Name: Nissan signals interest in 'Apple Car' following Hyundai exit | AppleInsider
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Nissan signals interest in 'Apple Car' following Hyundai exit | AppleInsider

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;AppleInsider is supported by its audience and may earn commission as an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner on qualifying purchases. These affiliate partnerships do not influence our editorial content.Japanese automaker Nissan on Tuesday suggested it would be interested in partnering with Apple on the production of a so-called "," citing the need to stay nimble as technology permeates the industry. During a quarterly earnings conference call, Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida a question regarding a potential collaboration with Apple now that Hyundai is no longer in talks to build the tech giant's car, reports The Wall Street Journal. As technology remodels the car industry, "we need to take new initiatives" and "work with companies that are knowledgeable, with good experience, through partnership and collaboration," Uchida said. While not a confirmation that talks are underway, the response illustrates a willingness to cooperate on a project that has reportedly been declined by other major automakers. Nissan currently fields one the world's most popular production electric vehicles in the Leaf and is primed to build on that lead with a crossover based on its IMx concept. Uchida's comments come less than a week after reports indicated Apple with multiple Japanese car companies over production and supply contracts. At least six firms are said to be in active negotiations. Honda and Mazda said they could not comment on the matter, while Mitsubishi asserted claims that Apple is engaging with Japanese automotive companies were false. Nissan declined to comment. According to equity analyst Mio Kato, Nissan is "the most likely candidate to be in serious discussions with Apple" thanks to spare production capacity in the U.S., the report says. "Apple Car" rumors have accelerated over the past few weeks, with January reports in the U.S. and South Korea tipping advanced talks with Hyundai. The South Korean automaker it was in discussions to produce the vehicle before . Hyundai's PR faux pas reportedly contributed to a in the dealmaking process. The company in a regulatory filing said it is "not having talks with Apple about developing self-driving cars," but noted high interest in its EV platform.Mazda would make a lot of sense in so much as Mazda has limited resources compared to a lot of competitiors. As such, having a partner with deep pockets like Apple could go a long way towards moving Mazda successfully into the electrification era.&nbsp;From Apple's perspective, it would gain a partner with a great reputation for chassis development. Mazdas are known for possessing solid chassic dynamics. Their powertrains are well done but the company is using aging technology largely because the resources to replace that technology as often as competitors just isn't there. For instance, Mazda currently uses a six-speed automatic that is far behind the units others are using with more gears, though it is a good unit, just the same.&nbsp;Mazda is looking to move upmarket somewhat, in part by delivering products with interior fit and finish that is a cut above the mainstream, volume class.&nbsp;Seems to me that potentially, a Mazda/Apple partnership could prove to be a win for both parties, though certainly Apple would have to be prepared to allow Mazda to use some of its tech in Mazda-branded models in exchange for Mazda producing for Apple a product that would be marketed primarily as an Apple product.&nbsp;Certainly Honda and Mazda have the right idea in terms of not talking about any negotiations that could be happening with Apple. It's not an Apple trait to be comfortable with a potential partner talking to the press before a deal is consummated.&nbsp;makes lots of sense for 2nd tier manufacturers to take this chanceFor such a major initiative, I cannot see Apple partnering with any Japanese based car company other than Toyota or Honda, as they each have industry leading technical capabilities, which Apple may likely require. Nissan, Mazda and Mitsubishi are 2nd tier, at best.as for potential culture clashing ... see the movie Gung Ho,&nbsp;starring Michael Keatonsaid:Mazda would make a lot of sense in so much as Mazda has limited resources compared to a lot of competitiors. As such, having a partner with deep pockets like Apple could go a long way towards moving Mazda successfully into the electrification era.&nbsp;From Apple's perspective, it would gain a partner with a great reputation for chassis development. Mazdas are known for possessing solid chassic dynamics. Their powertrains are well done but the company is using aging technology largely because the resources to replace that technology as often as competitors just isn't there. For instance, Mazda currently uses a six-speed automatic that is far behind the units others are using with more gears, though it is a good unit, just the same.&nbsp;Mazda is looking to move upmarket somewhat, in part by delivering products with interior fit and finish that is a cut above the mainstream, volume class.&nbsp;Seems to me that potentially, a Mazda/Apple partnership could prove to be a win for both parties, though certainly Apple would have to be prepared to allow Mazda to use some of its tech in Mazda-branded models in exchange for Mazda producing for Apple a product that would be marketed primarily as an Apple product.&nbsp;Certainly Honda and Mazda have the right idea in terms of not talking about any negotiations that could be happening with Apple. It's not an Apple trait to be comfortable with a potential partner talking to the press before a deal is consummated.&nbsp;That could be a good pairing, as Mazda is an engineering-driven company, and could benefit from a partner who could help it move into the BEV space.&nbsp; Its size and relative lack of resources has forced it to keep refining ICE powertrains, instead of more forward-thinking technology.Its only current tie is with Toyota, which, despite its position, has also resisted BEVs and autonomous driving, and lags behind its peers in those respects.The real questions are what Apple could bring to the table besides money, and what kind of relationship it seeks, whether it's strictly contract manufacturing, or something greater.After the rumors about the alleged cooperation between Apple and Renault, it is not surprising that Nissan also wants to be part of the Apple Car project. 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Here's how to use it.On Tuesday, Amazon released a pair of Kindles with USB-C, a new high-resolution display, and twice the storage of older models.Apple's iOS 16 makes the iPhone more customizable than ever. This is the ultimate guide on how to make the iPhone a more personal device.Apple's 2022 MacBook Air sports the new M2 chip and an all-new chassis. And it's up to $200 off, with upgraded models starting at just $1,279.Apple released the Apple Watch Series 8 alongside an updated Apple Watch SE on September 7. Here's how they compare with one another.High demand for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max led to Apple server crashes in China as consumers placed over two million preorders in 24 hours.In iOS 16 Apple introduced Haptic Feedback to the iPhone keyboard. Here's how to use it.New in iOS 16 is the ability to add widgets to your Lock Screen. 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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;AppleInsider is supported by its audience and may earn commission as an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner on qualifying purchases. These affiliate partnerships do not influence our editorial content.Japanese automaker Nissan on Tuesday suggested it would be interested in partnering with Apple on the production of a so-called "," citing the need to stay nimble as technology permeates the industry. During a quarterly earnings conference call, Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida a question regarding a potential collaboration with Apple now that Hyundai is no longer in talks to...

Nissan signals interest in 'Apple Car' following Hyundai exit | AppleInsider

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