Apple to reportedly open R&D center in backyard of BlackBerry's auto division

A report on Wednesday claims Apple recently leased office space in Kanata, a suburb of Ottawa, Canada that BlackBerry's QNX Software Systems arm calls home, suggesting the iPhone maker might be looking to develop automotive software in the region.

Citing people familiar with the matter, the Ottawa Business Journal reports Apple will take up residence in the G. Best Building at Kanata Research Park. Ottawa-based tech company DragonWave is currently the main tenant — its logo dominates the building's facade — but the website of building owner KRP Properties has a listing open for a 22,100-square-foot suite.

A description of the property notes a "full-floor office suite" with an executive boardroom, meeting rooms, offices, a server room, lunchroom, lab space and even showers, according to the report.

Kanata is home to QNX Software Systems, a BlackBerry offshoot focusing on automotive software solutions. There is no evidence to support claims that Apple plans to conduct automotive product research in the region, but opening an office near QNX's headquarters is sure to raise a few eyebrows.

According to recent reports, Apple is looking to greatly expand its overseas R&D operations. For example, a Japanese research center in Yokohama will supposedly tap into local talent specializing in materials science, vehicles and health industries. Apple will also break ground or expand existing facilities in China, Israel and the UK university city of Cambridge.

Apple is widely rumored to be working on a self-driving electric vehicle under the code name "Project Titan." AppleInsider last year reported that the operation was based out of a secret facility in Sunnyvale, Calif., but the ambitious project is thought to have grown substantially since that time. The company could expand into a nearby property in San Jose or offload R&D to international offices.

13 Comments

dysamoria 3430 comments · 12 Years

About 8 years ago

What? If I rent a house next to a Honda manufacturing building, does that mean I'm going to start building or even designing cars?

mjtomlin 2690 comments · 20 Years

dysamoria said:

What? If I rent a house next to a Honda manufacturing building, does that mean I'm going to start building or even designing cars?

No, but you can be sure that a large number of people in the field live near the facility, therefor, one can assume that if you're looking for people with that specific talent set, then you'd want to set up your own facility in the general area.

If Apple is building their own car (or even an after market console system), then it's going to include their own underlying operating system(s) to control it. QNX is the most widely used embedded industrial OS.

cintos 113 comments · 17 Years

Ah, yes. In Blackberry's backyard. This present an opportunity for me to toss out my wild speculation that Apple has plans to "merge" with Blackberry and re-domicile corporate headquarters to Canada. Why? Taxes. Apple would simply join a growing conga line of entities moving from the USA for the same reason. When all we have left is Burger Kings and car washes, Congress might get a clue and fix this. The United States is one of only six industrialized nations (of 34 OECD members) that taxes domestic corporations on a worldwide basis. In the past fifteen years, thirteen OECD countries have moved to a territorial system that exempts all or most of active foreign earned income from domestic taxation.[4] Seems like some countries encourage their corporations to "export", unlike the USA. [4] PricewaterhouseCoopers, Evolution of Territorial Tax Systems in the OECD, prepared for the Technology CEO Council (Apr. 2, 2013), http://www.techceocouncil.org/clientuploads/reports/Report%20on%20Territorial%20Tax%20Systems_20130402b.pdf.

techprod1gy 838 comments · 11 Years

cintos said:

Ah, yes. In Blackberry's backyard. This present an opportunity for me to toss out my wild speculation that Apple has plans to "merge" with Blackberry and re-domicile corporate headquarters to Canada. Why? Taxes. Apple would simply join a growing conga line of entities moving from the USA for the same reason. When all we have left is Burger Kings and car washes, Congress might get a clue and fix this. The United States is one of only six industrialized nations (of 34 OECD members) that taxes domestic corporations on a worldwide basis. In the past fifteen years, thirteen OECD countries have moved to a territorial system that exempts all or most of active foreign earned income from domestic taxation.[4] Seems like some countries encourage their corporations to "export", unlike the USA. [4] PricewaterhouseCoopers, Evolution of Territorial Tax Systems in the OECD, prepared for the Technology CEO Council (Apr. 2, 2013), http://www.techceocouncil.org/clientuploads/reports/Report%20on%20Territorial%20Tax%20Systems_20130402b.pdf.

Assuming your information is correct this is a very powerful insight. Many times we are more worried about left and right politics versus working together to make our country "the best". Many of the solutions are not overnight solutions but are fairly easy to execute if we can get our government to set aside personal agendas and focus on the good of the nation.

techprod1gy said:

cintos said:

Ah, yes. In Blackberry's backyard. This present an opportunity for me to toss out my wild speculation that Apple has plans to "merge" with Blackberry and re-domicile corporate headquarters to Canada. Why? Taxes. Apple would simply join a growing conga line of entities moving from the USA for the same reason. When all we have left is Burger Kings and car washes, Congress might get a clue and fix this. The United States is one of only six industrialized nations (of 34 OECD members) that taxes domestic corporations on a worldwide basis. In the past fifteen years, thirteen OECD countries have moved to a territorial system that exempts all or most of active foreign earned income from domestic taxation.[4] Seems like some countries encourage their corporations to "export", unlike the USA. [4] PricewaterhouseCoopers, Evolution of Territorial Tax Systems in the OECD, prepared for the Technology CEO Council (Apr. 2, 2013), http://www.techceocouncil.org/clientuploads/reports/Report%20on%20Territorial%20Tax%20Systems_20130402b.pdf.

Assuming your information is correct this is a very powerful insight. Many times we are more worried about left and right politics versus working together to make our country "the best". Many of the solutions are not overnight solutions but are fairly easy to execute if we can get our government to set aside personal agendas and focus on the good of the nation.

That's assuming we actually lived in a democracy in the US. Unfortunately, it is only merely the remnants of one. The politicians we vote into office are soon bought and paid for by other interests. Our votes are no longer worth a damn. The almighty dollar has the final say.