The idea of Apple venturing into the realm of car production with the iCar initiative has been developing behind closed doors for quite some time. The first inklings of this ambition surfaced back in 2015 amidst speculation that Apple aimed to compete in the market dominated by Tesla.
Over the years, Apple has been gradually moving towards this goal. In May 2018, it was revealed that Apple was teaming up with Volkswagen to create a self-driving car to transport its employees to and from work.
The actual progress of the project remains largely speculative. One significant event that hinted at the iCar concept was the arrest of a former Apple staff member for allegedly stealing trade secrets to hand over to a Chinese automotive startup.
It seems evident that an iCar is in the works, but the timeframe for its launch remains uncertain.
Initial reports suggested that Apple was targeting an announcement in 2020, although recent updates hint at a potential acceleration of this timeline, possibly occurring in the same year.
Furthermore, rumors circulate that Apple may also be contemplating the production of an Apple TV, with some experts speculating that this endeavor may materialize sooner than the iCar, given the company’s strong background in software and hardware development. Apple CEO Tim Cook, in an interview in June 2017, refrained from making any firm commitments regarding autonomous vehicles but did allude to potential projects in this area. Cook emphasized Apple’s investment in autonomous systems, referring to it as a fundamental technology with immense importance. He described it as a monumental artificial intelligence project and acknowledged the complexity of the undertaking, implying a cautious yet progressive approach towards this innovative domain.
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