Rebirth 08: Can a mobile game company also build a tech empire?

A plane from Hangzhou slowly landed at Beijing Capital International Airport.

Lu Chen dragged his suitcase out of the terminal.

I just returned to Hangzhou from Shaanxi Province less than two days ago.

Now they've come all the way to the capital.

Standing at the terminal exit, the cold wind whipped up dry sand and dust that lashed against my face.

In mid-February, the weather in Beijing is quite cold.

He took a deep breath of the dry, dusty air of the north and tightened the collar of his down jacket with his hand.

I flagged down a taxi and headed straight for the hotel.

Along the way, Lu Chen carefully observed Beijing in 2009.

This is Lu Chen's first time in the capital since his rebirth.

If he remembers correctly.

The CCTV building in Chaoyang District, commonly known as "Big Pants," has just been completed and is not yet officially in use.

The Huaxiazun building next to Guanghua Road doesn't exist yet; construction didn't begin until 2013.

At this time, a cluster of well-known internet companies began to take shape.

For example, Zhongguancun, known as China's Silicon Valley, has now attracted well-known companies such as Lenovo, Sina, Baidu, and Kingsoft.

Areas like Zhichun Road, Wangjing, and Wudaokou, which are expected to become hubs for future internet companies, are still in their early stages.

Houchangcun, which will be known as the center of China's Internet universe in the future.

It wasn't until around 2015, with the completion of the second phase of Zhongguancun Software Park, that large companies gradually began to move in.

Lu Chen's goal for this trip was very clear.

This is the smartphone field that ZhengTu Technology is about to enter.

Seeking the most critical system support.

Lu Chen wanted to contact Google China.

We are striving to collaborate with Google to develop a deeply customized version of the Android system.

In 2009, Google China was still under the leadership of Kai-Fu Lee.

Despite facing fierce competition from Baidu, the search business still wields considerable influence among tech professionals and developers.

More importantly, the Android system is expanding rapidly around the world, and Google urgently needs partners to promote the implementation of this ecosystem in China.

After much searching, Lu Chen finally located Google's office in China.

Google's China office is located in an inconspicuous office building in Zhongguancun, HD District.

Compared to the gleaming internet company buildings around it, it appears low-key and pragmatic.

10:00 AM, Google China office.

The receptionist checked Lu Chen's appointment and politely led him to a small meeting room.

"Manager Wang will be here shortly, please wait a moment."

Lu Chen sat down and looked around the reception room, which was full of Silicon Valley style.

Promotional materials for Google China were hanging on the walls of the reception room.

It gives a general overview of Google's business operations and achievements in China.

Looking out from the glass wall of the reception room, you can see part of the staff's office area.

Employees are busy at their open-plan workstations.

In the brightly colored rest area, several employees sat together discussing projects.

Although Lu Chen did not go in.

But at this moment, the air seemed to be filled with the aroma of American coffee and creativity.

Lu Chen nodded.

"So this is what big companies are like."

Ten minutes later, a man in his thirties wearing a Google logo T-shirt pushed open the door and came in.

"Is it Mr. Lu?"

Sorry to keep you waiting, I just had a meeting.

Manager Wang extended his hand, his tone polite but distant.

We have received your email regarding your intention to cooperate.

Google adopts an open-source strategy for Android.

In principle, all manufacturers are welcome to develop custom versions based on native Android.

What specific type of support do you require?

Lu Chen took out a project proposal from his briefcase.

The cover simply displays a title:

ZUI: A Deeply Customized System Solution Based on Android

"This is the Android deep customization system solution planned by our team."

Lu Chen pushed the proposal over.

"It's not a simple skin or UI change."

Instead, it involves a system-level overhaul of Android.

To better suit the usage habits and needs of Chinese users,

You can take a look first.

Manager Wang took the proposal, casually flipped through a few pages, and frowned slightly.

"Call recording, spam blocking, personalized wallpapers, app categorization..."

He read aloud the items listed in Lu Chen's plan one by one.

Fifteen minutes later, Manager Wang looked up.

"There is indeed market demand for these features."

But Mr. Lu,

These kinds of customization needs,

We recommend that manufacturers develop their own solutions.

Google primarily provides underlying framework support.

This does not involve specific functional implementation.

"I understand."

Lu Chen nodded.

"But the core value of this plan does not lie in the list of features."

The key lies in rethinking the system architecture.

The stock Android system still follows desktop-like thinking in many of its interaction logics.

Mobile devices should have their own interaction philosophy.

Manager Wang flipped through a few more pages.

My gaze lingered briefly on headings such as system-level permission management, intelligent notification categorization, and cross-application data flow.

Finally, the plan was closed.

"The plan is very insightful, Mr. Lu."

He gave a professional smile.

"I will forward this material to my colleagues in the technical department for evaluation."

However, I need to remind you that

The primary task of Google China's technical team is currently to promote the infrastructure development of the Android ecosystem.

For example, GMS services, map APIs, and localization of the GG platform.

Major feature customizations require headquarters approval.

The process is lengthy and highly uncertain;

The functions you mentioned,

In theory, any manufacturer can make it themselves.

Having said all that, Lu Chen knew that the joint customization approach was no longer viable.

"Could you please forward this to the technical lead responsible for Android system localization strategy?"

Lu Chen persisted.

Even if it's just for reference.

"I will try my best."

Manager Wang's promise sounded unconvincing.

Leaving the Google office.

Lu Chen stood on the streets of Zhongguancun, watching the crowds coming and going.

He wasn't too frustrated.

Because this was exactly what Lu Chen had expected.

After all, Google in 2009 had not yet realized the special nature of the Chinese market.

They are still viewing the Android ecosystem with a globally unified mindset.

We'll have to wait until Xiaomi's MIUI is successfully implemented.

Only then will Google recognize the importance of the Chinese market.

They even started to borrow features from customized systems.

……

Three days later, in the afternoon, inside Google China's office building.

Lin Bing concluded the meeting with the product team regarding the localization adaptation of Android version 1.1.

He returned to his workstation, looking slightly tired.

As the Vice President of the Engineering Research Institute of Google China.

His main job is to be responsible for mobile search and Android system localization.

So Lin Bing has been thinking about a question lately.

How can Android truly win over the Chinese market?

Stock Android is good.

However, many designs do not conform to the habits of Chinese users.

For example, the Android system is not yet fully localized in Chinese; many pages and secondary menus are still in English.

Furthermore, there isn't even a proper Chinese input method yet.

How could Android possibly be welcomed in the Chinese market with such a half-finished product?

Lin Bing's gaze inadvertently swept over the workstation next door.

On Manager Wang's desk.

A thick project proposal was carelessly placed on top of a pile of documents.

The word "ZUI" on the cover caught his attention.

"What is this?" Lin Bing walked over and picked it up.

"Oh, a proposal from a startup."

They want to collaborate with us to customize an Android system.

Manager Wang looked up and glanced at it.

"I've looked through it and have some ideas, but our procedures aren't working, so we're preparing to archive them."