The "iCar" takes centre stage and Speculators' imagination have jumped through the roof

by Benson Agoha | Technology

As the Apple's `iCar' takes centre stage of public discourses, the author argues that the public must remember not to expect the unexpectable.

The above car (not my image) looks beautiful and and has been circulating on the internet as the iCar - or one of it's prototypes. Ok, we have heard about the total number 146 of Tesla's employees that Apple has hired, and how the made history by that volume of hiring. But the above remains a beautiful design. That's all.

Indeed, a lot has been written about Apple's new venture - the iCar - seen as its potential new cash cow. But when, CEO Tim Cooke confirmed the setting up of a secret lab where auto professionals are working to produce the prototype of the iCar, the public's imagine flew through the roof.

Expert and quasi expert designers have since gone to work and it is not uncommon for a different design to pop out each. But wait, are they authentic?

Our research show that the iCar is still as much a mystery as any of apple's products before the pre-lunch.  And their website features only existing products - include the iWach.

One author wrote "Think differently Mr. Cooke" and provided the following design (below). There is a saying that "when an outsider's imagination outruns action of a leader, falsehood is rife, and reality is distorted", and that seems to be the case now. One wonders the source of or authenticity of these pop ups.

In August 2013, rumour had it that Apple had begun to shop for a new CEO, and that Tim Cooke was preparing to step down, following slowing sales and lower valuation of the company. Also, they claim to justify their belief on the "fact" that no new product was foreseen to, in the near future to reverse the fall.

Result? Tim Cooke has stayed on to roll out a succession of products that has helped to increase the value of the company to a staggering new height. Speculation remains what it is - "speculation". But, when forecasters consistently get prediction wrong, it maybe time to accept that the target is unpredictable.

Reflectively, one can see that Apple creates products that are different in terms of how they satisfy customers. It was like that for the iMac; it was like that for the ipod, the iphone ranges, the iWatch and it will be like that with the iCar.

Of the products listed above, two are incredibly unique - the iMac and the ipod. The iMac - which uses a different operating system - i0S - is so different from other computers that, design not withstanding, it's use is seen as best suite for media work. And even though the gap has been narrowed through the customisation Office for the iMac, one thing is still certain, it is still the only computer that has been difficult for viruses to attack and potentially destroy.

The ipod is the other unique product.  Before it's arrival, it was typical to see people moving about with their mini-players and Walkman, which accepted tapes or CDs and later DVD.  Apple solved that problem by providing the ipod which allowed you to load music into a miniaturised mobile pod, easy to carry and operate.

If the iCar should provide a veritable ground for speculation, perhaps it should be in terms of how owners can get other jobs remotely done while driving in it. That's, we expect that through it, a driver can make phone call, wire money out and access the internet, while seating in it. It will be expected to solve the primary problem of movement of people from one location to another (transportation). It will not be the design. And so, preempting the team through a myriad of speculation seems too preposterous, because it is almost certainly going to be wrong.

And just don't expect the iCar to be a flying machine either, otherwise, it will be taking longer than expected to enjoy a successful rollout due to regulatory concerns.

But, all in all - yea..I can't wait. But I won't speculate.