Apple Tesla collaboration possible on Model X; Merger? Not so much
Two days ago CNET reported (via the San Francisco Chronicle) that Apple's mergers and acquisitions chief Adrian Perica met with Tesla CEO Elon Musk in Cupertino in the spring of 2013. In the fall of 2013 European financial analyst Andaan Ahmad wrote an open letter to Apple chief executive Tim Cook and chairman Arthur Levinson advising Apple to buy or partner with Tesla. While some have speculated that
Apple could be interested in acquiring Tesla to produce an all-electric
"iCar," Peter Misek, a senior technology analyst at Jefferies, says that
there's "zero chance"
of that happening. Misek thinks that Apple would be more interested in
partnering with Tesla on entertainment options in upcoming vehicles. The
most likely candidate would be Tesla's highly-anticipated Model X
SUV which is due to begin rolling off production lines in small numbers
by end of 2014, with high volume production slated for the second
quarter of 2015.
Apple and Tesla could work
together to provide back-seat entertainment options in the upcoming
Tesla SUV, the Model X, according to Misek. That would provide a "nice,
little incremental catalyst" for Apple shareholders as they look for the
tech giant to delve into new product areas, he added.
In-car options have been on Apple's radar for several years. iOS in the Car was
announced by Apple SVP Eddy Cue at WWDC 2013 and allows an iPhone to be
connected to a vehicle so that iOS apps (like Maps and Phone) can be
easily accessed from the touch screen in your car's dashboard. It's easy to see how Apple's
collaboration Tesla could manifest in the form of rear seat
entertainment options for passengers (music, movies and apps come to
mind) but it's also possible that Apple's OS X and iOS could take a
larger role in the front seats as well. The Tesla Model S is currently
equipped with a massive 17-inch touchscreen dashboard. Photo: Tesla MotorsWhile it might only amount to
in-car entertainment and navigation options, it's fun to think of what
features an iCar might ship with. What would you want in an iCar?
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