Reinventing the Millennium

Fang Zhuo’s Spring Festival this year is as lively as in previous years.

Although he is more concerned about and worried about the situation encountered by the ice core, the storm has not yet arrived, and business development in other sectors is still in full swing.

The evening of the 22nd is the Year of the Dragon Spring Festival Gala. However, listening to the sound on TV during the festive reunion time will inevitably make some people feel regretful. Yike held an impressive New Year’s Eve party last year, so why not this year? Is it done?

If you think about it carefully, you have to blame Penguin for not living up to expectations.

However, this year, Penguin and Yike did not spend much effort to compete for Spring Festival Gala sponsorship. E-commerce and Alibaba were not polite. In the end, Alibaba was the better, but even so, the amount did not exceed that of Penguin last year.

Alibaba’s Alipay incident has come to an end, and it will obviously make efforts to promote mobile payments this year. However, this strategic judgment does not make Yike panic, because...Yixin’s siphon effect is really great!

As long as Alibaba does not control the traffic entrance, it will achieve half the result with twice the result when it starts promotion. Yike will also have a psychological advantage when competing, just like...

Penguin had the same psychological advantage when facing Yi Xin.

Including Sina, which was radiated by Yixin Traffic, also expressed similar emotions to Yixin's senior executives. Is this what it feels like to be a traffic giant?

Ask him how clear he is? Come for living water from a source.

A ticket in the mobile Internet era has been confirmed.

On the first day of the new year, Fang Zhuo was a little quieter than yesterday. In addition to the usual phone calls and text messages to express blessings, he stayed at home and chatted with his family for a long time, and was also nagged for a long time.

At night, he finally couldn't help it and called Liang Mengsong.

Yesterday, Fang Zhuo sent a letter wishing the academician a happy New Year, but received no response. Today he still wanted to ask about the evolution of technology.

"It's hard to say." Liang Mengsong is a workaholic, but after a moment of silence, he said, "The work task is a bit heavy. Although this matter is important, it is not that urgent."

Although Professor Hu Zhengming and Professor Hu are the chief technology officer of Bingxin, Liang Mengsong, the co-CEO, is actually more responsible for this work.

Bingxin has three urgent tasks ahead of it this year. The first is the 32nm second-generation HKMG process, which is related to the performance of Yike's flagship chip. The second is the promotion and implementation of 28nm, which is related to the advancement of process technology.

This third is the development argument for the next step.

"Okay, okay, well, this is a heavy workload, but you must also pay attention to your health." This was the first time Fang Zhuo heard Dr. Liang's words, and he really didn't know how to respond.

Bingxin has started research and development in three shifts, and the team led by Liang Mengsong puts the liver first.

It’s really hard to push both emotions and reasons.

"Well, you can see your good health every day. You... you Yike are really, really making progress." Liang Mengsong said in a rather helpless tone.

Fang Zhuo heard this tone and asked, "What's wrong with Yike?"

"The bathroom in the factory, that test..." Liang Mengsong replied.

Fang Zhuo suddenly realized and said with a smile: "It's the smart health detection pool, right?"

"I heard Mr. Qiu say that the last time a leader came to inspect, he saw your application and praised it repeatedly." Liang Mengsong rarely talked about things outside of work on the phone. "But the report didn't sound good, so it wasn't reported in the newspaper."

Yike's research and development is relatively casual. In the second half of last year, it trial-installed a real-time urine detection sensor, which can help employees observe their own conditions with interest after release every day.

It is said that some people actually found that something was not right and went to the hospital to check their condition.

Fang Zhuo wasn't sure what the researchers were basing their research on, but he heard that their next step was to connect mobile phones with cloud services, so... he just kept silent and let it be.

"Well, this is an improvement in all aspects." Fang Zhuo said with a smile, "It seems that many people are in favor of using it."

Liang Mengsong laughed and did not continue to discuss Yi Ke's inexplicable progress. He pondered again and again and said: "In two months, there will be a conclusion."

"Okay, let's try to prevent the external environment from deteriorating as much as possible." Fang Zhuo replied.

Liang Mengsong also knew that it would be difficult not to get worse.

Just as he was about to hang up the phone, he suddenly remembered something that happened after the annual vacation: "After the Microelectronics Research Center is established, will it cooperate with Shanghai Microelectronics to launch ArF immersion lithography machines?"

"Well, it is still difficult to buy EUV from outside. Japan is looking for people and technology. I think they say that they still need to find ways to do double or even multiple exposures." Fang Zhuo said, "Professor Hu means to first The cooperation with Shangwei is included as the No. 1 project.”

EUV is working hard, but we must also be prepared to not be able to buy it. Especially now that the situation is somewhat volatile, we need to start with mature solutions.

There are limits to the performance of the lithography machine itself. However, process solutions can help expand the limits, but when implemented in commercial mass production, there is a yield problem.

For commercial use, cost needs to be considered and cost-effectiveness needs to be paid attention to.

However, if there are not many choices, then you can only do in-depth research and try to make a breakthrough in this direction.

"Okay, it's right to make more preparations in the laboratory." Liang Mengsong got the accurate answer and then said, "Professor, is he still thinking about retiring?"

Fang Zhuo couldn't help laughing and said: "Dr. Liang, why don't you ask him yourself?"

"I respect his choice." Liang Mengsong said seriously, "But I also think you can make him change his choice."

Fang Zhuo was really flattered: "He is also waiting for your technical demonstration."

"Okay." Liang Mengsong ended the call concisely.

After Fang Zhuo put down his cell phone, he thought about it and called Qiu Ciyun again to talk about the upcoming low-key listing of the Ice Core Microelectronics Center.

"Hey, if you talk to Professor Hu and the others about this, I'm really going to be crazy busy. They are conducting fake inspections of ice cores and launching fake products on the market..." Qiu Ciyun is from the United States and couldn't help complaining.

"Ahem, Mr. Qiu, you should pay attention to your words in Texas." Fang Zhuo reminded.

"Okay, let's chat on Line if you have anything to do." Qiu Ciyun also ended the call. Even if he is on half-day vacation this year, he has many things to be responsible for, and they are not very related to each other.

Fang Zhuo put his mobile phone on the table and sighed to Su Wei who came in with tea: "The string of the ice core has been stretched."

"It's always been exciting, but this time..." Su Wei knew about the night-time research and development of ice cores, "I have to work hard."

She put down her tea cup and asked curiously: "If you can produce 28nm this year, what will public opinion say? No matter what, there will be very few companies that can produce 28nm this year."

Taiwan’s record is that 28nm already has mass production capacity and was conquered in 2011.

All other foundry companies are lagging behind.

Now there is hope. According to assessments and industry news, it may be UMC and Samsung. The larger GF may be slower.

The news now released by Ice Core is that 28nm research and development is encountering difficulties.

"We have hope at the end of the year." Fang Zhuo said a vague time, and then said, "Shareholders will return to their positions at the end of the year, and the situation may get better. By then, Bingxin will also start its real listing."

He thought for a while and continued: "Mass production is mass production. Anyway, we can only ramp up production capacity. Externally, the technical solution is not good, so we will make do with it."

"Can you believe it?" Su Wei laughed dumbly.

"There are two solutions in the industry. The reason why Taiji can get through the rear gate is because it is Taiji. The yield rate of ice core may not be feasible. After a year of confusion and fooling, everyone will be able to get on with it. ” Fang Zhuo took a sip of tea and said, “In the future, there will be even fewer manufacturers that can continue to evolve advanced processes.”

28nm is already the most advanced process in the world that can be used for OEM mass production. The costs of all subsequent aspects are getting higher and higher. UMC and GlobalFoundries may not continue to follow. At that time, they can only develop differentiated process technologies to strengthen product competitiveness. .

However, the higher you go to the top, the smaller and more fixed your customer base is, and the proportion of sub-advanced processes is already quite large.

Just as Su Wei was about to speak, the phone on the table lit up.

She glanced at it and saw that it was from Mr. Xiong, so she walked out of the study to leave room for the call.

"Hey, Old Bear, why didn't I receive the New Year's red envelope from you?" Fang Zhuo pressed the phone and asked with a smile.

Xiong Xiaoge was stunned and felt a little guilty: "Ah? Is it popular in the industry to give red envelopes to the richest man during the New Year?"

He has a son at an old age, and has turned his energy to his family. He is also very busy with the business integrated by IDG Group, and he has not paid much attention to domestic industry trends recently.

"Yeah, they all like to send me messages using Yixin." Fang Zhuo laughed, "There are so many that I can't remember who they are, but it's easy for me to remember who hasn't sent them."

"Okay, when the ice core is successfully launched, I will send you a big one." Xiong Xiaoge was confident.

Fang Zhuo said "hmm".

Xiong Xiaoge suddenly became suspicious: "Is it okay for the ice core to go on the market? If you don't go on the market, I will die of old age."

"How can there be a problem? If there is a problem, it can only be a problem in the United States." Fang Zhuo answered seriously, "If you die of old age, you can't blame me."

"Just knowing you, I feel like I have to shorten my life by several years." Xiong Xiaoge was just about to count the life span reductions in the past, and then said angrily, "Forget it, I'd better say a few auspicious words for the Chinese New Year. I wish Mr. Fang If I live a hundred years, I myself will live a hundred years.”

"Is that all you talk about on the phone?" Fang Zhuo said with a smile.

"You can't make phone calls when you're angry, right? There's nothing else. If I have to talk, last month I met Mr. Li Guoqing, a well-known investor, at an event. His attitude was very calm and his attitude was very magnanimous. He was probably sublimated. ." Xiong Xiaoge picked the topic.

"Oh? I haven't seen Mr. Qingzi for a long time. Maybe I haven't heard from him for a long time." Fang Zhuo heard his old friend's name.

"He once asked me about investment. He said that he would not start a business in a short time and wanted to explore his talent in investment." Xiong Xiaoge said with a smile, "I think he probably has no talent in this area. Listen to him I talked about several projects and they were all very crude.”

Fang Zhuo shook his head slightly: "Bless him, just like you said, wish him some improvement."

Xiong Xiaoge smiled "hehe", which showed his bad temper.

He really had nothing to do with this phone call on the first day of the new year. He was just catching up with friends. Fang Zhuo happened to be free at night, so he chatted for a long time, avoiding Lao Xiong's probing about the situation of Japanese companies. The movements of MIGA funds avoid some questions that are not easy to answer.

Despite all the evasions, the call was still enjoyable.

The next day, the annual holiday was still over, and Fang Zhuo was still busy.

The ice core turmoil and semiconductor development trends are far away to others. They feel that the Yi Ke Department is getting stronger in the country, and many people who can connect with it are trying their best to come and visit.

Fang Zhuoyi added a lot of people to his message, some of whom were enthusiastic about sending gifts, specialties, New Year greetings, etc., so he simply went to the company to greet and send them off for a day.

On the third day of the Lunar New Year, the Spring Festival atmosphere was still there, but some serious matters began to come to our door.

Cheng Congwu, the president of Amap, personally flew to Shanghai to visit key shareholders in person.

Fang Zhuo did not refuse and received the somewhat exhausted CEO at Yike headquarters.

"President Fang, we plan to go public this year." After the greetings, Cheng Congwu mentioned that Gaode had already been politely rejected once.

"I remember Mr. Chen and the others seemed to have some suggestions?" Fang Zhuo said with a smile.

"Yes, Mr. Chen and others believe that the time for AutoNavi to go public now is not good. The market is unstable, competition is high, it is not easy to raise money, and the market value is easily underestimated." Cheng Congwu said the reasons of institutional shareholders.

"When it's time to go public, go public." Fang Zhuo said.

Cheng Congwu was a little surprised. He came to see Mr. Fang this time with the mood of making difficult decisions, and he didn't expect him to be so easy to talk to.

"Looking at numbers in the capital market, it will be easier to correctly evaluate the company's strength. Now I can't see the direction of this market clearly," Fang Zhuo said.

In fact, AutoNavi has indeed created a niche in the market with its free services, but it is also the easiest to follow. On the one hand, it is the expansion of market share, and on the other hand, it is the sudden increase in operating pressure.

It’s easy to get free, but it’s hard to make money.

It was at such a dilemma that Cheng Congwu and the others suddenly discovered a problem that had not been evaluated in depth before. How to convert market share into revenue and profit?

I didn’t mention this when I discussed the company’s transformation with Mr. Fang and others!

It's turning around, but it doesn't seem to be working.

With a large market share, can we naturally make money?

"The market is under great pressure from competition." Cheng Congwu said in a low voice, "In addition to listing the company, Mr. Hou and his colleagues also considered whether there are good buyers in the market."

Fang Zhuo asked simply: "Is Mr. Cheng here to sell the company today?"

"I'm here to discuss the future of the company with Mr. Fang." Cheng Congwu said tactfully.

"Let's do this, Mr. Cheng, you are ready to take a look and see how the secondary market can give a valuation, and also look at the market trend in the first half of this year." Fang Zhuo said, "If it doesn't work, Yike can support you. "

Cheng Congwu took a breath and felt that Mr. Fang's "support" was not very satisfying.

However, he and Chairman Hou Jun are indeed hesitant. It seems that AutoNavi can try again, and it seems that the road ahead is getting narrower and narrower. How can it be that the larger the market share, the more ominous the prospect is? Woolen cloth.

He chatted for a few more words and found that Mr. Fang was very honest and willing to do whatever you wanted. Yike was a potential buyer anyway.

When Cheng Congwu left the office, he happened to meet another visitor, Wei Boyun from Morningstar Semiconductor.

While nodding his head, he thought of the fate of Morningstar Semiconductor and the comparison between Amap and Morningstar. At that time, there was still the complacency of "we are different".

Now, after being exhausted and becoming the number one in the market, I feel... we really are the same.