by Stacey Lee Boyett
The Wall Street Journal leaked late last week that Apple is entering the automobile sector with what has since been dubbed the “Apple car.” This is but the latest in a string of Silicon Valley and Motor City marriages with product development efforts, with Google unveiling its self-driving car last year and even rumors of a Facebook drone in development.
The person at the helm of the Apple car is Steve Zadesky. This is the same guy who led product development for the iPhone, arguably the world’s smart phone pioneer and now most popular smart phone device. Zadesky has been given the go ahead to pluck some 1,000 of Apple’s best and brightest for this new project — code named Titan. Leadership from Ford and Mercedes-Benz have come onboard, and Apple has met with luxury car manufacturers in Austria.
Things sound serious.
Apple has already been collaborating with auto companies to bring its CarPlay service to vehicle dashboards, which could integrate Apple software and functionalities like iTunes, not to mention third party apps like Facebook and Twitter. While Apple has said they don’t currently have interest in making a self-driving car, similar to what Google unveiled, some sort of Apple-branded electric car that looks along the lines of a minivan seems to be on the horizon.
Let’s work through that minivan bit to ponder the exciting possibilities this could mean for…
…how and where we receive our news.
…how we could safely navigate our cars without balancing a Google Maps app and device in our laps.
…how we could lessen or eliminate cell phone-related traffic accidents and deaths.
…how and where we deliver marketing content to consumers.
…how we worry about driving hazards less and connect with people more — more easily and safely.
…how, in a world of shifting mediums and seamless product integrations, focused and high quality digital content and brand presence play an even more critical role.
If content continues to be the crux of digital marketing, then Shift Key is primed to expertly craft and execute your company’s content marketing strategy, taking you into the next frontier. Apple cars and all.
At Shift Key, we make communication capital. We are journalists who know how to create original content, the foundational layer of digital marketing. We understand audience and the information your audience wants – whether you are an agency, brand, company or non-profit. Content is the bedrock of digital marketing. Shift Key creates unique and informative content that feeds marketing activities across a mounting number of channels, generating buzz for brands and leads for products and services.