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Just as news on Apple's mysterious "Titan" project was starting to gain some speed, we now learn that the electric vehicle's development might have received a heavy blow.
While there might still be plenty of fish in the sea, if the report turns out to be true, it has got to count as a massive setback for Apple's ambitions on the EV market. The Californian company had been in talks with the two German heavyweights for a long time now, and it seemed as though things were going smoothly. Well, at least if we're to believe the "no news is good news" principle, that is.
Now, though, a report from German media outlet Handelsblatt says that the Apple's negotiations with both companies over the development of an electric car have fallen apart. With neither party previously admitting to holding talks with each other, such claims are nearly impossible to verify, but it's not hard to imagine that when three companies of this stature get together, it's difficult to keep egos and personal interests under control.
Ultimately it would appear that the deal breaker was the inability to decide who would lead the project, which as I believe you will agree, was a very important aspect of the collaboration. Additionally, the three were also in disagreement regarding the way the user data collected through the project would be used, with the two automakers insisting on customer data protection, unlike Apple.
In a statement released a few months back, Daimler CEO Dr. Dieter Zetsche admitted that new companies such as Apple entering the market did pose a threat due to their large available capital, but insisted Daimler (through its Mercedes-Benz brand) would not allow itself to be reduced to a simple parts supplier. As we've said, you can't just treat Daimler as an unqualified worker, even if your name is Apple.
A recent report from another German publication suggested that the core of the Titan Project is located in Berlin where 20-odd engineers are masterminding the important aspects of the car. It also stipulated that when the iCar eventually makes it into production, it will do so at the Magna plant in Austria, but that's also something none of the involved parties were able to confirm (we see a pattern starting to develop here).
Now, though, a report from German media outlet Handelsblatt says that the Apple's negotiations with both companies over the development of an electric car have fallen apart. With neither party previously admitting to holding talks with each other, such claims are nearly impossible to verify, but it's not hard to imagine that when three companies of this stature get together, it's difficult to keep egos and personal interests under control.
Ultimately it would appear that the deal breaker was the inability to decide who would lead the project, which as I believe you will agree, was a very important aspect of the collaboration. Additionally, the three were also in disagreement regarding the way the user data collected through the project would be used, with the two automakers insisting on customer data protection, unlike Apple.
In a statement released a few months back, Daimler CEO Dr. Dieter Zetsche admitted that new companies such as Apple entering the market did pose a threat due to their large available capital, but insisted Daimler (through its Mercedes-Benz brand) would not allow itself to be reduced to a simple parts supplier. As we've said, you can't just treat Daimler as an unqualified worker, even if your name is Apple.
A recent report from another German publication suggested that the core of the Titan Project is located in Berlin where 20-odd engineers are masterminding the important aspects of the car. It also stipulated that when the iCar eventually makes it into production, it will do so at the Magna plant in Austria, but that's also something none of the involved parties were able to confirm (we see a pattern starting to develop here).
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