Those Years When I Was Forced to Top the Forbes List

Chapter 313 The news spreads
Wang Jianzhou and the people from the Software Alliance were all on their return flight the next day. After the press conference, they rested on the hotel floor of the conference center and had a lot of free time.

Chen Xuebing agreed to take the foreigners out for a late-night snack, so he booked a private room during the formal dinner time and talked with President Wang while eating.

The decision to place 30 contract phones was made by Wang Jianzhou after observing the press conference. While Chen Xuebing was having a private conversation with Director Wen, President Wang was also observing in the demonstration hall.

He believes that Singularity's potential customers in China will be no less than 20 million, and based on the current consumption power of the Chinese market, its sales in the first year will be no less than 600,000.

It's roughly between 60 and 70.

Wang Jianzhou only stated the result, not the reason. If he really had to explain, it would be, "There's nothing special about it, it's just a matter of practice."

Based on his professional experience, he has read too many reports. By comparing the market response of some innovative mobile phones from international big brands, adding the value of the Singularity system, and then subtracting Singularity's previously almost zero brand power weakness, the result is as follows.

He judged that for the Kunlun mobile phone from Qidian to exceed one million sales, it would have to be after the second generation.

China Mobile needs to accelerate its network construction. Kirin phones are now selling for a lower price than he expected, and they are equipped with TD basebands, making it the best window for 3G. Therefore, he is willing to give up his usual exclusive sales position for contract phones and, according to his own estimates, capture half of Qidian's sales as a promotional phone for 3G packages, selling it as a "3000 phone + 2000 3G package".

Delivery time should be half a month before the online pre-orders are fulfilled, so as to achieve simultaneous online and offline sales, increasing popularity and buzz.

However, the price offered was not very satisfactory.

3450 yuan.

Chen Xuebing immediately said that it was too low.

"The online pre-sale price of 3999 is just a gimmick. 4000 yuan is a large sum of money for Chinese people, and most people will be quite cautious. If we can sell 20,000 to 30,000 units in the pre-sale six months later, that would be good. Our real mass sales price will be after the official launch. The price on JD.com is 4200 yuan. If we add offline channels, the dealers will have to sell it for at least 4600 yuan. You take it and sell it with 3G packages, and you only get 3450 yuan back after 5000 yuan? That's too little."

Wang Jianzhou smiled and explained the situation clearly.

"JD.com helps you sell, you won't refuse to pay, will you? Offline distributors are pressured by our prices, they can't sell this much, and they still have to find profits from you. You can only negotiate up to 3,600 or 3,700. Mr. Chen, we pay in one lump sum, we can transfer the money as soon as the contract is signed. But the distributors want to delay your payment cycle. You're in finance, you must be aware of the cost of capital occupation."

After saying that, he said leisurely, "You manufacturers only need to earn a few hundred dollars. Why not leave the sales to us?"

They were all insiders; he didn't believe Chen Xuebing's actual cost was 3265.

He was unaware of Chen Xuebing's supply chain collaboration with Apple, and since he had visited the demonstration hall and knew the materials used, which were indeed expensive, he could only guess conservatively that it was around 2,800 or 2,900.

Chen Xuebing was also making plans.

The original supply order price cannot be changed. Based on the current exchange rate and some fluctuating contracts, the cost is about 3100, plus my own assembly cost, which is about 50.

However, this supply list only included 15 units.

For subsequent production, he plans to reduce material costs to below 2400 and assembly costs to below 2450.

Actually, if it weren't for the difficulties with Marvell, I would have definitely cut the material cost to 2200.

At a price of 3450, you can definitely make a profit.

The key is 300,000 units, which would cost 10.35 billion yuan. That would be enough to start up production.

How long will it take to sign the contract and make payment?

"It's best to come in through bidding. The bidding process takes about half a month. Once the contract is signed, half can be paid, and the remaining balance can be paid after delivery and acceptance."

Chen Xuebing pondered for a moment and said, "3450 is too low, it won't cover the cost. Let's add 100, and make it 3550."

After saying that, their eyes met.

When Chen Xuebing quoted this price, General Manager Wang naturally understood what he was referring to.

“Okay, three thousand five.” Wang Jianzhou wasted no time.

Chen Xuebing laughed, recalling how Jobs had shouted "Eighty, eighty" like he was swinging a sledgehammer a few hours earlier.

"I still prefer doing business with Chinese people; everyone can find something of value there."

That fifty yuan margin was the sense of gain that Wang Jianzhou had left for him in advance.

Wang Jianzhou chuckled and said, "When it comes to bargaining, you're the best. Today at the press conference, you disassembled the device to market it and managed to sell it for 6,000 yuan. That was brilliant. Even I thought it should be sold for 4999 yuan. But if it were that price, we wouldn't have this deal."

Chen Xuebing smiled at “4999”: “This price is reasonable. If Chinese manufacturers wanted to make a phone with this configuration, they could probably only sell it for 4999 or higher. I believe consumers would understand, and most of them would still buy it. But this price is a failure for me. It means that I don’t have the ability to control the situation and can only compromise with the supply chain. What I want to do is not to be a payment tool for international manufacturers, but to be a Qidian that the people will give a thumbs up and say is awesome.”

Wang Jianzhou paused, scrutinized Chen Xuebing, and then sighed, "Those who achieve great things are not bound by the gains and losses of a single city or place. I think President Chen has that quality."

Chen Xuebing pulled out a napkin from the table, wiped his mouth with a flourish, and said nonchalantly:
"I'm a pretty meticulous person, but as long as Mr. Wang isn't trying to bargain, you can praise me however you want."

"Hahaha"

The following day, Xinhua News Agency published a press release titled "Singularity Smartphones Enter a New Era of 'Touch'", reporting on the launch event from the perspective of product innovation and cooperation under a global vision, interpreting Steve Jobs' presence at the event as "an international technology giant's recognition of China's innovative power".

The report used relatively official language, but it clearly mentioned the name of Singularity directly, without using a euphemism like "domestic mobile phone".

Subsequent reports seemed to have set the tone. Mainstream media outlets unanimously used the names Singularity and Kylin directly, without using the term "domestic," and focused on reporting the groundbreaking significance of the Kunlun OS system in terms of operation, emphasizing its smooth touch interaction experience.

The perspectives of Shanghai's local metropolitan and evening newspapers are rather diverse.

"Internet access with just a few taps! Kirin phones draw thousands to queue for a test drive."

"3999 Yuan! Domestic 'Apple Phone' Released Yesterday"

"Can't phone batteries be replaced anymore? Kirin-compatible 'power banks' debut"

Kirin Real-World Review: A Revolution at Your Fingertips, Enjoy Smooth WiFi Connectivity!

In the realm of online media, some technology-focused online media outlets and technology channels of portal websites inexplicably received a message from the Ministry of Information Industry.

Originally, no one sent anyone to the scene to conduct interviews, and some people didn't even know about it. But now, the person directly in charge has spoken up and provided a framework for reporting.

To report or not to report?
We absolutely have to report it!
The tech section was completely bewildered when they received the assignment. Luckily, this matter had been advertised on CCTV, so there were many traces of it online, and a lot of related information was released that day. By noon, they started working on it, scrambling to find information and copying others' work. It was from noon onwards that the tide began to turn.

In-depth analysis of Kirin: The advantages and disadvantages of its closed design; will power banks become standard equipment?

Steve Jobs appears at Kirin launch event, sparking speculation about joint development.

Is a Kirin processor worth 3999 yuan? New phone features: power bank and Wi-Fi

Because two Shanghai newspapers wrote about "power banks" and Wi-Fi, many online media outlets copied this as a key task, and the more they copied, the more outrageous it became. Some media even claimed that these two things were an industrial revolution.

Netizens are furious.

Netizens from forums such as ZOL, PConline, and Tianya attended the press conference and immediately began writing articles, resulting in a large number of user experience posts, real device photos, and parameter comparisons appearing on the forums.

A new smartphone with a domestically developed smart operating system has been released, and it's incredibly high-end!

The price isn't expensive either! Compared to the Nokia N95's launch price of over 8,000 yuan, it's only half the price!
The geeks (computer and internet enthusiasts) are having a great time, eating hot pot and singing songs.

When I went outside, I saw those media outlets.
What the hell did you write?!
"Deep analysis" my ass? Is this how you usually fool us?

Routers and power banks are the fucking Industrial Revolution?!
Routers are revolutionary, but what did I use to access the local area network a few years ago?
Portable power banks are revolutionary, so what do I carry on the back of my electric scooter?
That evening, a "SB Tech Media Ranking" appeared on various forums.

Reposted one after another.

...

The next day, as the criticism intensified, the Economic Daily published an article on its website.

Singularity Kirin Defines the Next Generation of Mobile Experience – Launch Event a Phenomenal Sales Success

This article not only features an interview with Lu Weibing, president of Singularity, detailing Singularity's journey from UI research to the arduous process of building the entire OS, but also provides a detailed report on the impressive demo experience. It focuses on touch smoothness, Starlink functionality, real-world web browsing speed, and Wi-Fi connectivity, comparing the operational differences and user experience of Symbian, Windows Mobile, and Blackberry systems. Furthermore, it objectively points out the inconvenience and reasons for the lack of MicroSD card expansion.

The company also invited industry analysts to analyze its pricing strategy: is it about seizing market share and cultivating users, or is it about effective cost control? The analysis explored its potential impact on the domestic mobile phone market pricing system and the influence of online pre-sales on offline distribution models.

In addition, the necessity of the portable power bank and WIFI module router proposed by Qidian was evaluated.

It can be described as a very comprehensive in-depth report.

Chen Xuebing had agreed to this interview with Lu Weibing in advance. The reporter wanted to interview Mr. Chen in Shanghai the next day, but after learning that Mr. Chen had already returned to Shenzhen, he had to return home, which caused the report to be a day late.

This very day inspired many websites to write about the industrial revolution of power banks and routers.

This also contributed to the prestigious reputation of the Economic Daily.

Netizens praised: "This is what responsible media looks like! This is the kind of content we want to see!"
Look at people!

Geeks are furiously criticizing those "tech media" that only pick up fringe terms and make things up. Netizens who don't understand are asking questions, and netizens from technical forums are explaining things to them. Information about the Singularity phone launch event is spreading online.

On the third day, after several rounds of security and stress testing, the official website of Singularity, QD.COM, was officially launched.

The website's homepage features a three-day countdown to the online pre-sale.

The company introduction section on the side has an icon for "Press Conference". Clicking it will take you to a webpage with a 60-minute full video of the press conference loaded in RealPlayer.

The previous clamor of gongs and drums turned into collective silence at this moment.

The technical posts online are on a completely different level from the amazing demonstrations and system explanations on site. The high-definition video allowed netizens who follow Qilin to experience the shocking atmosphere of the scene as if they were there.

From Steve Jobs's calm yet unsettling "kindling material" in the video, to a girl's tearful moment captured during the Starlink feature demonstration, to the audience's enthusiastic participation in pricing and the frenzy surrounding the announcement of the final price, everyone viewed this launch event from the perspective of watching post-event reports, yet still felt the fervor of a revolution erupting.

The press conference was full of new internet concepts. It wasn't a cold, technical presentation, but a technological feast that ignited dreams!

Just when everyone was still enjoying the video, they suddenly discovered that there was a comment section below it!
It was like a giant magnet, instantly attracting all the eager eyes that had previously been scattered across forums, online communities, and even word of mouth.

@Zhongguancun Lao Zhang: "Even watching the HD video again after being there gives me goosebumps! Mr. Chen's demonstration of the smoothness of webpage zooming was even clearer in the video than in person. I have to say, the mobile experience in the demo room was absolutely silky smooth! Symbian and Windows Mobile really should retire! I'm speechless. There are only three days left until the pre-sale. Mr. Chen said it will only sell for one million, and I'll stay up all night to grab one! Nobody can stop me!"
3314
@Tianya Sightseeing Group Leader: "I'm so angry! Those idiot media outlets that talked about a 'power bank industrial revolution,' come out and stand up straight! I spent a whole day arguing with those rumor-mongers on the forum, my lips are practically worn out! Now the official high-definition video is right in their faces! Open your eyes and take a look! The key point is their system! It's the touch experience! It's Starlink! WIFI and power banks are complementary services, and Mr. Chen clearly said it was to 'ensure a complete experience'! The official website video is a truth serum, exposing all that trash media's dirty secrets! Economic Daily is awesome! Singularity is awesome!"

2713
[Reply] @JusticePasserby: Thumbs up for the leader! The official video made all those reports of demons and monsters look like a joke! That's satisfying!
[Reply] @MediaObserver: Indeed, the official video's reach far surpasses all false reports. The source of information is extremely important.

@YourOldWang: "I'm ecstatic about the technical details! At 47 minutes and 15 seconds into the video, you get a glimpse of background multitasking! Although it's just a fleeting moment, the card-style preview and the smoothness show that they've really gone all out with the underlying optimization! And the browser kernel—the speed at which it loads portal websites is even faster than my computer using IE6 (although IE6 is also garbage)... Kunlun OS has huge potential! Developers, a new ecosystem opportunity has arrived! I'm already looking for the SDK documentation!"

1718
[Reply] @Independent Developer: Same here! Is it open source? Is the development environment user-friendly? Looking for beta testing access!

[Reply] @Singularity Technical Customer Service (Official): Thank you for your attention! The developer program and SDK will be announced soon. Please pay attention to the official website announcement.

@ChunChun's Little Fan: "Please give me some hearts! I want to be in the front row!"

928
Those who are observant have already noticed.

Each name is preceded by an @ symbol, and each comment is followed by an @ symbol.

The more numbers follow a comment, the higher it appears in the list.

what is this?
Click.

928 instantly became 929!

???

It's just a video page, why make such a fuss?

Someone tried to speak up and give themselves a little heart, and then sent the message they had prepared.

?

Register for Alipay account?

(End of this chapter)