Tech startup: I really do make mobile phones!

Chapter 207 Orange's Turning Point
California.

In the VIP ward of Stamford Medical Center, the air smelled of disinfectant. On the bed, Laubus was as pale as a sheet, and his breathing was so weak that his chest was barely rising and falling.

Cook sat cautiously on the edge of the bed, his voice extremely low, afraid of upsetting Laubus: "Boss, good news! We've secured the core supply chain for the next-generation Apple 5!"

“We have obtained samples of the third-generation gaseous lithium batteries provided by Yuancheng, and through Zhicheng Centralized Procurement Standards Company, we have also gained control over some battery standards!”

Upon hearing "gaseous lithium battery" and "standard control," Laubus's eyelids twitched violently. He turned to the side with all his might, his withered hand gripping Cook's wrist tightly.

His previously dim eyes suddenly lit up, and as if in a final burst of energy, he propped himself up to sit up.

“Tim.” His voice was hoarse, like sandpaper scraping, but it carried a rare hint of approval: “You’ve done an excellent job of incorporating them into the high-standard system of the fruit chain in this way!”

Cook's eyes reddened, and he quickly supported his back: "This is all the direction you set beforehand, I'm just following it!"

Laubus shook his head, his gaze sweeping across the window towards the direction of the Apple headquarters, as if taking one last look at the technological empire he had built.

"From now on, I'm entrusting Pingguo to you!"

After saying this, his hand fell limply to his side, his head tilted to one side, and he stopped breathing.

The news, like a boulder thrown into a lake, instantly created a huge wave in North America.

Reporters from the Wall Street Journal worked through the night to revise their article, elevating the former "tech tyrant" Laubus to the pedestal of a "tech icon."

Pingguo's stock price surged 15% at the opening bell, pushing its market capitalization above $4000 billion overnight.

Pingguo's public relations department seized the opportunity to create hype, packaging the still-developing Pingguo 5 as "Robbs's last masterpiece".

They released blurry design sketches, claiming that "every detail embodies Laubs' product art," which aroused a frenzy of attention and anticipation from Apple fans around the world.

In mid-October, the shockwave reached China.

On Weibo and geek forums, there are many voices mourning Laubus.

The statements from domestic smartphone manufacturers are more like a collective performance of a "memorial show," ostensibly a tribute, but in reality, every word reveals their own positioning.

Wheat Technology's official Weibo account was the first to speak out, and Lei Jun himself wrote a long article:
"Robbs is a god-like figure. The release of the Apple 4S is not only his swan song, but also a milestone in the mobile Internet era."

Wheat Technology will inherit his innovative spirit, firmly adhere to the path of ecological development, and ensure that technology benefits everyone!

It's obvious to anyone with eyes that Lei Jun is going to take over the "Pingguo-style ecology" and push wheat towards the direction of the ecological chain.

Following closely behind, Yu Dazui, CEO of Huawei's consumer electronics division, also appeared at the industry summit, speaking with a somber tone when discussing Lauber:

"His passing is a loss to the entire technology industry. Huawei should learn from his extreme pursuit of product details and continue to exert its efforts in the high-end market in the future, making flagship phones that are no less than Apple's!"

Although the flagship phone U8800 from Chrysanthemum had shown some promise, it never managed to gain a foothold in the high-end market.

Yu Dazui's words directly revealed Chrysanthemum's ambition to break into the high-end market and compete with Pingguo.

Mr. Zhang, the CEO of Meizu, appeared much more candid, stating frankly in the interview:

"Robbs was a true product manager, and his design philosophy is worth learning for all hardware professionals."

The design of this year's Meizu M9 was indeed inspired by Apple; we hope to find our own style through this borrowing.

It's worth noting that the Meizu M9, released in January, was controversial for its striking resemblance to the Apple 4. Mr. Zhang's statement not only defused the plagiarism allegations but also leveraged the popularity of Roberts to elevate the brand's image.

The founder of Green Factory, which recently spun off from the BB cream brand, Cheng Yonghao, gave a more down-to-earth speech:
"Robbs taught us that innovation is not about piling up technology, but about subverting user perception."

OPPO will always prioritize user needs and create phones that are comfortable for everyone to use.

These words accurately pinpointed Green Factory's "mass market" strategy. After being spun off from the BB cream, Green Factory urgently needed to establish a foothold in the mid-range market.

The most eye-catching one has to be Luo's hammer.

He didn't post a long article, but just made a boastful statement on Weibo: "The only smart person in this industry is gone, it's time for Luo Zhenyu to take the stage!"

For the past three months, Luo's Smartisan mobile phone project has made virtually no progress.

He neither built a core R&D team nor went to Shenzhen to investigate the supply chain, but he gained a lot of popularity by attacking his peers online and making fun of hot topics in the tech circle.

Some netizens joked, "Teacher Luo isn't making phones, he's clearly using Weibo as a stand-up comedy stage!"

Anyone with a discerning eye can see that he's trying to learn Xiaomai's online marketing tactics, but unfortunately he's only grasped the superficial aspects of "creating hype" and hasn't mastered the core of "product development."

Even if you're doing technical integration, you should at least find some knowledgeable people first!
In the general manager's office of Orange Technology, Chen Mo was reviewing the statements from these manufacturers, his fingers lightly tapping the table.

Yuancheng entered the fruit supply chain through the "unified procurement standard" model. Previously, Yuancheng had also cooperated with Pingguo on the "Pingguo Companion" co-branded power bank. Although the two parties are not allies, they can be considered "friendly partners".

He was struggling with how to write a eulogy that was both respectful and highlighted Chengzi's aspirations.

After all, this kind of situation in China has long become a "large-scale positioning show" for manufacturers. If it is written too plainly, it will be drowned out; if it is written too flamboyantly, it will easily attract criticism.

Just as Chen Mo was staring at the screen, pondering his words, his personal phone suddenly rang, and the contact name "Viagra" popped up on the screen.

Chen Mo answered the phone and heard Shen Yiwei's voice: "Xiao Chen! Why haven't you sent out the obituary yet? Lei Jun and Yu Dazui have already sent theirs, you'd better hurry up!"

"I'm having a headache right now!" Chen Mo said with a wry smile. "But you, instead of sending it yourself, are urging me to send it?"

"I'm not familiar with Laubs, and Blue Machine never said it was going to pay tribute to him, so why should I post anything?"

Shen Yiwei spoke confidently, then changed the subject and reminded him.

"However, you are different. Yuancheng's high-end mobile phone batteries still need the Apple 5 to open up the market!"
Seeing how much hype is going on about this 'final masterpiece,' the Apple 5 is sure to sell like hotcakes. You'll have to beg people to place orders; you'd better write a really good obituary!

Chen Mo knew that what Wei Ge said, though rough, made sense. The Apple 5 was already selling like hotcakes, and Yuancheng's high-end mobile phone battery business would be able to reach even greater heights.

However, Shen Yiwei must have called specifically for something like this!
Then, Chen Mo changed the subject.

"Brother Wei, you called specifically for more than just to discuss obituaries, didn't you?"

Shen Yiwei laughed: "You're so smart, kid! My master quietly returned to China a couple of days ago, and he wants to invite you to play golf at the Longhua International Golf Course the day after tomorrow, and also introduce you to some friends!"

Chen Mo's heart skipped a beat!
Mr. Duan, the founder of the "Step-by-Step Ointment"?
That reclusive tycoon who keeps a low profile in the flower business world, with almost no photos of him circulating, yet controls a huge industrial chain of "Step-by-Step Cream".

Do you even need to introduce your friends to me?
This scene looks so familiar!
This is clearly an attempt to pull him into the circle.

Previously, when Lei Jun took Chen Mo to meet the people from the Daishan Association, it caused quite a stir.

This time, Shen Yiwei wanted to pull him into the industry again. His instinct was to refuse, but then he thought that although Orange Group could not compare with Bubu Ointment now, it was no longer the small company with an unstable supply chain.

Yuancheng's gaseous lithium battery technology is globally leading, and Orange Technology's micro-electric motor power supplies international giants. Orange mobile phones also consistently rank first in sales among the "four small factories" in China.

Furthermore, as one of the thirty-two directors of the officially certified China Entrepreneurs Club, his position is no longer one that anyone can easily control.

"Okay, I'll be there at nine o'clock the day after tomorrow!" Chen Mo finally agreed.

After hanging up the phone, he leaned back in his chair and pondered.
Based on the initial "technology, industry, and trade" approach, entrepreneurs in the flower-growing business community can actually be simply divided into three categories:
The worldly faction (primarily focused on trade, followed by industry, and lastly on technology; exemplified by the Dai Mountain Association, which is characterized by high-profile actions and considerable controversy)
The Hermit Faction (primarily engaged in industry, holding assets in the industrial chain, secondarily in trade, and secondarily in technology; for example, the Newcastle Golf Club in North America; they operate in secrecy, and their members are mostly asset tycoons)
The tech-driven group (technology is king; they only own core factories, trade is secondary; they are mostly independent technology companies without a unified organization)

He didn't want to get involved in these circles, but he happened to have good relationships with Lei Jun, who belonged to the worldly faction, and Shen Yiwei, who belonged to the hermit faction.

Although being in the entertainment circle is exhausting, you can occasionally find a lucky break.

For example, when Chen Mo went to Lei Jun's wine tasting event, he discovered Zhang Yiming's Neihan Duanzi project. ByteDance was among the angel investors, and now Neihan Duanzi's daily active users have exceeded one million. Recently, Toutiao has been developing it!

"If Mr. Duan invites me to join the New Zealand Fan Club, how should I politely decline?"

Chen Mo pondered how to politely decline, then got up, picked up the internal phone, pressed "9," and summoned his secretary, Zhou Yumeng. "Reschedule all my appointments for two days from now. Have Xiao Zheng prepare the car. We'll go to the Longhua International Golf Course at nine o'clock the day after tomorrow!" Chen Mo instructed.

Zhou Yumeng nodded in agreement, but did not turn around and leave.

Chen Mo raised an eyebrow: "Is there anything else?"

"Mr. Chen is going to the golf course, he must be going to play golf, right?" Zhou Yumeng asked.

"As Manager Chen from the Shancheng store mentioned before, Valentina Orange has designed a new series of sportswear, including quick-drying clothes and sneakers. They can be ready to deliver it to you whenever you travel!"

Chen Mo was stunned.

His second sister, Chen Lan, really treats Valentina Orange as his "exclusive wardrobe"?

Tomorrow is a private party, and we won't be in the public eye, so dressing too flamboyantly would seem deliberate.

But Chen Mo still asked, "We need it tomorrow, is there enough time?"

"Don't worry, Mr. Chen, the Valentina oranges are manufactured by Longhua Linlang Apparel Trade Co., Ltd. They have a dedicated team that will be working hard tonight to deliver your size first thing tomorrow morning!" Zhou Yumeng said with a smile.

"This Manager Chen, with his clothing store, has taken away my freedom to dress as I please?" Chen Mo joked.

"If you don't want to wear it, just tell Manager Chen, and she definitely won't force you!"

Zhou Yumeng laughed too. Usually, she was serious and focused during her workouts, so it was rare for her to joke around with Chen Mo like this today.

Chen Mo suddenly became interested: "Xiao Meng, go to the marketing department and find Zhao Tiezhu. Get Valentina Orange's revenue and profit statements for the first three quarters. I want to see how much money this 'exclusive wardrobe' actually made!"

Zhou Yumeng responded and left, while Chen Mo opened Weibo and began editing the eulogy using the verified account "Orange-Chen Mo".

He didn't want to follow the trend of "paying tribute" or take the opportunity to promote his own products; he just wanted to say what was on his mind.

The first Weibo post was very simple: "Hello everyone, I am Chen Mo, the founder of Orange!"

The second Weibo post was written with exceptional care.

"Robbs reshaped the way humans interact with computers with the Apple phone. His departure was not only the fall of a genius, but also a questioning of the alienated nature of technology."

While tech giants are engrossed in the battle for market share and obsessed with stock price fluctuations, do they still remember the original intention of the MacIntash era: to 'bring technology back to its human touch'?

The accompanying image is a yellowed letter paper with his handwritten words "Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish," a motto he gave when he returned to Pinggo in 1997.

The moment the Weibo post was published, the comment section exploded.

"Holy crap! CEO Chen finally opened a Weibo account! I thought the boss of Orange was Zhao Tiezhu!"

The comment by netizen "Roasted Pig Running All Over the Mountain" was instantly pushed to the top of the hot comments, followed by a string of exclamation marks.

"Mr. Chen! May I ask if you really have a net worth of over 20 billion?"

"I'm devastated by the idea of ​​'bringing technology back to humanity.' May Laubus rest in peace. I hope Mr. Chen can stay true to his original aspirations and not just think about making money like other manufacturers!" commented a netizen who claimed to be a "ten-year Apple fan."

Some netizens even started "making a scene".

"It's reasonable to suspect that Mr. Chen is an alien!"
Otherwise, how could he have developed so many cutting-edge technologies at such a young age, such as gaseous lithium batteries, gyroscopes, and micro motors?

He also works part-time as a 'gangster boss' (doge)!
After all, there were rumors that the oranges were actually Zhao Tiezhu's business, which he had "seized by trickery and force."

Chen Mo smiled and scrolled through a few comments before Zhou Yumeng returned with the report.

He took the report and casually flipped through it, then froze instantly.

Revenue of 2000 million, profit of 1260 million!
Although it's nothing compared to Orange Mobile's weekly revenue of nearly 7 million, these are just two "knock-off" brands that Second Sister opened in the Orange Building flagship stores in Chongqing and Lanzhou!

He continued reading, and the report explained it very clearly.

The Shancheng store generated 1200 million yuan in revenue, while the new Lancheng store, which had just opened, only generated 100 million yuan in revenue. The remaining 700 million yuan came entirely from Taobao and Jingdong's e-commerce channels.

"Valentina actually managed to get through the online sales channels that Orange phones couldn't?"

Chen Mo was both surprised and delighted. He immediately opened Taobao and searched for "Valentina oranges". Sure enough, the official flagship store popped up.

The top-selling item is a pair of bright red high heels with a huge "Valentina" logo printed on the heel, making them both hot and eye-catching.

The second place went to a black handbag with a prominent logo.

Neither of them would be noticeable without careful reading; the small print of "orange" under "Valentina" would be easily missed.

"This design is too flashy. If I wear it out, I'm afraid I'll be mistaken for a 'nouveau riche'!"

Chen Mo sighed, but then he thought that to avoid trouble from Italy's "genuine Valentina" in the future, he might as well just acquire the other party.

He immediately turned on his computer and checked the information about Valentina.

The brand is divided into three lines: low-end, mid-range, and high-end. The low-end line mainly produces affordable clothing with a market value of less than 1000 million US dollars, while the mid-range line produces accessible luxury bags with a market value of approximately 3800 million US dollars.

As for the high-end market, they truly make luxury goods, with a market value of over 50 billion US dollars. They're not to be trifled with!
"Why not just take over both the low-end and mid-range markets, like Coca-Cola killed off domestic cola, and completely shut down foreign brands! Valentina Oranges can counterattack the Ohio market, buy fashion week sponsorships and magazine covers, and who dares to say that Valentina Oranges aren't genuine!"

Chen Mo made a quick decision and picked up the internal phone to call Lin Junfeng.

"After finishing those three acquisitions, I'll go to Italy and acquire both the low-end and mid-range Valentina businesses. I'll shut down the low-end business and move the design team and production lines of the mid-range business back to China. From now on, I'll only retain the 'Valentina Orange' brand."

By the way, tell the design team to add more floral elements in the future, and stop using such an overly flamboyant logo!

I can't persuade my second sister myself, she might not listen, so I'd better let the design team give her their advice!

After hanging up the phone, Chen Mo glanced at the report again. Valentina Orange's gross profit margin was as high as 63%, which was much higher than Orange Mobile's 13%!
The domestic luxury goods market has been growing for the past 18 years, so this investment is definitely worthwhile.

Moreover, this brand was started by his second sister, and he plans to make it independent in the future so that she can hold shares and operate it, which can be regarded as a "startup reward".

At that moment, Zhou Yumeng knocked on the door and came in.

"Mr. Chen, the Valentina Orange sportswear will be delivered first thing tomorrow morning!"

Chen Mo nodded and waved in acknowledgment.

After Zhou Yumeng understood, she left, while he leaned back in his chair, watching the sunset outside the floor-to-ceiling window.

Laubers' passing is like a mirror, reflecting the restlessness and ambition within the industry.

Some manufacturers are busy using the hype to set their tone, while others are eager to grab market share. But Chen Mo knows clearly that what he wants to do is never to follow the trend, but to stay true to his original aspirations.

We need to solidify the core technology of oranges, and also help Valentina Oranges, a "luxury" brand that unexpectedly emerged during the company's development, get it on track and then spin it off to operate independently.

In his view, true strength is never about having a large scale, but about doing what needs to be done thoroughly.

He never wanted to expand his business empire in a way that was large but not strong, or that was merely superficial.

Even so, Chen Mo had to admit that Orange's business was indeed too diversified now.

From mobile phones, batteries, micro motors, and small appliances, to the Internet, centralized procurement alliances, and then to the unexpected foray into the luxury goods sector, we have acquired a port city group!
This was all the work Chen Mo had previously done haphazardly, or perhaps it was the work that restless employees had taken the initiative to develop!
Chen Mo had considered streamlining and consolidating the business, but firstly, he lacked sufficient management experience, and secondly, he had to keep an eye on the core business, so he simply didn't have the energy to sort out these "extra businesses."

After much deliberation, Chen Mo could only maintain the status quo for the time being and wait for a suitable opportunity and manpower to gradually plan for reform.

This is a step that Orange must take; group-based reform is now imminent!

(End of this chapter)