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The whispers suggesting Apple may be working on its very own car continue to grow louder with reports claiming the firm has poached more top automotive experts to work on the top secret project.
The Financial Times says “dozens of Apple employees, led by experienced managers from its iPhone unit” are conducting research at a secret lab near the firm’s Cupertino home.
Last it was revealed Apple had acquired serveral top Tesla employees and now the FT says former Mercedes-Benz R&D boss Johann Jungwirth has joined the company, a move confirmed by Jungwirth on his LinkedIn page soon after (via 9to5Mac).
While the assumption Apple’s interest in the automotive industry has previously been the limited to the proliferation of its dashboard CarPlay platform, the FT’s sources echoed many industry insiders who’ve recently suggested something bigger is in play.
One person who the report says ‘has worked closely with Apple for many years,' told the paper: “Three months ago I would have said it was CarPlay. Today I think it’s a car.”
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The report claims Jonathan Ive’s designers have been on a recruiting spree lately as it seemed to bring experienced personnel into the fold. The ‘secret research’ lab is also said t have been established late last year, following the initial launch of the iPhone 6 and Apple Watch.
The growing murmurs follow a report earlier this week in which an unnamed Apple employee purportedly told Business Insider the firm planned to give Elon Musk’s Telsa a run for its money.
Bryan Chaffin, the co-founder of The Mac Observer also claimed he is ‘certain’ Apple is working on a car?
Do you think the company could be cooking up a four-wheeled friend in that secret lab? Or would the lack of experience in the field and the absence of a manufacturing plant make an Apple Car a non starter? Let us know your thoughts below.