soon. The company’s focus seems to be on other areas such as augmented reality, healthcare, and services. However, technology and market trends can change, so who knows what the future holds?
Q: If the Vision Pro is barely expected to make a profit, why did Apple invest in it?
A: Apple’s investment in the Vision Pro goes beyond immediate profitability. The company’s strategy often involves entering a market early, laying the groundwork, and betting on long-term growth potential. By establishing itself in the VR market early on, Apple aims to position itself for success when the market reaches its tipping point.
Q: Is there a chance that Apple could partner with an existing automaker instead of building its own car from scratch?
A: It’s possible. Apple has a history of partnering with other companies to bring its products to market. Partnering with an automaker would allow Apple to leverage their expertise and existing infrastructure while focusing on the software and user experience aspects of the self-driving car. However, for now, Apple seems to have shifted its focus away from car manufacturing.
🌌 Looking to the Future
The failure of the Apple Car and the success of the Vision Pro provide valuable lessons for Apple and other companies as they navigate the ever-evolving technology landscape 🛣️💡. It’s crucial to maintain focus, have a clear strategy, and understand the market conditions before embarking on ambitious projects.
As technology continues to advance, we’re bound to see more companies venturing into new territories and pushing the boundaries of innovation 🚀. Some ventures will succeed, while others may stumble along the way. The key is to learn from both successes and failures and keep pushing forward.
🔗 Reference Links: – Apple’s Secret Self-Driving Car Failure – The Success of the Vision Pro – The Late Steve Jobs’ Leadership Style – The VR Market Potential – Challenges in the Automotive Industry
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