To completely crush the iPad, Wang Yi once again convened a high-level meeting for the final decision before launch:
"The xpad 1 is about to be released. Let's finalize the ultimate launch price today. What are everyone's thoughts?"
Zhu Changlin, as the R&D Director of the xpad 1, spoke first:
"Chairman, I've considered this issue. Since the xpad 1's main competitor is the upcoming third-generation iPad, the xpad 1's price must also be set according to the third-generation iPad!"
As he spoke, Zhu Changlin opened his laptop and projected it onto the big screen:
"The third-generation iPad has not yet been released, but judging by Apple's style, the pricing strategy for the third generation should be similar to that of the second-generation iPad released last year."
"As shown in the figure: the 16G version is 3688, the 32G version is 4488, and the 64G version is 5288. It's still an upgrade of one storage tier, with an 800 price increase, which is quite exorbitant."
"But it's precisely because Apple is so exorbitant that our xphone 1's 500 price increase for an upgrade tier seems very conscientious."
Everyone laughed, relying entirely on their competitors for contrast.
Zhu Changlin continued:
"Based on the estimated price of the third-generation iPad, I suggest the standard version of the Xingyi xpad 1 be priced lower than the iPad, with the 16G version at 2999, and a complimentary two-year membership to Xingyi Video and Xingyi Music worth three hundred. This is equivalent to 2699!"
"The 32G version of the xpad 1 will be 3499, and the 64G version will be 3999, all including the two-year membership."
"This way, each tier of the xpad 1 is 700 yuan cheaper than the equivalent third-generation iPad. Plus the complimentary two-year membership worth 300 yuan, that's a total of one thousand yuan cheaper! Excellent value for money!"
"As for the flagship quad-core xpad 1 pro, its price will be benchmarked against the iPad. The 16G version of the xpad 1 pro will be 3999 with a two-year membership. The 32G version will be 4499 with a two-year membership, and the 64G version will be 4999 with a two-year membership!"
Upon hearing this, a senior executive couldn't help but say:
"I highly approve of this pricing strategy, which uses a high and low approach to attack Apple from both sides. But there's one question: what about users who have already purchased the xphone 1 and received a two-year membership?"
Zhu Changlin said:
"Users who already have a two-year membership will be fine; they can simply stack their membership duration!"
Then, another senior executive raised a question:
"Then the international version will be an issue. The Xingyi xpad is sold globally. If we give away Xingyi Music + Xingyi Video two-year memberships, foreign users probably won't be able to use them, except for overseas Chinese!"
"This..."
Zhu Changlin fell silent.
Indeed, Xingyi Video and Xingyi Music mostly contain content needed by Chinese people.
Many foreign users don't even understand Chinese, so having Xingyi Video and Xingyi Music won't be very useful!
This is indeed a problem.
Someone else suggested:
"How about we give away dual memberships domestically, and directly reduce the price by 300 yuan internationally?"
Wang Yi, however, waved his hand:
"No need to reduce the price; just directly give away the three-hundred-yuan two-year membership. If it's not usable abroad, then these three hundred yuan will count as the overseas markup for the xpad, and there will be no additional second markup at that time."
Like Meiyou and Zhenyou clothing, they are significantly marked up overseas.
But electronic products are different.
If the price is marked up too much, selling for one or two thousand more than an iPad, sales won't be good.
Otherwise, why would people not buy the cheaper iPad?
If we want to crush the iPad, we must focus on volume and sell at a similar price point to the iPad!
As for surpassing the iPad and selling at a premium, that's something for after the iPad has been crushed, and the Xingyi pad brand has been established and become globally renowned.
Currently, the Xingyi xpad 1 is just starting out and doesn't yet have the strength; being able to sell at a similar price to the iPad is already a great success.
What's more, the xpad 1 still has a significant gap at the system level.
The iOS 5.1 system of the third-generation iPad is definitely more powerful than Android 4.0.
This is the biggest dilemma restricting the xpad 1, and even Xingyi phones!
Simply put, iOS 5.1 + 1GB of RAM doesn't lag now and won't lag two years from now.
While Android 4.0 + 1GB of RAM is acceptable for now, let alone two years, it will be Kaka-laggy in a year.
Precisely for this reason, current Android phones and tablets are mostly updated once a year, with a major upgrade.
Apple, with less RAM, can be used for many years without lagging.
Of course, the most fundamental difference is that the iOS system uses a pseudo-background, while Android uses a true background.
Software launched on Android remains in the background.
The more applications launched, the more resources they occupy, and naturally, the more it lags.
Apple, on the other hand, uses a pseudo-background with a tombstone mechanism.
Once the screen is locked, background applications, except for music and similar apps, are mostly suspended directly and do not continue running in the background, naturally occupying less memory and thus lagging less.
But to re-enter, they must be reloaded.
Apple doesn't lag, Android doesn't kill background apps.
Both mechanisms have their strengths, and it can also be said that neither is perfect.
The East emphasizes the Doctrine of the Mean, that everything should not be too left or too right, which is actually great wisdom.
Apple's lack of background retention is not good, unfavorable for gamers.
Android's failure to kill background apps is also not good; it tends to lag after long use, and if you don't reflash it for a year, it will become unbearable and you'll have to change phones!
The truly ideal state, however, is an intelligent background!
Through precise recognition, identify all applications, and those that should be kept in the background, such as games, social software, etc., should remain in the background without affecting user experience.
Other less meaningful applications should be killed when appropriate, don't leave them occupying memory and CPU!
For example, apps for portal websites like Sohu.com, Sina.com, NetEase News, etc., have no meaning occupying the background; once the user returns, they should be directly killed.
When the user clicks in again, they are relaunched!
Furthermore, some software automatically starting, linked startup, and seizing storage resources is a major pitfall of Android.
The chaotic push notification mechanism is also an Android cancer.
All are targets that must be eliminated.
However, this would require powerful permissions to uniformly manage all applications' auto-start, linked startup, push notification management, and process management.
Apple does this very well, but Android is trash.
Let alone Android 4.0, even Android 7.0 can't do it well.
Android manufacturers' solution is also decisive: if they can't control it, then they'll provide enough.
Aren't they all grabbing memory? Isn't there not enough memory?
Then I'll add memory like crazy.
iPhone 4s had 512MB of RAM, while contemporary Android phones had 1GB of RAM.
iPhone 5 upgraded to 1GB of RAM, while contemporary Android phones like Xiaomi 2 had 2GB of RAM.
Up until the iPhone 6, it still had 1GB of RAM, while contemporary phones like Xiaomi 4 and Huawei Mate 7 had 3GB of RAM.
Later, the iPhone 15 had 6GB of RAM, while contemporary Android flagships reached 16GB of RAM!
However, this brutal method of increasing memory is merely a temporary solution, born out of necessity.
For the current xpad 1, since its system is inferior to iOS 5.1, Wang Yi has no choice but to also upgrade the memory.
The third-generation iPad has 1GB of RAM, while the standard xpad 1 has 1.5GB of RAM, and the xpad 1 pro directly boasts 2GB of RAM.
Only this way can we recover the disadvantage when the system is inferior to Apple's.
But this is merely treating the symptoms, not the root cause.
Moreover, upgrading and replacing memory also takes time.
The real solution is to start from the system level and completely reverse the disadvantage at that level.
There are only two solutions.
One is the Apple solution, and the other is the Huawei solution.
The Apple solution is to create our own iOS system, just like Apple, completely surpassing Android.
But this is extremely difficult.
Not only is system development challenging, but establishing an application ecosystem is even harder, along with processor adaptation and other difficult problems to solve.
Current Xingyi Technology lacks the strength and capability for this.
In contrast, the Huawei solution is much easier.
Instead of directly creating a brand new, pure Hongmeng system, we start by modifying the underlying Android architecture to build Hongmeng's own architecture.
By grafting the Android application ecosystem onto the Hongmeng architecture, we can leverage existing resources.
This way, we can both use existing Android applications and have our own underlying architecture to uniformly manage applications!
As a result, achieving our goals will be relatively easier.
Once the user base grows larger in the later stages, reaching hundreds of millions of users, with our own chips and our own system, we can completely detach from Android, like Huawei, and create a pure Hongmeng system that is incompatible with Android applications!
This path starts from heavily modifying the underlying Android architecture, then developing our own underlying architecture to graft onto the Android application ecosystem, and finally removing the Android ecosystem to develop our own ecosystem!
It's still the familiar three-step strategy!
In his previous life, Huawei's Hongmeng followed this path, reaching the third step: removing Android and creating a pure Hongmeng ecosystem.
And Xiaomi's system also followed this path, but only reached the first step, almost at the second.
Similarly, current Xingyi Technology must also follow this path.
Starting from the first step, heavily modify the underlying Android architecture to make Android 4.0 applications obedient and easy to use!
This step is merely an operation on Android, relatively easy.
Thinking this, Wang Yi looked around at everyone:
"The pricing of the Xingyi xpad 1 is settled, and the product aspects are thus finalized. It will be mass-produced and stocked, launching on the eve of the Global Mobile Congress! All departments must be prepared and not drop the ball."
"Yes!"
Everyone responded.
Wang Yi changed the subject:
"The second major task is to establish a system R&D department to heavily modify the underlying Android architecture, creating a new underlying architecture that brings all applications' auto-start, linked startup, message push, permission requests, and process management under the new architecture's control."
"Especially for process management, create a new system to determine which applications can remain running in the background. Which applications, once the screen is locked, will have their background processes directly frozen, or even killed. I want you to heavily modify a brand new architecture to achieve the above operations."
"This..."
Everyone in the room fell silent.
Yang Yan frowned:
"Chairman, currently, so-called deep customization based on Android is actually superficial customization. It barely modifies the underlying Android architecture; it's just applying a UI interface and making surface-level changes.
To put it bluntly, it's like a Chinese localization patch for a Steam game. But what you're asking for is to heavily modify the underlying architecture, which is equivalent to changing the entire game's underlying logic. This is extremely difficult, very difficult!"
Wang Yi smiled:
"Nonsense, if it wasn't difficult, why would I ask you? Why recruit so many high-salaried talents? If it were just skinning the UI, there'd be no need to recruit so many people; some outsourcing could handle it!"
Yang Yan fell silent: "..."
Other executives also fell silent: "..."
Indeed, Xingyi Technology pays double the industry standard salaries, and quadruple for outsourcing. What for?
Isn't it for them to create things that competitors and outsourcing companies can't? Otherwise, why pay double or quadruple salaries?
Wang Yi isn't a philanthropist!
Yang Yan nodded:
"Alright, Chairman, I will assemble a team immediately to heavily modify the underlying Android architecture!"
Wang Yi nodded:
"Very good. If there aren't enough people, you can recruit. Heavily modify the underlying Android architecture to make all applications obedient and the Android system as easy to use as the iOS system! This is the core of Xingyi Technology's development for the coming years! It will be listed as an S-Class strategic layout!"
The system definitely needs to be done, but it must be done step by step.
The first step is to address Android issues by heavily modifying the underlying Android architecture to make Android 4.0 user-friendly.
The second step is to build a brand new self-developed underlying architecture, launch a self-developed system, and ensure compatibility with Android applications.
The third step is to abandon the Android application ecosystem, create our own ecosystem, a pure system, and completely surpass Android!
The first step is easy, it can be completed in a year.
The second step is difficult, it will take roughly two years.
As for the third step, creating an entirely new ecosystem, that will be a long march, requiring preparations one after another and breaking through blockade after blockade!
Though the path is difficult, someone must walk it.
"Meeting adjourned!"
Wang Yi waved his hand:
"Yang Yan, please stay for a moment."
Soon, everyone left the conference room, leaving only Yang Yan and Wang Yi.
"Yang Yan, when I recruited you to Xingyi Technology, it wasn't just to work on the UI interface."
Wang Yi said earnestly:
"The UI interface you developed is very clear, and the software logos are very appealing. I like them very much. It can be said that XUI is currently the best-looking UI."
"But no matter how good it looks, it's still XUI based on Android 4.0, not XOS after rewriting the underlying architecture!"
"I believe you have the ability to create a brand new XOS system!"
"Alright, Chairman Wang, you trust me, so I won't let you down. I will give it my all!"
"Work hard!"
Wang Yi patted Yang Yan's shoulder:
"I hope the first domestic mobile phone system and tablet system will be born from Xingyi Technology."
"Chairman Wang, I will definitely work hard!"
Yang Yan was full of fighting spirit.
He thought Wang Yi only wanted to heavily modify the underlying Android architecture, but he didn't expect such madness—to create his own operating system!
That wouldn't be modification; it would be rewriting, self-development, and rebuilding.
"Go ahead, recruit if you need people, and pay attention to vetting,"
Wang Yi waved his hand.
"Understood, Chairman."
After Yang Yan left, Wang Yi fell into thought:
The heavily modified Android can contend with iOS 5, but only for a while.
Later on, we will still have to rely on Xingyi XOS, with its rewritten underlying architecture.
Even if it grafts Android applications, it can progress rapidly and rival the iOS system.
Let's take it one step at a time.
The xphone 1 pro and xpad 1 can't catch up; hopefully, the second-generation Xingyi in the second half of the year can catch up with the heavily modified Android 4.0 underlying architecture!
As Wang Yi was leaving the conference room, Zhu Changlin approached him:
"Chairman, the xpad 1 pro has 2GB of RAM. Should our xphone 1 pro also have 2GB?"
Wang Yi thought for a moment:
"Let's change all of them to 2GB. As for the 1.5GB RAM chips, they'll all go to the standard xpad 1!"
"Understood, Chairman."
Originally, considering precise product segmentation, 1.5GB of RAM was deemed sufficient for the xphone 1 pro.
However, considering that the xphone 1 pro's lifecycle isn't just the second half of the year, but will continue until the end of the year, or even early next year.
Therefore, 1.5GB of RAM for the xphone 1 pro won't be enough; 2GB is safer!
Before developing an intelligent background system comparable to iOS 7, we still have to furiously upgrade RAM.
Once the intelligent background underlying architecture is developed, and background programs are perfectly and intelligently controlled, then, like later versions of iOS in his previous life, 6GB will be able to handle Android's 16GB of RAM.
At that time, even without competing on RAM, it will still be very smooth.
But for now, that's not possible; we can only furiously compete.
Since we must compete, Wang Yi will be the first to do so, directly launching the world's first phone with 2GB of RAM!
Wang Yi recalled that the first phone with 2GB of RAM was released by LG in the middle of the year, though Wang Yi couldn't remember its name, the event was a sensation at the time.
In his previous life, HTC launched the world's first quad-core phone, and LG launched the world's first 2GB RAM phone!
This time, however, Wang Yi wanted both major selling points.
There's no other way.
Without so many selling points, how can the xphone 1 pro sell at iPhone prices?
"By the way, Old Zhu, when is HTC's quad-core phone being released?"
Wang Yi suddenly asked.
"It will be released on February 26th in Barcelona, one day before the Global Mobile Congress!"
Wang Yi nodded:
"HTC certainly knows how to pick a time, but since we want to be the first to release a quad-core phone, we'll launch one day earlier, on February 25th!"
Zhu Changlin's face lit up with joy, instantly understanding Wang Yi's meaning:
"Chairman, if we launch one day earlier, we can naturally secure the title of the world's first quad-core phone. But once the xphone 1 pro is released, HTC's quad-core flagship will have a tough time. They won't just lose the title of the world's first quad-core phone, but also market share!"
Without the xphone 1 pro, HTC, with the gimmick of being the world's first quad-core phone, could generate maximum buzz and sell well.
But with the xphone 1 pro already setting a high standard, HTC's new flagship falling behind in every aspect would be awkward...
"I bet HTC's Wang Zhanggui will be cursing then!"
Wang Yi said with a smile:
"But it doesn't matter; for businessmen, win-win is normal."
"Win-win? How is that win-win? Didn't HTC lose again?"
Zhu Changlin was completely perplexed.
Wang Yi smiled faintly:
"Win-win means we win twice!"
Zhu Changlin: "..."
Then he gave a thumbs up:
"Chairman Wang, no problem at all!"
"You arrange the press conference."
"Understood, Chairman."
Afternoon.
Jian Ziyan approached Wang Yi, her face full of joy.
"What good news makes you so happy!"
Wang Yi said with a smile.
"Chairman, great news! Just now, BYD's stock price officially broke through 40 Hong Kong dollars, quadrupling from the ten Hong Kong dollars we bought it at! A huge profit!"
Jian Ziyan was ecstatic:
"Chairman, we previously disclosed our reduction plan. Now we can take advantage of the high price to quickly reduce our holdings! Other major shareholders who want to sell don't have the opportunity, as they need to disclose in advance. Small shareholders have fewer shares and are reluctant to sell!"
Wang Yi, however, remained calm:
"No rush, let the bullet fly a little longer."
Jian Ziyan stared at Wang Yi, pondering:
"Chairman, do you mean BYD's stock price will continue to rise? Surely not? The good news about anti-freeze batteries has probably been fully absorbed, hasn't it? It's already risen from over 25 to 40 Hong Kong dollars. Shouldn't its momentum be waning?"
Wang Yi smiled mysteriously:
"What if there's new major good news?"
"Then it will still rise!"
"What if there's more than one major piece of good news?"
"Then it would have to soar, but is that possible?"
"Of course it's possible, just watch!"
Wang Yi said with a smile.
The real show is just beginning.
"Alright, then I look forward to it!"
Jian Ziyan was overjoyed, then walked behind Wang Yi, extended her delicate hand, and began to massage Wang Yi's shoulders.
Wang Yi was so comfortable he almost fell asleep.
What massage chair?
Powerful chairmen always get massages from campus belle-level beauties personally!
Sure enough, on February 9th, a piece of news sensationalized the entire internet:
[BYD listed as an Apple supplier, officially becoming one of Apple's suppliers!]
Instantly, the entire internet was in an uproar, and public opinion buzzed:
"Just as the buzz around anti-freeze batteries started to cool down, an even bigger bombshell arrived: becoming an Apple supplier! BYD is mighty!"
"These days, whoever becomes an Apple supplier will reap huge profits, experience a boom, and their stock price will skyrocket."
"Goertek was like this before, and BYD is the same now."
"No, BYD is even more impressive. It's not just an Apple supplier, but also a Xingyi Technology supplier!"
"Yes, Xingyi Technology's orders to BYD have exceeded thirty million. BYD's revenue this year will definitely be terrifying."
"Needless to say, BYD's stock price is only forty yuan; it can definitely rise to fifty yuan!"
"That's right, by joining the Apple supply chain, BYD's stock price is limitless."
"Enough talk, I'm already heavily invested. Entered at 41.5."
"You were quick; it was already 42 when I bought!"
"I'm at 43!"
"I'm at 43.7!"
"I entered at 44, who can I complain to?"
...
"By the way, can one still buy BYD at 46 yuan? Will it get stuck at the top?"
"Don't buy in; it will definitely get stuck at the top."
"By the way, is BYD at 48 yuan worth buying?"
"Don't ask, I bought in at 48. When it was 46 before, I hesitated, and now it's too late to regret!"
"Damn, it's 49! Confound it, I shouldn't have gone to work today; I missed the best time!"
In just one afternoon, BYD's stock price rose by more than 20% again!
Such an increase is terrifying.
Jian Ziyan was ecstatic:
"Chairman, you're a genius at predicting things! BYD's stock price really exploded! It's 50 now. Luckily, we didn't rush to sell! Otherwise, wouldn't we have earned one-third less?"
Wang Yi waved his hand:
"I haven't sold yet!"
"Huh?"
Jian Ziyan looked surprised:
"Chairman, this wave of market activity pushing BYD to 50 Hong Kong dollars is already a miracle. It might not continue to rise when the market opens tomorrow; it could even fall!"
Wang Yi was unfazed:
"It's fine, there's more good news coming."
"Really?"
Jian Ziyan was incredulous.
Unexpectedly, two days later, another piece of news sensationalized the entire internet:
[HTC and BYD reach cooperation, will purchase tens of millions of anti-freeze batteries!]
Without any surprise, BYD's stock price rose again, climbing all the way to 54 Hong Kong dollars.
On February 12th, another piece of news broke:
[Sony and BYD reach cooperation, will purchase tens of millions of anti-freeze batteries!]
This time, BYD's stock price rose to 57 Hong Kong dollars!
Jian Ziyan was in a great mood:
"Chairman, you guessed perfectly! More good news has come out. Can we sell now?"
Wang Yi remained unhurried:
"Wait a little longer."
On February 13th, a piece of news surged to the top of trending searches:
[Apple and BYD reach strategic cooperation, will purchase fifty million BYD anti-freeze batteries!]
As soon as this news broke, the entire internet was in an uproar.
Fifty million!
Such a massive volume likely means an entire generation of iPhones, with all models featuring BYD anti-freeze batteries as standard.
Without any surprise, BYD's stock price skyrocketed!
58 Hong Kong dollars!
59 Hong Kong dollars!
60 Hong Kong dollars!
...
65 Hong Kong dollars!
67 Hong Kong dollars!
It soared wildly, as if without end.
It quickly reached 70 Hong Kong dollars!
Wang Yi smiled faintly and made a call:
"Sell!"
(End of chapter)