Apple could provide an endless amount of money to improve the technology and improve immensely the logistics and customer service relationship. On the down side, Elon's genius innovations may not be allowed to flourish under Apple's control. Personally it seems like a no brainer to me because Apple's strength are in the exact areas that Tesla is weak in. If they would allow Elon to continue to innovate and throw things at the wall and see what sticks then it could be a marriage made in heaven. I would imagine Ford and Chevy would not want to see a Tesla with an unlimited amount of cash to work with.
That's the last company I would want to take a stake in Tesla (or, horrors, buy them). Their cultures are polar opposites.
If Apple had a controlling share in TSLA;
- Apple would demand a larger radius on the corners of the center screen of the Model 3. For the next two years, all we would hear about was how beautifully curved the corners of the center screen were.
- We would never get the ability to create a route on the GPS using multiple waypoints. Unnecessarily complicated.
- Apple would insist on removing the software limitation on charging the battery cells to 100%. We would need to go in for battery replacements every 2-4 years depending upon usage habits. Then they would crow about how this created a shorter upgrade cycle and bigger profits.
- The base Model 3 would be raised to $55,000 and the Performance Model 3 would be $110,000.
- Apple would insist on hiring a Chinese contract manufacturer to make all Teslas because this would increase profit margins. If children were found to be working in the factory they would feign ignorance.
- Apple would require other EV makers to sign royalty-bearing patent licenses under threat of a lawsuit.
- Apple would try to avoid as much US tax as possible using elaborate schemes involving the Cayman Islands, etc. They would cite this as a good example of innovation when investors asked them why they were not innovating anymore.
-If Consumer Reports identified a braking anomaly that caused longer than ideal stopping distances, rather than fix the issue in one week by releasing an Over-the-Air Software Update, Apple would blame the driver for "pressing on the brake pedal wrong".
- The voice recognition would be migrated to Siri.
- A Tesla HPWC would cost $2000 and the UMC would be $899. And they would be white.
-Apple would insist a Tesla could only be plugged into a Tesla charger. Bye-bye J1772 adapter compatibility.
- Apple would equip all Teslas with special wheels that required special Tesla branded tires. No more Michelin or Continental tires, no Pirelli or Nokian tires, they represent lost profit potential and don't create a powerful "ecosystem".
- Only a Tesla baby seat would work properly with the proprietary seat anchors. It would cost $1500.
- They would crow all the way to the bank about the valuable "Tesla" ecosystem they had created.
Tesla owners wouldn't know what they had lost until it was too late.
