April 1, 2024
Apple is determined to get into the car business.
Rumors of an “Apple Car” have circulated for years, recently materializing in news in March that Apple was abandoning the project after reaching out to select car manufacturers for potential collaboration. One of those manufacturers was BMW.
But Apple wants more than collaboration. The world’s richest company has decided that BMW Group, that also includes Rolls-Royce Motorcars and MINI, would work even better if Apple just bought it outright.
Apple executives privately commented, “BMW and Apple share similar principles and ideals, putting the customer experience, safety, and privacy first. Add to that BMW’s advanced manufacturing techniques, progressive technology, and the design aesthetic of the Neue Klasse of vehicles recently announced, and there’s simply no better fit.”
Should this deal go through, what will it mean for BMW enthusiasts? In the short term, not much will change. Car design, development, technology integration, and manufacturing is a lengthy process.
However, once Apple owns the German manufacturer, there will likely be some significant changes.
Logo courtesy of Redmond Pie
Siri, Apple Carplay, Apple Maps (which may be an improvement over BMW’s navigation), Apple Music and other key auto-friendly services that are already part of Apple’s ecosystem will likely become the default for the vehicles. Drivers can expect to have an easier experience if they use an iPhone, Apple Watch and other Apple devices. Sure, you can keep your Android phone if you must, but don’t expect Android Auto compatibility to remain a priority (unless compelled by legal decisions).
But will BMW remain BMW? While BMW’s roundel, MINI’s winged circle logo, and Rolls-Royce’s Spirit of Ecstacy hood ornament will remain valuable brand elements, customers will start to see the even-more-iconic Apple logo start to pop up in various places on the vehicles.
When should we see the first changes? It may be a while. Since today is April 1. 😉
Editor’s Note: We hope you enjoyed this April Fools post for 2024!
Tags: apple April Fools bmw Merger
