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4 lessons Apple Car should learn from Tesla
Apr 30, 2024
More Apple news: http://www.cultofmac.com
With all of the rumours of Apple planning to build their own electric car within the next 4 years or so, obviously Apple are going to be compared to the big electric car company of the moment, Tesla.
And with Tesla selling over 50,000 Model S sedans in 2015, in this video I’m taking a look at 4 lessons Apple could learn from Tesla.
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0:00
Hey, what's up guys, Stephen Coulter from Mac here and with all of the rumours that
0:06
Apple is going to be building their own electric car within the next 4 years or so, obviously
0:11
they're going to be compared to the electric car company of the moment, Tesla
0:16
And with Tesla selling over 50,000 Model S saloons in 2015, I'm taking a look at 4 lessons
0:23
Apple could learn from Tesla. So let's get started. First up on my list is for Apple to use all of their technology know-how, but to keep
0:32
it simple. Now, although Apple is known for keeping their products simple and easy to use, in recent
0:37
years they've been less successful. If you look at products like the Apple Watch, which uses this exploded menu type system
0:43
purely for aesthetics, it's not the most practical. Had they used a 3x3 grid or something more similar to iOS, or heck, even the iPod Nano
0:51
that had a touchscreen. If you look at Tesla, it has a 17-inch touchscreen in the middle of the dash, whilst other car
0:58
manufacturers are using 8-inch screens with lower tech. Tesla almost has a fully fledged tablet in its cars
1:04
So if Apple goes down the route of just having CarPlay in there, it's not going to be a standout
1:08
feature, but they need to make sure they still keep it simple
1:12
Tesla's touchscreen can control almost every function of the car. It also allows you to use Google Maps, browse the internet with its free-for-4-years 3G
1:21
and control and monitor things such as your recent trips, driving styles, and even higher
1:25
and lower your car's suspension. All whilst still being easy to use
1:30
Pair all of that with Apple Music, Siri, and over-the-air updates, and you're onto a winner
1:35
Plus, I'm guessing the Apple Car, or iCar, whatever you'd like to call it, is going to
1:39
be damn expensive. So they need to make sure they don't skimp on tech
1:43
For example, if they're going to put a rear-facing camera in for parking, make it a decent 720p
1:48
or above camera. Secondly, they need to make sure they're innovative. Some of the most recent rumours surrounding the Apple Car revealed that they were in talks
1:55
with BMW to use the i3 as a base and to build on top of that
1:59
Which is nothing new, car manufacturers do this all the time. The hipster favourite Fiat 500 is based on a Fiat Panda, and the list goes on
2:07
But one of the reasons Tesla stand out against its car-producing rivals is because they did
2:11
something different. The Tesla Model S is built on a skateboard-style base, which is where the batteries are all placed
2:18
It's based on something GM teased all the way back in 2002, but never acted upon
2:22
So Tesla remembered the idea, and approved upon it by building in the ability to replace
2:27
the power supply. Which is one of the main problems with current electric cars
2:31
Also with having a skateboard-style base, and batteries being placed underneath the
2:35
cabin floor, it gives the car a lower centre of gravity, making the car more stable and
2:39
reducing body roll. I want Apple to take a few chances and add some new features that no one else is doing
2:45
But I don't know what exactly. Maybe wireless charging? Next on my list is sales, and I'm not too worried about this one
2:53
Apple has one of the best experiences when it comes to purchasing their products. Whether that's in store, or online
2:58
It's always super simple. But the way that Tesla sell their cars is completely different to any other car manufacturer
3:04
out there. No big dealerships, just small boutique style shops with only one or two cars on display
3:10
Again, the key here is simplicity. No big car lots with hundreds of cars to walk through
3:14
Just test drive one, if you decide you like it, sit down with a genius to design your
3:18
car and choose your options. Sort out financing, and allow Apple to deliver your car to your drive
3:24
Again, this isn't going to be an entry-level priced car, so it's all in the details
3:29
And having this style of purchasing makes the experience as painless as possible
3:33
If you're asking for top dollar, deliver on it. Then for second-hand cars, maybe Apple could host some sort of a trading scheme to either
3:40
refurbish to approve used and sell on, or to recycle them and use a giant version of Liam
3:48
Last on my list is to over-deliver. And I mean that in every sense
3:52
Apple has recently had a few lapses in quality control and it's fair share of software issues
3:56
in the last few years. So they need to make sure they get this right
4:00
And even as I mentioned earlier, they need to make sure they don't scrimp on tech where they don't need to
4:04
For example, there's no reason why the iPhone SE's front-facing camera wasn't upgraded
4:08
from 1.2 megapixels to the iPhone 6s' 5 megapixel camera. Apple's fairly accurate and true when it comes to it's battery life estimates
4:16
So I'd want to see the same in the car. Most manufacturers, with the odd exception, claim a range of 100 miles
4:22
But that's not always the case unless you're constantly driving downhill, you've got the radio off and there's a bit of a breeze behind you
4:29
Tesla claims the Model S will do 320 miles for the 86 kilowatt hour battery and guess
4:34
what, it pretty much can't. So over-deliver on the mileage, as that's what holds a lot of people back when it comes
4:40
to electric vehicles and range anxiety. Tesla's just work, which is what you could use to say about Macs
4:46
It's still true for the most part but this is what we need with a car
4:51
Everyone just wants to get in their car and travel from A to B without any issues
4:55
Also it's one of the most exciting road cars you can buy. When I took one out for a spin last year, I was worried that it was going to be weird
5:01
accelerating and have no soul. But it was the most fun I've ever had behind the wheel of a car
5:07
The Tesla Model S is faster than a Porsche Carrera S but has enough room to fit 5 adults
5:11
2 kids and my shopping. What more could anyone want? Overall, make it premium, make it work, make it unique but make it simple
5:20
If they do all of that and there's some way in hell I could afford one, I'll be the first
5:24
in line. Well, that's it for this video but what do you think
5:28
What do you think Apple needs to do to make their car a success? Let me know in the comments down below
5:33
Also, if you enjoyed this video, go ahead and hit that like button down below and don't
5:37
forget to hit subscribe so you don't miss a single video from Cult of Mac
5:41
I'll catch you in the next one
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