Reinventing the Millennium

No matter what it said during the acquisition, no matter how it talked with other mobile phone manufacturers, Google's original intention to acquire Android to use as a smartphone system was not to go to Nokia.

It is not a traditional mobile phone manufacturer, and it does not have the sentiment of "no licensing fees for Android systems, and it will protect all manufacturers from all over the world". It also focuses most of its energy on the Internet, and will not suddenly want to subvert the mobile phone industry. If you want to start a new business, you have to overturn the leader in it.

The fate of a business depends not only on its own efforts, but also on the course of history.

Judging from Fang Zhuo's many contacts with Google, it can be determined that it does not covet Nokia's market position, or that it does not regard Nokia as a target of competition.

Today, no matter what price Google wants to use to fully acquire Android, no matter what method Google considers to intimidate and lure Yi Ke, we must first grasp the main contradiction and see which competitors Google is targeting with Android. who?

This question is not difficult to answer for Fang Zhuo, who lives in the United States.

From computers to mobile devices, the development trend has become more and more obvious as the number of users of the latter increases, but no matter which carrier it is, Google cannot relax its core search business at this moment.

Today’s search market, Google occupies 41.4%, Yahoo occupies 28.7%, and MSN search’s share is only 13.7%.

There is no doubt that Google has a solid advantage.

However, behind MSN Search, which accounts for 13.7%, is Microsoft. In recent months, it has been promoting a trial version of a new version of its engine LiveSearch. It is said that it wants to replace MSN Search, the web search tool of the MSN portal.

Moreover, according to the certification of multiple sources, the trial version of LiveSearch, which has 23 languages, is likely to have a very high strategic positioning on Microsoft's part, aiming at Google's multi-billion dollar online advertising market.

Microsoft is going to make big moves in search engines!

This year, Google expects full-year revenue to exceed $10 billion, of which advertising revenue may exceed $6 billion.

This is the core business that Google cannot give up regardless of PC or mobile Internet.

Needless to say, Microsoft's PC is strong. The key is the road to the mobile Internet. As early as 2000, it released Windows Mobile, an operating system for mobile devices, and successfully applied it to mobile devices the following year.

Today, although the mobile phone market is dominated by Nokia and Symbian, Windows Mobile also has a certain market.

The most important thing is that Windows Mobile has taken a different approach. Last year, the sales of PDA devices equipped with WM system exceeded 7 million units. This year, it is expected to achieve a 40% increase and sell another 10 million units.

Microsoft's share of the global PDA market is close to 60%, and it can be said to be the Nokia of this mobile business office field.

Under such circumstances, if Microsoft succeeds in the mobile Internet era, it will undoubtedly cannibalize Google's core business.

Any giant caught up in the wave of change in the Internet era cannot ignore the opportunities and hidden fatal risks.

What's more, Microsoft's competition for Google's core search is obvious.

Google is a young Internet upstart, and Microsoft is a software giant in its prime. The competition between the two sides will continue for a long time. At the very least, Fang Zhuo knows that IE browser, which has had no opponent for a long time, has a destined opponent.

"Larry, Schmidt, I can probably understand your mood when facing competitors such as Microsoft, and I also understand your caution after seeing 800 million mobile phone sales last year, but what I don't understand is why you are doing this today. Unprofessional thing to do.”

Fang Zhuo looked at the founder and CEO of Google and continued: "We need a smartphone system that can make a difference as the entrance to the search business in the mobile era. We Yike need a consumer electronics product that is outstanding enough. To improve the company’s competitiveness, this kind of cooperation is perfect for Android companies, 1+1 is greater than 2.”

"Why let your loved ones hate your enemies and make them happy?"

“Why can’t we let professionals do professional things?”

"Google needs to control the Android company to invest resources. Don't we, Yike, need enough guarantees to design mobile phones with peace of mind?"

Fang Zhuo said slowly: "Just now, Larry mentioned the Rubin team. I believe this is not Google's regular way of doing things. It is just a filing that has to be made out of the emphasis on mobile Internet competition."

"But Yike also has to consider whether Microsoft's Windows Mobile system is also a solution that can be carried. Or, Rubin can take people to Google, Android companies stay, and Yike can try to find Microsoft to continue to make a mobile phone based on An open source system for Linux.”

While Fang Zhuo was talking, he kept taking over various mobile phones on the market from his design director Edward, and then placed them all on the table.

Nokia, BlackBerry, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, HTC and Apuda PAD, etc.

Soon, everything in front of him became dazzling.

Schmidt didn't have time to be surprised by Mr. Fang's actions. He just listened to the other party's words about joining Microsoft and said seriously: "Professional people do professional things, who defines professionalism? Has Yike ever made a mobile phone? ? In this case, should we look for Samsung or Sony to cooperate? Can’t Google design the mobile phone itself? "

Fang Zhuo said calmly: "Microsoft also made similar products after seeing the best-selling music players of Apple and Yike, but they were evaluated by consumers as 'cannot be copied'. The design taste of consumer electronics is very important." Yike is quite strong in this regard."

Schmidt was completely unconvinced by this statement.

He reached out to the right and said directly: "Google is not only looking for collaborators, but also working on internal design plans. Allen is our industrial design director, and he is very well-known in the industry."

Allen is an industrial design director hired by Google from a large manufacturer.

Schmidt believes that Yike can be considered for profit, but he does not think that it has any advantages in manufacturer design. Even if the music player really caters to consumer aesthetics, Allen's resume at Nokia and Panasonic is not bad!

Your sword is sharp, but my sword is not bad at all!

Schmidt motioned to Allen to bring out the shape of a mobile phone that Google had designed.

At this time, Fang Zhuo took a delicate box from Edward's hand, put it on the table, and said, "Design or not, you can tell at a glance. Excellent design can be perceived by consumers."

He opened the box and took out a prototype with a full touch screen.

White body, curved back, glass inlay, simple and elegant.

There is no keyboard, the screen is large, there is a small round hole on the top, and there is suspected to be a round physical key below.

Everyone at Google stared at the mobile phone in Mr. Fang's hand - it looked particularly elegant against the dazzling array of mobile phones with physical keyboards.

"This...how many inches is the screen?" Schmidt had to admit in his heart that the phone in Mr. Fang's hand seemed more beautiful, but he still said, "There is no keyboard? Is the design too radical?"

"The screen is made of Sharp's 4-inch TFT material." Fang Zhuo played with it in his hands and laughed, "No way? No way? No one would use the Android system with a capacitive screen and not firmly optimize the touch experience, but still insist on it. Wearing an old full keyboard, right?”

Allen, Google's director of industrial design, quietly shrank his hands.

Fang Zhuo pressed the power button, and then placed this prototype, which was somewhat similar to the Apple 5, among the competing products on the table.

If you look at this phone alone, you will think it is "full touch screen", "radical" and "quite big". But when you compare it with other phones, your first impression is "this is a beautiful phone".

It was precisely because he felt that he needed to be supported by his peers that Fang Zhuo displayed so many popular mobile phones on the market.

Schmidt and Larry were meditating when they suddenly saw the screen of the prototype light up, with the Android robot symbol appearing on it.

"Mr. Fang, can your phone still be turned on?" Schmidt said in shock.

"What's so strange about this? Rubin has already made it, hasn't he?" Fang Zhuo looked at the equally surprised Rubin, the father of Android, and said lightly.

Schmidt finally couldn't help but stood up slightly and got the Android prototype designed by Yike.

Larry and Rubin came over to watch.

The phone didn't run smoothly by Fangzhuo's standards, but it was a shock to Schmidt and Larry.

However, after playing for a few minutes, I could feel the heat on the back of my phone, and the screen automatically turned black.

Larry asked: "Mr. Fang, what's going on?"

"I'd like to ask you, what's going on with the development progress of the Android system? It freezes frequently and even shuts down!" Fang Zhuo complained, "It would be nice to be able to demonstrate basic operations now."

As he said this, he opened the second box that he took from Edward.

Then, the second design was presented.

Everyone at Google watched helplessly as a mobile phone with a larger screen appeared in front of them.

Fang Zhuo motioned to Schmidt to hand the iPhone 5 prototype back, and then used it to stand up and compare it with the upright Lumia 920 prototype.

He introduced: "This screen is 4.5 inches, and the resolution is a little behind, but it's okay. The chip inside is the same as No. 1 from TI. As you have all seen, No. 2 is more convenient. It’s square and square, unlike the metal body of the No. 1, which is made of plastic and feels a bit worse, but it’s larger and lighter.”

After Fang Zhuo finished speaking dryly, he pressed the power button again, and then handed over the Lumia 920 prototype.

Lumia 920 is the flagship of Nokia WP, and its style is still very recognizable.

It was held in Larry's hand, and it was obviously compared with the screen-to-body ratio of the No. 1 phone.

Fang Zhuo did not wait for the people from Google to express their feelings and continued to open the box.

Schmidt looked at the third box that was handed to Mr. Fang, and he really felt a feeling of "what is professional" in his heart.

When Unit 3 appeared, its style was different.

The most obvious thing is that the entire screen almost fills the body, which is both large in size and high in proportion.

Schmidt murmured: "It's too big, Mr. Fang, this is too big."

The No. 3 phone has a full-screen design similar to that of the Huawei P30. The screen used directly extends from 5 inches to 6.1 inches, which is obviously two sizes larger.

When all three mobile phones are turned on and placed together, the most intuitive feeling is the grainy feeling brought by the large screen.

The P30 is the worst, followed by the 920, and the iPhone 5 is barely acceptable.

However, the screen used in the Apple 5 comes from Sharp Labs, which currently does not have mass production capabilities, and commercial costs must be considered. It is just a prototype first for reference.

Three phones, three styles.

And, there are still commercial products with physical keyboards on the table.

Among them, the Apple 5 is like a girl with bright eyes and white teeth, the 920 is like a well-behaved wife, and the P30 is like a girl who can squeeze water out of her mouth.

It was also the first time that Fang Zhuo compared and looked at each other like this. After a few seconds, he sighed: "They are all set off by their peers."

Schmidt was about to smile and nod, but Fang always looked at Allen, Google's industrial design director.

"Director Allen, you are so busy today. Since you are responsible for Google's mobile phone design, I wonder if you have brought a prototype over to open my eyes?"

Allen had already put his hands on the table to show his innocence, shook his head and said: "No."

He couldn't comment on the design of these three Yike mobile phones, lest he show his admiration as soon as he opened his mouth, and he couldn't praise the keyboard that he still insisted on against his will. Mr. Fang said it well just now, foil, foil...

This does not mean that consumers will definitely accept such a full touch screen, but when comparing these designs together, these three models look more beautiful.

The three mobile phones are again in the hands of the Google team.

Schmidt held the No. 3 phone, looking at the particles on the screen, then turning it on and looking at the Android robot logo. He was thinking about both Yike's design and the company's efforts in making mobile phones.

The Android system is a semi-finished product. On the one hand, Yike is looking for hardware and on the other hand, it can make the mobile phone perform simple operations. This is really not easy.

He pressed the keyboard function of machine No. 3...

Forget it, your sword is as sharp as yours.

Schmidt spoke again and said slowly: "Mr. Fang, the WM system made by Microsoft has strict restrictions on cooperative manufacturers. It has that unbearable desire for control. The interface, theme, color matching and even hardware configuration are all habits. Sexual intervention is different from the open source support we at Google planned to provide to our partners from the beginning.”

Fang Zhuo nodded seriously: "So, Google has always been our first priority for cooperation with Yike. As an unconventional mobile phone company, Yike has many expectations and opinions on the Android system. We hope that these can make its development more convenient." Better."

He continued: "Yike intends to make an excellent smartphone and is willing to become a close partner with Google in the mobile era. I have confidence in Yike mobile phones and believe that Yike can provide strong support to Google and Microsoft in the future." Competition on the mobile Internet.”

Schmidt still hesitated.

Fang Zhuo glanced at Larry and said: "Google's hesitation towards the Android company is understandable, but it should not give up its open strategy. The most important thing we have to do now is to build an Android-based Excellent phone, if Yike's phone is not well received after its release, Android stock is something that can be discussed."

Schmidt heard what Mr. Fang meant.

This is about trading future conditions for restrictive cooperation now.

What is a poor response?

Of course there is only one standard, sales, sales, sales.

A full acquisition by an Android company will no longer be blocked if sales don't meet targets.

But in that case, how to measure the damage caused by the failure of the first mobile phone?

Schmidt hesitated in his heart and glanced at the three mobile phones with different styles. After all, he still felt that appearance was very important.

He shook his head, stood up and shook hands and said, "Mr. Fang, let professional people do professional things. I think Google and Yike need a comprehensive cooperation plan."

Fang Zhuo shook the Google CEO's hand vigorously and said with a smile: "In the era of mobile Internet, I vote for Google."