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2024 m. vasario 29 d., ketvirtadienis

Apple Gets Hard Lesson in Making Cars


"The Car Guys warned Apple that the metal-bashing business could be a tough, low-margin game. But nobody wanted to listen to a bunch of dinosaurs from Detroit.

Instead, Apple joined the hoopla in Silicon Valley around the idea that a new era of the automobile was emerging, one that would seamlessly marry software and hardware and make the old guard obsolete.

In the end, for Apple, it seems making its own car turned out to be as difficult as doing its own television set. The TV dream died years ago while Apple executives just told their team this week that the work to bring out an electric vehicle was canceled, too.

The latest retreat underscores just how unlikely Elon Musk's success with Tesla has been. To take an electric-vehicle startup founded 20 years ago and turn it into a proper car company on pace to sell almost as many vehicles annually as BMW would have been hard to imagine when Apple began its own car project a decade ago.

But Apple engineers looked jealously at the Tesla Model S, and probably thought to themselves: "We can top that!"

Just a few years into his role as Apple chief executive, Tim Cook greenlighted a secret, ambitious plan -- dubbed Project Titan -- for the company to build its own car. When word of the project became public in 2015, it was greeted by a mixture of hysteria and disbelief.

"I think somebody is kind of trying to cough up a hairball here," General Motors' then-retired Chief Executive Dan Akerson told me around that time, echoing the same sort of sentiment entrenched players had when Apple was first getting into cellphones. He thought Apple's investors should have second thoughts about the escapade, saying a lot of people underestimate how challenging building and selling cars can be.

For all of the buzz around Tesla in 2015, the young company's ultimate success didn't look so certain as it continued to struggle with the basics of building cars, and some questioned if the company could survive.

As news of Project Titan reverberated, it quickly made so much sense to so many. It wasn't a hairball idea but an obvious next step for Cook and a company coming off a remarkable stretch of reimagining and evolving the business first with the iPod, then iPhone followed by iPad as well as digital services such as music and its App Store. Apple would do to cars what it did to phones. And it would win, of course. Plus, Apple, thanks to the success of the fat margins on its iPhones, was then sitting on almost $200 billion in cash.

At one point, Gene Munster, a longtime Apple analyst, projected that entering the car business could help ignite Apple's revenue growth, suggesting if the company captured 10% of the autos market, it could boost revenue by 60%.

That was an exciting prospect for a company facing the law of large numbers and for another evolution.

In the years that followed, an arms race exploded among automakers, tech companies and others rushing to invest in technologies to compete in driverless and electric cars. Billions of dollars poured in while bold predictions were made about robot cars crawling through cities sometime soon.

Except, in the end, Apple's success wasn't as inevitable as so many thought.

Leaks in the press painted unusual uncertainty at Apple as timelines kept slipping, project leaders kept departing and remits kept evolving. Project Titan's ambitions became diminished, less compelling -- from an electric, robot car, then just about perfecting autonomy, then just about an EV.

For a company so accustomed to winning, Apple seemed more and more like a lumbering giant.

Outsider skepticism began to build. Maybe, just maybe, that Akerson guy was right after all -- making cars is hard.

Musk would agree. In the subsequent years after the Model S, Tesla narrowly avoided its own death before hitting on eventual success with the Model 3, a cheaper sedan that helped remake Tesla into a mainstream automaker and further ignited a rush of investment into EV rivals in the U.S. and, more importantly, in China where a price war has broken out.

Amid his darkest moments, in this period, Musk has said he even considered selling Tesla to Apple, but Cook eschewed his advances.

With all of its riches, Apple could afford to be a dilettante in the car business, spending billions of dollars only to change course because things weren't working out as hoped. For Tesla and others, such spending bets were life or death.

Apple's shifting car strategies mimicked the overall state of confusion in the automotive industry.

Driverless cars, which had appeared so imminent a decade ago, have proved a much tougher challenge than many anticipated. And EV sales in the U.S. aren't growing at the same rate as they once were, leading several companies to slow their plans. Even Tesla, which once had industry-defying margins, has seen its profitability narrow.

"Looks like Apple finally came to the conclusion that although they could not get an acceptable profit margin, they weren't going to make that up with volume!" former Ford Motor Chief Executive Mark Fields said by email.

The latest shift by Apple reminded Akerson of GM's own history of trying to broaden its footprint into industries it knew nothing about only to be haunted by those decisions years later.

"The lesson," he told me late Tuesday, "reaffirmed in many instances: stick to your knitting."" [1]

1. Apple Gets Hard Lesson in Making Cars. Higgins, Tim.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 29 Feb 2024: B.4.

Nežinantys istoriją, rizikuoja ją pakartoti: Putinas sako, kad Vakarai rizikuoja branduoliniu konfliktu, jei jie labiau įsikiš į Ukrainą

  „Mes taip pat turime ginklų, galinčių smogti taikiniams jų teritorijoje“, – metinėje kalboje sakė p. Putinas. „Ar jie to nesupranta?

 

     Rusijos prezidentas Vladimiras V. Putinas sakė, kad Vakarai susidurs su branduolinio konflikto perspektyva, jei jie tiesiogiai įsikiš į įvykius Ukrainoje, ketvirtadienį sakydamas kasmetinę kalbą tautai, kad eskaluotų savo grasinimus Europai ir Jungtinėms Valstijoms.

 

     Putinas sakė, kad NATO šalys, kurios padeda Ukrainai smogti Rusijos teritorijai arba gali svarstyti galimybę siųsti savo karius, „galų gale turi suprasti“, kad „visa tai tikrai kelia grėsmę konfliktui su branduolinio ginklo panaudojimu, taigi ir civilizacijos sunaikinimu."

 

     „Mes taip pat turime ginklų, galinčių smogti taikiniams jų teritorijoje“, – sakė V. Putinas. "Ar jie to nesupranta?"

 

     Rusijos vadovas užsiminė apie Prancūzijos prezidento Emmanuelio Macrono šią savaitę išsakytus komentarus, keliančius galimybę siųsti karius iš NATO šalių į Ukrainą, o tai, Kremliaus teigimu, sukeltų tiesioginio konflikto tarp Rusijos ir Vakarų aljanso „neišvengiamumą“.

 

     JAV ir kitų Vakarų šalių vyriausybės iš esmės bandė atsiriboti nuo Ukrainos smūgių Rusijos teritorijoje, o E. Macrono pasisakymai apie Vakarų karių siuntimo į Ukrainą galimybę sulaukė greitų kitų Vakarų pareigūnų priekaištų, kurie atmetė tokius dislokavimus.

 

     Tačiau V. Putinas rusų apgyvendintą Ukrainos dalį laiko Rusijos teritorija ir pasinaudojo E. Macrono pastabomis, kad sustiprintų savo grėsmę.

 

     „Mes prisimename likimą tų, kurie kadaise siuntė savo kontingentus į mūsų šalies teritoriją“, – sakė V. Putinas, akivaizdžiai užsimindamas apie Hitlerio ir Napoleono invazijas. "Tačiau dabar pasekmės potencialiems intervencijos entuziastams bus daug tragiškesnės."

 

Trumpas taip pat sako, kad Bideno žaidimai Ukrainoje gali sukelti branduolinį III pasaulinį karą. Niekam nepatinka ši rizika. Tai kelia problemų Bidenui konkuruoti su Trumpu per šių metų rinkimus. Macronas tikrai erzino Bideną savo pastabomis. Ar Macronas nekenčia Bideno?

 

   

Those Who Do Not Know History Risk Repeating It: Putin Says West Risks Nuclear Conflict if It Intervenes More in Ukraine


"“We also have weapons that can strike targets on their territory,” Mr. Putin said in an annual speech. “Do they not understand this?”

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said the West faced the prospect of nuclear conflict if it intervened more directly in the events in Ukraine, using an annual speech to the nation on Thursday to escalate his threats against Europe and the United States.

Mr. Putin said NATO countries that were helping Ukraine strike Russian territory or might consider sending their own troops “must, in the end, understand” that “all this truly threatens a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons, and therefore the destruction of civilization.”

“We also have weapons that can strike targets on their territory,” Mr. Putin said. “Do they not understand this?”

The Russian leader alluded to comments by President Emmanuel Macron of France this week raising the possibility of sending troops from NATO countries to Ukraine, a scenario the Kremlin said would lead to the “inevitability” of a direct conflict between Russia and the Western alliance.

The United States and other Western governments have largely tried to distance themselves from Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, and Mr. Macron’s remarks about the possibility of Western troops being sent to Ukraine drew quick rebukes from other Western officials, who have ruled out such deployments.

Mr. Putin, however, considers Russian-inhabited part of Ukraine to be Russian territory, and he seized on Mr. Macron’s remarks to amplify his threat. 

“We remember the fate of those who once sent their contingents to the territory of our country,” Mr. Putin said, an apparent reference to the invasions of Hitler and Napoleon. “But now the consequences for potential interventionists will be much more tragic.”"

Trump is saying also, that Biden's games in Ukraine risk to start a nuclear World War III. Nobody likes this risk. This creates a problem for Biden in competition with Trump during elections this year. Macron was really annoying to Biden with his remarks. Does Macron hate Biden?

Putinas iškelia (dar vieną) perspėjimą apie III pasaulinį karą: įmeskite Vakarų kariuomenę į Ukrainą ir atsineškite pasaulinį branduolinį karą


"Padėkite Vakarų kariuomenę ant žemės Ukrainoje ir mainais gaukite pasaulinį branduolinį karą. Tai buvo aiškus Rusijos prezidento Vladimiro Putino ketvirtadienį grasinimas, liepiant Vakarams vengti Maskvos ir Kijevo kovos.

 

AP praneša, kad jis kalbėjo apie šalies padėtį prieš, kitą mėnesį vyksiančius, rinkimus, kuriuos jis tikrai laimės, pabrėždamas jo pasirengimą bet kokia kaina išlaikyti Rusijos pergalę Ukrainoje.

 

V. Putinas, paminėdamas anksčiau šią savaitę Prancūzijos prezidento Emmanuelio Macrono pareiškimą, kad Vakarų sausumos pajėgų dislokavimas Ukrainoje yra įmanomas, perspėjo, kad tai sukels „tragiškų“ pasekmių šalims, kurios nuspręs tai padaryti, ir kartojo ankstesnius grasinimus, kad tai gali įžiebti pasaulinį branduolinį gaisrą.

 

Kaip pranešė „Breitbart News“, Macronas sakė, kad Vakarų karių siuntimas į Ukrainą „negali būti atmestas“ ir kad „turime padaryti viską, ką galime, kad pasiektume savo tikslą“.

 

„Nieko nereikėtų atmesti. Darysime viską, ką galime, kad Rusija neįveiktų“, – sakė Macronas.

 

Putinas pažymėjo, kad kaltindamas Rusiją planais atakuoti NATO sąjungininkes Europoje, Vakarų sąjungininkai „atrinko taikinius smogti mūsų teritorijai ir atrinko efektyviausius, jų manymu, smogimui objektus ir kalbėjo apie galimybę siųsti NATO kontingentą į Ukrainą“.

 

„Prisimename likimą tų, kurie į mūsų šalies teritoriją pasiuntė savo karių kontingentus“, – sakė Rusijos vadovas. „Dabar pasekmės potencialiems užpuolikams bus daug tragiškesnės."

 

– Ar jie to nesupranta? Jis tęsė teigdamas, kad Vakarų lyderiai žaidžia su galimybėmis giliau įsitraukti į konfliktą, kaip simuliacijoje. „Tie žmonės nepatyrė jokių sunkių iššūkių ir pamiršo, ką reiškia karas."

 

71 metų vyras pabrėžė, kad Rusijos branduolinės pajėgos yra „visiškai parengtos“ ir gyrėsi, kad kariuomenė dislokavo galingus naujus ginklus, kai kurie iš jų buvo išbandyti mūšio lauke Ukrainoje."

 


Putin Issues (Another) WWIII Warning: Put Western Troops in Ukraine and Get Global Nuclear War in Return

"Put Western troops on the ground in Ukraine and get a global nuclear war in return. That was the clear threat issued Thursday by Russian President Vladimir Putin as he told the West to keep out of the fight between Moscow and Kyiv.

 

AP reports he spoke in a state-of-the-nation address ahead of next month’s election he’s all but certain to win, underlining his readiness to hold Russian gains in Ukraine at any cost.

 

In a thinly veiled reference to French President Emmanuel Macron’s statement earlier this week that the future deployment of Western ground troops to Ukraine is possible, Putin warned it would lead to “tragic” consequences for the countries who decide to do that, repeating earlier threats of igniting global nuclear conflagration.

 

As Breitbart News reported, Macron said sending Western soldiers to Ukraine “could not be ruled out” and that “we must do whatever we can to obtain our objective.”

 

“Nothing should be excluded. We will do everything that we can to make sure that Russia does not prevail”, Macron said, while expressing his belief Russia was preparing to take more territory not just in Ukraine, but in other countries too.

 

Putin noted while accusing Russia of plans to attack NATO allies in Europe, Western allies were “selecting targets for striking our territory and selecting the most efficient as they think striking assets and talking about the possibility of sending a NATO contingent to Ukraine.”

 

“We remember the fate of those who sent their troop contingents to the territory of our country,” the Russian leader said. “Now the consequences for the potential invaders will be far more tragic.”

 

“Don’t they understand it?” he continued, alleging that Western leaders are playing with options of deeper involvement in the conflict, as in a simulation. “Those people haven’t been through any tough challenges and they have forgotten what war means.”

 

The 71-year-old emphasized Russia’s nuclear forces are in “full readiness,” boasting the military has deployed potent new weapons, some of them tested on the battlefield in Ukraine."

 

 


In the Lithuanian Parliament Seimas - a proposal to temporarily ban the import of Russian and Belarusian grain

  "Viktor Pranckietis, the initiator of the amendments, the chairman of the Rural Affairs Committee, says that this is aimed at preventing grain from Russia and Belarus from entering Lithuania and Poland."

 

Why temporarily? Why haven't the US and the EU imposed sanctions on Russian grain so far?

 

You guessed it. It is of no use to the West. Food in the West is becoming more expensive dangerously. This is the biggest problem for the pro-Ukraine US President Biden, who is in danger of losing the elections this year. The entire elite of the European Union and NATO are on edge, fearing that Biden will not be elected, and for NATO will be the end. And of course, if Russian grain is not passed, the poorer population is at risk of starvation.

 

Why Pranckietis? He knows nothing about poverty, Ukraine, or Biden. Pranckietis is not part of the EU elite and knows nothing about the EU elite. He only sees that the Landsbergiai family keeps attacking China and Russia and are still floating, like shit, at the top of Lithuanian politics. Pranckietis is trying to do the same. Shit, it's shit, you can't do anything here. The place at the trough is very good, worth to endure the smell.

 


Seime – siūlymas laikinai uždrausti rusiškų ir baltarusiškų grūdų importą


"Viktoras Pranckietis, pataisų iniciatorius, Kaimo reikalų komiteto pirmininkas, sako, jog taip siekiama, kad iš Rusijos ir Baltarusijos grūdai nepatektų į Lietuvą ir Lenkiją."

Kodėl laikinai? Kodėl JAV ir ES iki šiol neįvedė sankcijų Rusijos grūdams?

Atspėjote. Vakarams tai nenaudinga. Maistas Vakaruose smarkiai brangsta. Tai didžiausia problema, Ukrainą remiančiam, JAV prezidentui Bidenui, kuriam gręsia pralaimėjimas rinkimuose šiais metais. Visas Europos Sąjungos ir NATO elitas stovi ant ausų, bijodamas, kad Bideną neišrinks, ir NATO bus galas. Ir aišku, nepraleidžiant Rusijos grūdus, skurdesniems gyventojams gręsia badas. 

Kodėl Pranckietis? Jis nieko nežino nei apie skurdą, nei apie Ukrainą, nei apie Bideną. Pranckietis nėra ES elito sudėtyje ir nieko nežino apie ES elitą. Jis tik mato, kad Landsbergiai vis puola Kiniją ir Rusiją ir vis dar plaukia, kaip š..., Lietuvos politikos viršuje. Pranckietis bando padaryti tą patį. Š..., tai š., nieko čia nepadarysi. Vieta prie lovio labai gera, verta pakentėti smarvę.