Tech startup: I really do make mobile phones!

Chapter 245 Orange 3 Released
Takihwa, Building B, Yuancheng Building, 10th Floor, Shared Meeting Room No. 5.

A silent tension filled the air.

The meeting room was implicitly divided into two camps: on the left was the local design force WAD (domestic) team, and on the right was the internationally renowned firm AEC (North America) team.

They have devoted three months of effort to researching and conceptualizing the design plan for Orange Town, the "global headquarters" of the Orange Group.

Today is the day to truly put our ideas to the test and convince the final decision-maker with the first draft.

This arrangement, where everyone is scheduled to speak in the same meeting room and take turns, undoubtedly intensifies the competition.

One talk can determine life or death!
The conference room door was pushed open, and the familiar Gong Yun walked in, followed by a young man with a gentle smile.

Instantly, all eyes were focused on it.

The core members of both teams immediately realized that the results of their three months of hard work would be decided by this seemingly easy-going young man who was actually the true core decision-maker of the Orange Group.

Gong Yun walked to the front of the conference room and gave a brief introduction to both parties.

"Everyone, this is Mr. Chen Mo, the general manager of Orange Technology! Today's plan will be finalized by Mr. Chen."

"Hello, Mr. Chen!" The heads of both teams immediately stood up to greet him.

The head of AEC (North America), a middle-aged man with blond hair and blue eyes, spoke fluent and precise Mandarin: "Mr. Chen, it is a great honor to present our ideas to you!"

The formal presentation of the proposal has begun.

First up was the WAD (domestic) team. Their lead designer confidently presented their meticulously crafted rendered animations and PowerPoint presentation.

"President Chen, President Gong, our core design concept is 'symbiosis of nature and technology,' which deeply symbolizes the shape of oranges and runs through the entire park."

"Look, the core of the park will be this 'half-orange dome' venue."

On the screen, a huge building, resembling the cross-section of a sliced ​​orange, rises from the ground, its structure magnificent.

"It symbolizes the core technology and corporate culture of the Orange Group."

We plan to use a semi-transparent ETFE film structure with an integrated 4K LED screen.

During the day, it resembles the plump flesh of an orange, with soft, penetrating light;
At night, it transforms into a giant dynamic display screen, capable of playing product promotional videos or artistic visuals, becoming a new landmark in Longhua and even Shenzhen.

"Surrounding the giant dome is the 'seven-segment orange' office cluster."

The scene shifts to seven curved buildings resembling the Burj Al Arab hotel, like slices of orange, elegantly surrounding the central giant egg.

"Each segment represents a company in the Orange Group. The curved glass curtain wall and metal frame outline the texture of the fruit pulp, while the solar panel dividing line at the top cleverly simulates the stem of an orange."

Between the buildings, we will plant real orange trees, combined with smart drip irrigation, to create a unique interactive experience of greenery and scent.

The designers further explained the energy-saving benefits of the "semi-orange giant egg's" suspension net shell structure, 120-meter super-large span, retractable roof, and orange-red gradient ETFE membrane.

The interior is designed with a technology display layer and a commercial interaction layer, and incorporates a vertical green wall to enhance the visual metaphor of "fruit pulp" and "fruit peel".

The Seven Petals office building emphasizes the integration of practicality with brand identity, such as smart dimming glass, a shared meeting center, and interconnected ground-level corridors.

“Our design draws inspiration from cutting-edge international landmark architecture, such as the circular structure of Pingguo, but innovatively transforms it into a ‘semi-orange’ form with more oriental connotations, highlighting the balance between technology and nature.”

Technically, we will integrate IoT-based intelligent operation and maintenance, and use some environmentally friendly materials provided by Orange Creation Materials.

At night, a light and shadow art show titled "The Growth of Oranges" can be staged through the giant egg's external screen and laser projections onto the seven-petal office building, creating a memorable brand experience.

Finally, the total estimated cost was displayed on the screen: 16.28 billion yuan.

Next, the AEC (North America) team took the stage, and their proposal was equally refreshing.

"President Chen, President Gong, our concept is 'vertical ecology and modular technology,' which transforms the growth process of oranges into an architectural narrative."

“Our core is ‘Orange Planet’!” A spherical building covered with solar panels appeared on the screen, exuding a futuristic feel.

"It symbolizes inexhaustible innovation, and the photovoltaic panels on the surface simulate the photosynthesis of orange peel, with the goal of achieving 40% energy self-sufficiency in the park."

At night, its projected light and shadow can dynamically simulate the texture of fruit peel.

"Echoing this is the 'Orange Petal Beehive' office area."

The seven modular building units are inspired by orange petals, but with a greater emphasis on flexibility and ecology.

Each 'honeycomb' unit has a vertical garden on top, creating an ecological interaction of 'flesh'.

Modular design allows for flexible combination of interior spaces according to needs.

The buildings are closely connected by underground walkways inspired by the roots of oranges.

AEC's solution also includes functional areas such as holographic projection displays, VR experience zones, and smart home showrooms, and emphasizes the use of sustainable materials such as its spherical reticulated shell structure, recycled concrete, and fiber composite panels.

Their light and shadow art also focuses on "orange growth".

Finally, their total budget was 15.50 billion yuan.

After listening to the statements from both families, Chen Mo leaned back slightly and fell into thought.

The screen played renderings and promotional videos of the two plans in a loop, both of which were visually striking and imaginative, making full use of the orange brand symbol.

Of course, the cost is also considerable, almost equivalent to the investment in building a Wanda Plaza.

Orange's profits last year were tax-exempt, and it was only 18.8 billion yuan, making this investment enormous.

Chen Mo understood why WAD's budget was nearly 100 million higher. The core reason was the concept of the "half-orange giant egg" inner and outer screens, which required high-specification 4K LCD screens imported from Sanjing or Sonix, resulting in high costs.

AEC's solution is more practical and sustainable, using solar panels for coverage, which is more cost-effective in the long run.

However, Chen Mo's primary goals in building this global headquarters landmark are brand promotion and visual impact.

Since such a huge amount of money has already been invested, there is no need to skimp on the core highlights that can generate the greatest buzz.

A thought even flashed through his mind:
The "Alaska Dome" of later generations became a global focus due to its external dynamic display capabilities. If WAD's solution is realized, then the honor of "the world's first giant dome dynamic screen" will likely belong to Orange's "Half Orange Dome".

Almost instantly, Chen Mo made his decision.

"I am very grateful to the AEC team for bringing us a solution that is full of ecological wisdom and modular foresight."

Chen Mo first politely acknowledged AEC's efforts, then turned his attention to the WAD team.

"However, after comprehensive consideration, I believe that WAD's proposal, with its iconic visual symbol created by the 'half-orange giant dome' and the infinite brand display possibilities brought by the internal and external screens, is more in line with Orange Group's future expectations and positioning for the global headquarters image."

He paused, then said in a relaxed but unequivocal tone, "I choose WAD's option!"

There is a subtle factor behind this decision that is not known to outsiders.

AEC had previously led the design of the Xiong'an New Area project in China, but its subsequent development did not achieve the expected level of popularity.

Regardless of whether it was due to design flaws, when it came to major decisions involving investments of over a billion yuan in "Orange Town," he preferred to choose the side with no "failures."

The dust has settled.

Shortly after Chen Mo left, Gong Yun returned to the conference room and officially announced the results.

The WAD team erupted in long-suppressed cheers and excitement; three months of hard work had paid off.

The AEC team on the other side could not hide their disappointment. They silently began to pack up their equipment and left the scene dejectedly.

Follow-up work proceeded swiftly. Chen Mo entrusted Gong Yun with the entire responsibility for advancing the grand project of "Orange Town," which included the "Half-Orange Giant Egg" and the "Seven-Segment Orange" office cluster.

The project is divided into three phases, each lasting one year, for a total of three years to complete.
Phase 1: Construction of the core landmark, the "Half-Orange Giant Egg".

Phase Two: Construction of the "Seven-Petal Orange" Office Cluster.

Phase Three: Improvement of all supporting facilities and landscaping in the park.

As Chen Mo reviewed the detailed three-phase construction progress plan report submitted by Gong Yun, he lightly tapped the timeline with his finger, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes.

"It seems that if all goes well, our Orange 4 phone has a good chance of becoming the first product to have its global debut in the 'Half Orange Dome'."

He deftly signed his name on the report.

This grand project, which concerns the future image of the Orange Group, was entrusted to Gong Yun for overall coordination and management.

With the launch date of Orange 3 drawing ever closer, Orange Technology has entered the final sprint preparation stage.

Chen Mo even specifically adjusted Zhou Yumeng's work focus. During this critical period, her main responsibility was no longer as a secretary, but as the product's "Chief Experience Officer" (CXO).

The Shenzhen Grand Theatre was brightly lit.

The stage lights at the Orange 3 smartphone launch event were focused on the center, where Zhou Yumeng, dressed in a well-tailored bright orange business suit, stood calmly in the center of the stage.

Having experienced the Orange 2 launch event, the once somewhat green "little secretary" has now transformed into a product launch officer with a steady stage presence and elegant demeanor.

Despite her youthful appearance and somewhat impressive figure, her professional performance firmly captured everyone's attention.

Below the stage was an audience carefully organized by the Orange Technology administration team, including some "plants" to liven up the atmosphere, as well as invited reporters from various technology and financial media outlets.

Meanwhile, the press conference also followed the trend of being broadcast live online.

However, at the beginning, Orange Phone had limited online buzz, and the live stream was lukewarm. The few comments were mostly joking about "when will Orange Phone change its ancestral mini USB interface?" and "waiting for the price, I'll leave if it's too expensive."

Zhou Yumeng was not intimidated at all; she smiled and spoke eloquently.

"Good evening, friends from the media and fans of Orange! Welcome to the launch event for Orange 3."

She first reiterated the Orange series' original intention of "technology equality," and then got to the point, introducing the core experience of Orange 3.

The demonstration highlighted the performance of Orange 3 in several custom games:

The smooth drifting of "Orange Racing", the responsiveness of "Orange Run", the tower defense strategy of "Protect the Orange", and the light online battles of "Orange Wars".

Thanks to Shenzhen being one of the first cities to test 4G, the online gaming demonstration drew gasps of amazement from the audience, especially when Zhou Yumeng precisely controlled the race car to cross the finish line by tilting her phone, which elicited a round of applause.

"We know that a smooth gaming experience requires not only powerful performance, but also a calm and collected mind."

Zhou Yumeng then changed the subject, revealing one of Orange 3's biggest trump cards.

"Therefore, we have tailored a unique cooling system specifically for the Orange 3."

She picked up an obsidian black Orange 3 and projected a close-up of its back onto the big screen.

In the center of the glass back cover, a delicate copper tube meanders to form the outline of an orange.

“What you see is more than just decoration!” she explained. “This is our Orange Science’s independently developed ‘Vein Micro-Cooling System’.”

It can effectively cool the core processor during high-intensity use.

As soon as she finished speaking, she signaled to the backend to start an extreme performance test program.

On the large screen, you can clearly see that the CPU load inside the phone instantly reaches full capacity.

At that moment, an amazing scene unfolded.
The external copper tube on the back of the phone, which was originally a dark-colored "orange outline," has started to emit a fluorescent blue light from the inside!
The light, like flowing lava or the pulp of a ripe orange, slowly circulated along the copper tube, becoming brighter and brighter until it finally stabilized in a vibrant fluorescent orange.

Meanwhile, the temperature changes of the copper tube itself, through a special coating, give the "orange logo" a dynamic, "breathing" light effect.

"Wow!"

The entire audience erupted in the loudest and longest cheers and applause of the night!

Both the invited media and the "plants" were completely captivated by its unprecedented "cool appearance".

This is no longer a cold collection of technology, but an art that perfectly combines practical functions with visual aesthetics!
At the same time, the online live stream room completely exploded:
Holy crap! This cooling system is amazing!

"Orange's straight-male designer has changed! Who came up with this design? Come out and accept my bow!"

"Gradient logo! Is this really a low-end phone???"

"Who was just complaining about the outdated interface? With this design and aesthetics, does the interface even matter?"

"Fans who love good looks are ecstatic! Buy it! I have to buy it just for the back view alone!"

"This is amazing! The 'ripe orange' lighting effect is so creative!"

The previously lukewarm comments were instantly flooded with exclamation marks and words of praise, and the number of online viewers soared at a visible speed.

Zhou Yumeng seized the opportunity and began to briefly introduce the other core configurations:
It features a Hisilicon-specific Qilin C3V2 chip that supports 4G networks, long-lasting battery life thanks to Far Orange's second-generation gaseous lithium technology, a robust Orange Phoenix glass cover, and a magnesium-aluminum alloy frame.
Each configuration item announced sparked a flurry of discussion among the audience, because those in the know understood that these configuration combinations are typically only found in higher-priced mid-range phones.

Finally, the most exciting moment arrived: the price announcement.

Zhou Yumeng took a deep breath, and a huge number appeared on the large screen behind her.

"999 yuan!"

"boom"

The entire Shenzhen Grand Theatre seemed to have been hit by a depth charge!
After a brief silence, there came a deafening roar of exclamations, screams, and incredulous chatter!

"How much? 999!"

"Did I hear that right? This configuration costs 999?"

"This is insane! Orange is going to wipe out the budget phone market!"

"I'm buying it! I'm definitely buying it!"

"The price, the appearance, the configuration are amazing!"

Even the well-informed media reporters in the front row couldn't sit still, whispering among themselves, their faces filled with shock.

Some people have already started using their phones, ready to rush to release press releases.

Sitting in the front row of the guest seats, Chen Mo listened to the deafening roar behind him that seemed to lift the roof off, and looked at the incredulous expressions on the faces of the media people around him.

He was slightly taken aback at first, then the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up, revealing a smile of relief mixed with a hint of surprise.

To achieve the ultimate cost-effectiveness, the profit margin per unit of the Orange 3 will likely be the lowest in the history of the digital series.

But the scene before him, where the opening act was a bombshell and the crowd was in a frenzy, undoubtedly told him:
This start was a success!
Orange 3 is already halfway to success.

In just 15 minutes, all 80 units of stock prepared by Orange Technology's worst online channels were sold out. Keep in mind that this was a week's worth of stock that the marketing department had prepared!

The market enthusiasm was far greater than Chen Mo had anticipated.

(End of this chapter)