[(AP-Yonhap Photo)]
Apple has invested one million US dollars into "Didi Chuxing", a Chinese Uber-like transportation service, the company announced Friday. Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, said the investment is aimed at helping the company better understand China.
"Didi exemplifies the innovation taking place in the iOS developer community in China," said Cook in a statement, "We are extremely impressed by the business they've built and their excellent leadership team, and we look forward to supporting them as they grow."
The one million dollar investment from Apple is the largest investment Didi has ever received. Formerly known as Didi Kuaidi, the service is the largest of its type in China. Didi holds more than 87 percent of the market share for private transportation service, which is very similar to Uber's.
Some experts of the industry see the investment as Apple's preparation to make its move into automotive industry. Apple had been showing interest in the field of transportation by developing CarPlay, an infotainment system which connects the car to a user's iPhone.
Also, there are rumors that the tech giant is currently under works to build the company own brand of cars. In April, Frankfurt's Allgemeine reported that Apple is secretly operating a lab in Berlin in a preparation of launching an electric car in collaboration with Magna Steyer. Magna being one of the world's largest contract car manufacturers, many experts see the rumor or the report from the Allgemeine viable.
The Allgemeine wrote that the Apple's associate recently contacted Magna to engage in talks to prepare for Apple's car project. The media predicted the Apple's car development will take place in Vienne, Austria.
Upon the news going viral, many experts from the industry have predicted that if Apple is to develop a car, it would be likely to be an electric car, rather than a self-driving autonomous vehicle.
Walls Street Journal had reported in last February that Apple is already under way in the creation of Apple branded cars by taking a part in the "Titan Project", which is an electric car creation project, being carried out in Cupertino, California.
Aju News Park Sae-jin = swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
