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iMcLaren? McLaren Denies Rumors Of Apple Buying Automotive Company

By Jeremy Winslow
Published on: 08:20 PST, Sep 21, 2016

As stated by Business Insider, Apple was rumored to be talking to McLaren Automotive about “a potential takeover or strategic investment.” This discussion, which was reported by the Financial Times on Wednesday, September 21 in a report that could only be seen if you were a subscriber, stated that Apple approached the British automotive manufacturer about a potential buyout/takeover/strategic investment. Well, the rumors have circulated rather rapidly, and it seems McLaren has issued a statement saying, “There’s no takeover, no strategic investment. It’s completely untrue.”

There go our hopes of an iMcLaren.

via GIPHY

This isn’t the first time Apple has attempted to take over a company, though. In fact, Apple has a track record of acquiring and merging with existing companies.

  • Back in June 1988, Apple acquired computer software company Styleware, which was responsible for their now discontinued Appleworks Suite.
  • In February 1997, Apple took over Steve Jobs’ computer programming services company NeXT, who developed the OS X and iOS ecosystem.
  • In Q4 of 2000, Apple snagged software company SoundJam MP, who produced iTunes.
  • In 2001, Apple grabbed productivity software company Bluefish Labs, who created their iWorks programs.

This is just old history. If we look to more recent acquisitions, we can see Apple is planning some kind of global takeover.

  • In September 2015, Apple bought speech tech firm VocallQ, who helped fine-tune Siri.
  • In January 2016, Apple purchased facial recognition system company Emotient, who implemented new technologies in their iPhones, iPads, iPods, and all Mac computers.
  • Also in January 2016, Apple snatched up augmented reality software company Flyby Media, who developed technologies for their iPhones, iPads, and iPods.
  • In August 2016, Apple paid for machine learning company Turi, who helped improve Xcode.
  • Also in August 2016, Apple secured personal health info collection company Gliimpse, who assisted in the advancement of their HealthKit, CareKit, and ResearchKit.

Clearly, Apple is planning to be the company that does it all. And it seems their next venture is into the automotive scene. Although Apple and McLaren aren’t planning on striking a deal anytime soon, it seems Apple is still attempting to get into the automotive industry. According to The New York Times, Apple has hired several former Lit Motors employees and is said to be in talks with the company as a whole.

Lit Motors, a San Francisco start-up, designs and manufactures two-wheeled, fully electric vehicles. As seen on their website, Lit Motors only has one vehicle in the works: the C-1, a 100 percent electric vehicle with the mobility and design of a motorcycle, but the speed and safety of a car. (A kind of hybrid between a two- and four-wheeled vehicle, if you will.) When the company first announced the C-1 back in 2012, they initially planned to sell the vehicle for $24,000. Unfortunately, after founder Daniel K. Kim got in a horrific motorcycle accident sometime last year that rendered him immobile for six months, the start-up had to rethink their strategy. An acquisition by Apple might benefit the company.

Apple can be confusing.

Earlier this month, Apple has laid off dozens of its employees, who were said to be working on a super secret car project. This project was inferred to be one of the companies biggest initiatives as a venture into the automotive industry and self-driving cars. However, Apple hit a few bumps while conducting R&D for the initiative, which led to the dozens of layoffs. The former employees were “briefed on the move [and] were not allowed to speak about it publicly,” according to The New York Times. The project, which was codenamed Titan, has been in limbo since July, but it seems Apple has reinvigorated the prospect of self-driving cars.

Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has said the automotive industry is undergoing a drastic change, and it’s only a matter of time before we see what Apple has planned next.

[Featured Image by Tony Avelar/AP Images]

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