Apple exec: 'The car is the ultimate mobile device'

(Samantha Lee/Business Insider)

Apparently Apple really is interested in the automotive industry.

At Re/code's Code conference, an Apple shareholder in the audience asked Jeff Williams, Apple's senior vice president of operations, what industries the company is looking at.

"The car is the ultimate mobile device, isn't it?" Williams said in response. "We explore all kinds of categories. We’ll certainly continue to look at those and evaluate where we can make a huge difference."

Rumors that Apple has been developing its own electric car to take on Tesla have been swirling for months.

Re/code's Walt Mossberg pressed further, but Williams related the comment to Car Play as Apple's big push into the car industry. Car Play is Apple's current connected-car product that lets you use your iPhone on your car's dashboard display.

Although Williams said he was referring to Car Play, his comment does prove that Apple is looking at the car as a huge opportunity moving forward. The company made similarly vague comments about the wrist long before it officially unveiled the Apple Watch.

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