HTC Headquarters.
At ten o'clock, Wang Zhanggui was in a good mood, waiting to see Starry Sky Technology become a laughingstock.
But by eleven, things weren't good.
By twelve, they were even worse!
"Chairman, lunch is ready. Please have something to eat!"
Seeing Wang Zhanggui refusing to eat or drink, her tightly furrowed brows hadn't relaxed for over two hours, making her secretary feel quite pained!
Wang Zhanggui was silent for a long time before letting out a long sigh:
"One million units sold in 90 minutes, and at high prices ranging from 3299 to 4299! That's insane!"
"How did Starry Sky X phone 1 do it?"
"Even we at HTC can't do that!"
Wang Zhanggui's expression was extremely complex.
Originally, she didn't care about Starry Sky phones at all, not even taking today's launch event seriously.
She believed that HTC's only rivals were Samsung and Apple; LG and Sony weren't even worthy!
As for the small Starry Sky phone, a small brand that had just started a few months ago, what could it do?
It was just a slightly more aggressive Xiaomi, not worth mentioning.
Upon learning that Starry Sky X phone 1 was priced from 3299 to 4299, she was still laughing, thinking that Wang Yi's high pricing was suicidal and that it wouldn't sell at all!
With so many orders for Starry Sky phones, they would surely lose a fortune, perhaps even go bankrupt!
But before she could laugh for a few minutes, she learned that Starry Sky X phone 1 sold 300,000 units in fifteen minutes after its launch, and that was just online!
At this, Wang Zhanggui's expression changed dramatically, but she still harbored some disbelief.
After all, those in business often inflate sales figures and falsify data; it's common practice in the industry.
Selling thirty thousand units in fifteen minutes could easily be exaggerated into three hundred thousand!
So, Wang Zhanggui directly called her subordinates to inquire about the sales performance of the Starry Sky flagship store on Taiwan Island.
Upon learning that the Starry Sky flagship store was packed, and even after Starry Sky X phone 1 had sold out, people were still queuing to buy X buds Bluetooth earphones, Wang Zhanggui completely panicked!
Could it be that Starry Sky X phone 1 was really selling that well?
Refusing to believe it, Wang Zhanggui then asked the managers of the Meiyou and Zhenyou specialty stores on Taiwan Island.
She learned that all Meiyou and Zhenyou specialty stores on Taiwan Island were swarming with people, crowds surging, and all phones had completely sold out!
Not even a single 4299 64G version remained.
Wang Zhanggui was completely stunned!
The Meiyou and Zhenyou specialty stores on Taiwan Island were all HTC agents, so there was no room for fakery!
Starry Sky X phone 1 indeed sold explosively!
Suddenly, Wang Zhanggui was in a complete panic!
Gone was her previous arrogance; she decisively opened the Meiyou app and clicked on the launch event replay.
When she saw the design of Starry Sky X phone 1, her heart already sank halfway.
And upon seeing the specifications clearly, her heart completely chilled!
"Starry Sky X phone 1 not only has high specifications, but they also cater perfectly to consumers' desires, and the exterior design is so good, it's simply perfect. It's only natural that a million units sold out in just over an hour."
"But with Starry Sky X phone 1 being so perfect, how can we at HTC catch up?"
Wang Zhanggui actually felt a sense of despair.
She, who had always been strong and never admitted defeat, even dared to go head-to-head with the iPhone 4S, believing HTC was superior and the true 'phone king'.
But after seeing Starry Sky X phone 1, Wang Zhanggui felt that the 'phone king' of the year was Starry Sky X phone 1, and HTC simply couldn't catch up!
Wang Yi's creations were beyond her imagination!
Especially the ecosystem strategy, it was simply invincible!
Her assistant, however, was somewhat indignant:
"Chairman, the person in charge of the Starry Sky X phone 1 project is Zhu Changlin, our former R&D backbone at HTC. I never imagined he was so brilliant, to create such an excellent phone as the Starry Sky X phone 1! He wasn't this amazing when he was at HTC."
"Zhu Changlin? I do recall him!"
Wang Zhanggui remembered the name and shook her head:
"You're overthinking it. Zhu Changlin does have some capability, but his abilities are limited. He simply couldn't create a product as outstanding as Starry Sky X phone 1. He's, at most, an executor; there's a mastermind behind Starry Sky X phone 1 orchestrating everything!"
"That makes sense. It must have been that mysterious mastermind! After all, Zhu Changlin's previous products at HTC were quite mediocre, far inferior to Starry Sky X phone 1."
As the assistant spoke, her face changed dramatically:
"Chairman, I'm not saying the HTC phones he made were bad, it's just that they're not as good as Starry Sky X phone 1, no, I... I..."
The more the assistant tried to explain, the more confused she became, unable to clarify anything.
Wang Zhanggui, however, waved her hand:
"It's fine. Current HTC phones are indeed inferior to Starry Sky X phone 1; you're just speaking the truth. I'm not so petty as to fuss over such things."
But in her heart, she secretly thought,
'Your year-end bonus is gone!'
"Thank you, Chairman."
The assistant breathed a sigh of relief, thinking she had dodged a bullet.
"By the way, why did Zhu Changlin leave HTC? He still has some capabilities."
Wang Zhanggui couldn't help but ask.
As the group chairman, she had numerous responsibilities, and the mobile phone business was just one of them, so she couldn't pay attention to such details.
The assistant recounted:
"It's like this: Zhu Changlin once served as acting project manager, leading the development of a flagship phone and making significant contributions. But later, when the project was nearing success, Vice President Hou was parachuted in and replaced Zhu Changlin as project manager..."
Wang Zhanggui fell silent: "..."
"Zhu Changlin couldn't swallow that insult and resigned in anger. Vice President Hou felt that since the phone was almost finished, keeping Zhu Changlin was useless, so he simply had the HR department quickly approve Zhu Changlin's resignation request... And later, Zhu Changlin joined Starry Sky Technology."
Wang Zhanggui was speechless: "!!!"
"Sigh! It's these incompetent freeloaders who always want to take credit that have hindered HTC's development!"
"If Xiao Zhu had stayed at HTC, Starry Sky X phone 1 wouldn't have been successfully developed and mass-produced so quickly."
"Nor would our crisis at HTC have worsened. The days ahead will be tough!"
The assistant was startled:
"Ah? Starry Sky X phone 1 is selling well, but it can't have such a huge impact on us, can it?"
"What do you know?"
Wang Zhanggui snapped, her brows furrowing again.
Outsiders still thought HTC was among the top few globally, enjoying boundless glory.
But Wang Zhanggui knew perfectly well how difficult the current situation was.
HTC primarily focused on overseas markets, but it was being successively sued for patent infringement by brands like Apple, Samsung, and Nokia.
This led to HTC being deeply entangled in a vortex of losing lawsuits, resulting in sales bans in many countries and regions.
Some lawsuits were still ongoing, but the outlook wasn't optimistic; most would likely result in losses.
This meant that next year, HTC would face sales bans in even more overseas countries and regions, making progress extremely difficult.
Originally, Wang Zhanggui was considering that if those banned models couldn't truly sell overseas, they could be diverted to mainland sales...
Now, with Starry Sky X phone 1 appearing out of nowhere and selling a million units in just over an hour, it directly cut off her path to domestic development!
Some things are only cherished after they are lost.
People are like this, and so is the domestic market.
Previously, Wang Zhanggui looked down on the domestic market, focusing on European and American markets.
Only now, with the domestic market being captured by Starry Sky X phone 1, did Wang Zhanggui realize the terrifying potential of the domestic market, but unfortunately, it was too late.
"Sigh! The emergence of Starry Sky X phone 1 makes HTC's future even more precarious."
Wang Zhanggui let out a long sigh, her expression utterly complex.
She couldn't have imagined that the university student she hadn't given a second thought to a few months ago would actually defeat her and completely crush her in her most skilled field!
He had become an existence that made her feel desperate!
"Chairman Wang, I was really fooled by your low-key appearance!"
"Xiao Lan, all HTC phone prices in the domestic market are to be reduced by 10% for a promotion!"
The assistant was startled:
"Ah? Is it that serious?"
Wang Zhanggui said helplessly:
"There's no other way. If we don't seize the opportunity to sell while the X phone 1 is out of stock, once it's back in stock, we at HTC won't be able to sell anything!"
After all, HTC phones were priced similarly to, or even higher than, the X phone 1.
Without a price cut, there would be no competitiveness at all!
...
Meiyou Plaza was also completely flooded with discussions about Starry Sky X phone 1.
"Those who queued at seven in the morning could still choose the 16G version. Those who queued at eight could choose the 32G version. Those who started queuing at nine took whatever was available. Those who only queued at ten got nothing!"
"Hahaha, that's incredibly accurate. I was one of those who queued at nine, wanting to buy the 16G white version, but only the 64G black was left. The salesperson asked if I wanted it. Before I could even speak, a group of people behind me said she didn't want it, leave it for me! I was so scared I decisively paid and bought it!"
"Me too, my budget was 3299, but I ended up paying 4299. This month, it's steamed buns and pickles for me!"
"Sister, don't suffer. Add a hundred and sell it to me, I'll take it for 4399!"
"She's unreliable, I'll take it for 4499!"
"No way, I finally managed to buy it."
"Chairman Wang's million units in stock weren't even enough to sell, it's truly speechless. Too hard to buy."
"No choice, the X phone 1's specifications are too brilliant. Even if there were 2 million units in stock, they would sell out."
"Yeah, the X phone 1 is much better than the iPhone 4S in many aspects, and it's two thousand cheaper. There's absolutely no need to wait for the 4S anymore."
"Exactly, the iPhone 4S isn't launching domestically until next month, and it's not as good as the X phone 1. There's no need to wait at all."
"I saved five thousand yuan, originally planning to buy the entry-level 4S next month, but I ended up buying the top-spec 64G X phone 1 directly, and still had 700 yuan left! What a bargain!"
"Me too, but I scraped together another 300 and bought X buds!"
"Yes, X buds are a must-buy. I didn't manage to get a phone, so I grabbed a pair of X buds!"
"You guys, don't tell me X buds will also sell out?"
"Who knows? A bunch of people in the Samsung forums are discussing X buds, saying they want to buy them!"
"Apple fans on Apple Bar have already taken action, saying X buds pair well with iPhones."
"People in the Nokia group are also talking about X buds, and many want to buy them."
"Damn it, they've bought all the X buds, what do we do?"
"No, act fast, don't wait until they're gone and then regret it!"
"Makes sense, buy X buds first, don't let Apple, Nokia, and Samsung users snatch them all away from us."
"The Meizu forum is all discussing X phone 1. Even Chairman Huang has come out to post on the forum."
"You're a Meiyou fan too? I saw it as well. Chairman Huang said X phone 1 is the 'phone king' of the year, surpassing the iPhone 4S!"
"Definitely. Don't let the X phone 1's late release fool you, it's absolutely the 'phone king' of the year!"
"Cook is probably stunned right now; the iPhone 4S hasn't even launched in the domestic market, and its customers are gone!"
"I estimate at least a third of iPhone 4S customers will switch to Starry Sky X phone 1."
"I'll come clean, I'm one of them."
"I'm also a turncoat Apple fan."
"Turncoat Apple fan +1!"
"It's not that the iPhone 4S isn't good enough; it's that Starry Sky X phone 1 is better and offers more value for money!"
"To be fair, the iPhone 4S has a better system, but Starry Sky X phone 1 has higher specs and a better appearance, so they each have their merits. The key is that Starry Sky X phone 1 is also 2000 cheaper, which makes its advantage even more obvious!"
"Exactly, if it were also 4998, I'd still hesitate. But Starry Sky X phone 1 only sells for 3299 and comes with 300 dual memberships, which is a huge 'true fragrance' moment!"
"Right, which girl doesn't like listening to music and binge-watching dramas? The X phone 1 with dual memberships + 720P high-resolution screen + 4.3-inch large screen + HiFi audio quality is simply unbeatable!"
...
Wang Yi, with his arm around Song Sining's slender waist, looked at the posts on Meiyou and couldn't help but chuckle:
"Sure enough, launching a month and a half earlier than the iPhone in the domestic market can snatch 4 million users from them!"
Especially those priced at 3799 and 4299, they were basically potential iPhone 4S users.
But now, they've all been snatched away by Starry Sky X phone 1!
As those few people said, the 4S system is better, but Starry Sky X phone 1 has higher specs, a better appearance, and is 2000 cheaper, so most iPhone 4S target customers will be swayed.
As for how many iPhone 4S users Starry Sky X phone 1 can grab in the next six months?
Wang Yi couldn't say for sure.
But the iPhone 4S's sales in China this year are likely to drop significantly.
Perhaps even by half.
Starry Sky X phone 1, Starry Sky X phone 1 Pro, X phone 2!
Three flagship phones taking turns to batter and gang up on the iPhone 4S—if its sales don't drop, whose will?
In his previous life, after Huawei encountered a black swan event, iPhone sales doubled.
Later, when Huawei made a comeback, iPhone sales plummeted...
It's not invincible!
More importantly, the iPhone was too arrogant, believing the domestic market wasn't important and had no rivals.
So after the iPhone 4S launched in October, it first went on sale in Europe and America, only launching domestically with the third batch in January of next year...
However, it was precisely their arrogance that gave Wang Yi the opportunity to snatch away their potential customers in advance!
When the iPhone launches domestically and sales are cold, Cook's expression will surely be quite something.
"It's good, but the problem is you can't buy it!"
Just as everyone was fretting, an announcement popped up:
[Thank you all for your support and love for Starry Sky X phone 1. We didn't expect a million units in stock to sell out in 90 minutes, and we are currently completely out of stock both online and offline.
But please don't worry, Chairman Wang has already gone to the factory to 'tighten screws' and urge the factory to ramp up production. Simultaneously, we have commissioned BYD for OEM manufacturing, and production capacity issues will be resolved soon.
Starry Sky X phone 1 is being produced frantically. We will now begin comprehensive pre-orders. Orders placed now will be shipped in the order of payment receipt. Thank you for your support!
For those whose orders haven't shipped within a week of payment, a 69-value 3D tempered glass screen protector will be given as a gift!
For those whose orders haven't shipped within half a month of payment, a 99-value 3D anti-fingerprint tempered glass screen protector will be given as a gift!]
"Comprehensive pre-order? Shipping by payment order, that's good, I'm going to place an order now!"
"Are all models on pre-order? Is 32G available?"
"Comprehensive pre-order means all versions and colors are available, but I wonder how long the wait will be."
"Clearly, the 16G sells fastest, so the wait time will definitely be the longest. The 64G sells slowest, meaning the shortest wait time, and 32G is in the middle."
"Makes sense, I'll go straight for the 64G."
"Yes, go for the 64G."
"Amitabha, I hope to get it soon."
"What's there to fear? If it ships a week late, you still get a tempered glass screen protector."
"It's really not Chairman Wang's fault; stocking a million units was sincere enough."
"Indeed, one can only blame the Starry Sky X phone 1 for being such a powerful 'phone king' of the year, with high cost-performance and overly enthusiastic consumers."
"My Starry Sky X phone 1 32G version is ready, shipping within seven days."
"Mine is also ready, 64G, shipping within three days."
"Mine is also 64G, shipping within five days."
"Mine still shows 'pre-order in progress, please wait patiently...'"
"Haha, you'll get a free tempered glass screen protector."
"Why are you cursing people? As long as I can get the Starry Sky X phone 1 early, who cares about a tempered glass screen protector?"
"I've bought all the accessories, but my Starry Sky X phone 1 won't ship for over seven days. I'm so frustrated!"
"Me too, I bought it offline. I didn't get the phone, but I bought the protective case, tempered glass screen protector, X buds, selfie stick, selfie light, power bank, and charm."
"Family, who understands this? No phone, but not a single accessory missed!"
"Hahaha. So funny, ladies."
"Don't laugh, X buds are almost sold out."
"What the heck! Really?"
"Of course it's true. Chairman Wang only stocked 200,000 X buds, thinking it would be enough, but it wasn't at all."
"I've checked, X buds are sold out!"
"Normal. Not only us, but Samsung, Apple, and Nokia users are also buying them. How can it keep up!"
...
Wang Yi was stunned:
"X buds are sold out too?"
"Crazy!"
He still underestimated the frenzy of this era.
Perhaps, the average income in 2011 was not as high as it would be ten years later.
But the problem was that there were even fewer good products in 2011 than there would be ten years later!
This led to everyone scrambling for any good product that appeared!
"Sining, have the factory expedite additional orders, produce frantically, maximize capacity, and aim for three million units."
"Okay, Chairman!"
Song Sining said, and then her whole demeanor shifted.
Whenever work was discussed, she would become very serious and address Wang Yi as Chairman.
But then, looking at the two of them lying naked in bed, she felt that the address wasn't quite right!
"Hmph! It's all your fault!"
Song Sining's fair cheeks turned crimson.
She put on her pajamas and walked towards the bathroom.
Wang Yi chuckled:
"As expected of Sining, that figure... it's getting more and more charming!"
"How dare you say that!"
Song Sining waved her fists at Wang Yi, her face turning even redder.
Wang Yi smiled faintly and opened Weibo.
Without any surprise, today's trending topics were all dominated by Starry Sky Technology.
Out of the top twenty trending searches, thirteen were for Starry Sky X phone 1!
[Starry Sky X phone 1 starts from 3299, includes two-year video and audio memberships, hot on sale!]
[Rejecting hunger marketing, Starry Sky X phone 1 with a million units in stock, simultaneously on sale on launch day!]
[Starry Sky X phone 1 sold explosively, a million units in stock, sold out in one and a half hours!]
[Starry Sky X phone 1 fully opens for pre-order, Chairman Wang goes to factory to 'tighten screws'.]
[BYD becomes Starry Sky X phone 1 OEM factory, helping to alleviate production capacity crisis.]
[X buds are ingenious, redefining Bluetooth earphones.]
[Dual Bluetooth earphones + charging case, X buds are being frantically snatched up across the entire network!]
[Apple, Samsung, Nokia users are scrambling for Starry Sky X buds.]
[Starry Sky X buds are sold out, even Starry Sky phone users couldn't buy them.]
[X buds forced to open for pre-order, President Song will head directly to the factory to supervise!]
[To make Starry Sky phones, Chairman Wang invested a billion yuan to create Starry Sky Music and Starry Sky Video.]
[Starry Sky Technology independently developed H.265, supporting 4K video.]
[Starry Sky Music's ten million-song copyrighted library, lossless audio quality, sign in to get a membership!]
[Starry Sky Video will launch 'Xia Lan', the trailer is explosive! The pinnacle of Chinese animation!]
...
Looking at these trending searches, all the netizens were stunned.
Starting from 3299, a million units in stock, comprehensively on sale, sold out in 90 minutes!
Even the 999 Bluetooth earphones were sold out!
Crazy, truly crazy!
Especially those who slept until ten o'clock knew nothing about the launch of Starry Sky X phone 1.
They just felt that upon waking up, the entire internet had changed.
Everyone was no longer discussing the iPhone 4S, which was launching next month, but instead was discussing Starry Sky X phone 1!
This made many people feel incredible, and those Apple fans were even more baffled.
They even started tearing into Starry Sky phone fans online:
"What is Starry Sky X phone 1? A domestic phone dares to sell for three or four thousand?"
"Exactly, with that money, why not add a bit more to buy an iPhone 4S? If not, buying Samsung or HTC is better than buying Starry Sky X phone 1."
"Spending three or four thousand on a domestic phone, you're all nuts!"
"And a million units sold in an hour and a half? Are all these million people crazy?"
"Exactly, these people are too deeply poisoned!"
"I bet it's fake data, probably not even fifty thousand units."
"Be bolder, thirty thousand units at most!"
"Hahaha, that makes sense."
Seeing these outlandish remarks, Starry Sky phone fans weren't having it and decisively counterattacked:
"You're the ones who are nuts! Have you even learned about Starry Sky X phone 1? Do you know how excellent Starry Sky X phone 1 is? And you're just spewing nonsense here?"
"Anyone who watched the launch event and experienced the power of Starry Sky X phone 1 wouldn't say such idiotic things."
"As an old Apple fan, I'll be honest. The iPhone 4S is very good, but Starry Sky X phone 1 is not bad either; in many aspects, it crushes the iPhone 4S!"
"Hahaha, what a huge joke. Starry Sky X phone 1 crushes the iPhone 4S? You're clearly deeply poisoned."
"Exactly, I guess Wang Yi isn't a phone maker, but a preacher. He's brainwashed all his fans."
"Come on, tell me, I'd like to see where exactly Starry Sky X phone 1 is better than the iPhone 4S!"
"Alright, the iPhone 4S has a 0.3-megapixel front camera, Starry Sky X phone 1 has a 5-megapixel front camera. Crushing it, right?"
"iPhone 4S has a 3.5-inch low-resolution small screen, Starry Sky X phone 1 has a 4.3-inch 720P high-resolution large screen! Crushing it, right?"
"iPhone 4S has a 1430mAh battery, Starry Sky X phone 1 has a 2500mAh battery! Crushing it, right?"
"iPhone 4S freezes and shuts down at minus six degrees Celsius; anyone who uses it in winter gets embarrassed. Starry Sky X phone 1 features an anti-freeze battery, operating normally at minus thirteen degrees Celsius. Crushing it, right?"
"iPhone 4S has 512MB RAM, Starry Sky X phone 1 has 1GB RAM. Crushing it, right?"
"iPhone 4S has low specs but starts at 4998. Starry Sky X phone 1 has higher specs but starts at 3299, and even comes with two-year Starry Sky Video + Starry Sky Music dual memberships! Crushing it, right?"
"This..."
For a moment, all the Apple fans who had been jumping around were silenced.
Point after point, completely irrefutable.
In terms of specifications, it was truly completely crushed by Starry Sky X phone 1.
Some Apple fans still wouldn't give up:
"Even if Starry Sky X phone 1 has higher specs, its experience is far inferior to the iPhone 4S!"
"Yes, the iPhone 4S experience is invincible, crushing all others!"
"Heh! The iPhone 4S's 3.5-inch low-resolution small screen looks exactly like a feature phone's product. What kind of experience can it offer? The Starry Sky X phone 1's 4.3-inch high-resolution large screen is much more enjoyable!"
"You wouldn't be unaware of the significance of a high-resolution screen, would you?"
"This..."
Another group of Apple fans fell silent.
Only a few loyal Apple fans still insisted:
"Even if Starry Sky X phone 1 has higher specs, a better experience, and higher cost-performance, its exterior design is far inferior to the iPhone 4S!"
"Yes, Apple's aesthetics are the best, it's the industry benchmark."
"Uh, iPhone 4S looks better? You guys haven't seen the Starry Sky X phone 1's appearance, have you? Here are pictures, see for yourselves!"
With that, comparison images of the Starry Sky X phone 1 and iPhone 4S's appearance were posted.
Seeing this, even those loyal Apple fans fell silent.
The difference was truly significant.
After all, the X phone 1's design came from ten years later.
"If the X phone 1 really looks like this, I want to buy one too!"
Suddenly, the Apple fans who had just been heavily disparaging Starry Sky X phone 1 began to defect.
And more and more of them.
"Yeah, I have to say, Starry Sky X phone 1 is too perfect, with absolutely no weaknesses. The iPhone 4S, on the other hand, has too many shortcomings."
"No comparison, no harm. It seems the birth of Starry Sky X phone 1 is precisely to compensate for the iPhone 4S's shortcomings."
"Sigh! As an old Apple fan, I'm ready to switch to Starry Sky X phone 1. As a northerner, the iPhone 4S freezing and shutting down outdoors all the time has made me fed up."
"I'm also ready to switch. Starry Sky X phone 1 is perfect, and X buds are also perfect. Starry Sky Technology has a lot to offer, feeling even more powerful than Apple."
"Putting everything else aside, this time, the iPhone 4S really can't compete with Starry Sky X phone 1."
"No wonder a million units in stock sold out in 90 minutes, and even the 4299 high-end version is gone. These specs make even an old Apple fan like me tempted."
"Actually, many of those who bought Starry Sky X phone 1 are Apple users."
"Traitors! You are all traitors! No matter how good Starry Sky X phone 1 is, I'll still wait for the iPhone 4S!"
"When it comes to phones, Apple is still the best."
"Yes, yes, yes! You're all right, just wait for the iPhone 4S, absolutely don't buy Starry Sky X phone 1. If all of you come to buy it, I don't know when my Starry Sky X phone 1 will ship!"
"And X buds, you've all snatched them up, how shameless!"
"To be fair, X buds are really good. Even I, an iPhone 4 user, ordered a pair!"
...
Wang Yi also felt helpless regarding this fan infighting.
The phone community in his previous life was like this; there was nothing he could do about it.
As long as the official side didn't stoop to hiring paid commenters to maliciously slander others, it was fine.
Moreover, infighting with Apple fans was a good thing for Starry Sky phones.
It could greatly boost the popularity and sales of Starry Sky X phone 1.
Conversely, brands that no one cared about would eventually perish.
Wanglaoji and Jiaduobao fought, and Wokizheng was eliminated.
Similarly, if Starry Sky phones and iPhones clash, they might even send HTC and LG packing!
Even Samsung in the domestic market would be greatly affected.
If only thirty percent of Apple fans planning to buy an iPhone 4S defected to Starry Sky X phone 1, then probably eighty percent of users planning to buy HTC and Samsung flagships would have defected!
The iPhone 4S still had some advantages with its iOS system and brand appeal.
However, brands like Samsung and HTC, being Android like Starry Sky X phone 1, had accessories, design, and experience that were completely inferior to Starry Sky X phone 1.
Even their systems were mostly Android 2.3, far inferior to Starry Sky X phone 1's Android 4.0!
How could users choose, or even hesitate?
Without any surprise, after the launch of Starry Sky X phone 1, the entire Android camp felt like they were facing a formidable enemy.
Not only was HTC's Wang Zhanggui filled with worry, but even Meizu's Chairman Huang was sighing repeatedly.
"Old Bai, what do you say we do? Our MX is scheduled for launch on December 6th and goes on sale on January 1st. Now, Starry Sky X phone 1 was launched today and went on sale on the same day, and it's so excellent and selling so well. What should we do with our MX?"
Chairman Bai was also deeply troubled:
"I don't know what to do either. Look at the Meizu forum now; before, everyone was discussing Meizu phones, but now they're all discussing Starry Sky X phone 1. Our fans have defected. Now, launching is bad, not launching is also bad! It's distressing."
"What's more critical is that our MX 16G version is priced at 2999, while Starry Sky X phone 1 costs 3299 but includes 300 in membership value, essentially making it 2999. For the same price, Starry Sky X phone 1 has much higher specs and a better appearance, so consumers will definitely buy Starry Sky X phone 1!"
Chairman Huang sighed repeatedly:
"We're done for. We absolutely cannot launch at 2999."
"Right, cut the price, lower it to 2499!"
Chairman Bai frowned:
"Even if we earn less, it's better than not selling at all!"
"2499 won't work either. It's only 500 yuan difference. If it were you, would you buy the MX or Starry Sky X phone 1?"
"I'd definitely buy Starry Sky X phone 1! Starry Sky X phone 1 has at least 1000 more in specs compared to the MX! Adding five hundred would still make me jump straight for the Starry Sky X phone 1!"
"That's exactly it!"
Chairman Huang nodded, filled with melancholy:
"Lei Bus's 1999 pricing was already tough enough for us, but now Starry Sky X phone 1's 3299 with membership directly seals off our pricing flexibility!"
"What do we do then?"
Chairman Bai also didn't know what to do:
"Launching at the same time as Starry Sky X phone 1 would be disastrous."
Chairman Huang hesitated for a long time, then waved his hand decisively:
"There's no other way, let's go for a drastic move. The MX will start at 1999! Since we can't beat Starry Sky X phone 1 at the high end, we'll go for the low end and take out Xiaomi first!"
"This..."
Chairman Bai was startled:
"If the MX drops to 1999, then Xiaomi really won't have a chance. After all, the MX has higher specs and a better design than Xiaomi 1. Dropping below two thousand means no rivals, but also no profit! Xiaomi 1's cost + taxes are 1500, while our MX's cost + taxes are 1900! Selling at 1999, we won't make any money at all!"
Chairman Huang waved his hand:
"At this critical juncture, survival is paramount. What's profit? Besides, our 'Big Goose' is selling very well overseas, known as the 'Eastern iPhone.' We can just sell it a bit more expensively abroad."
"But we can't sell it at a loss!"
"Then what do you suggest? Sell at 2499? With Starry Sky X phone 1 out there, how many do you think we can sell?"
Old Bai took a deep breath:
"A price cut is definitely necessary, but not down to 1999. How about this, as a compromise, lower it to 2399, and there's still a five hundred yuan profit!"
Chairman Huang waved his hand:
"Don't even bother with 2399, go straight to 2299, that's 1000 yuan cheaper than Starry Sky X phone 1. Those who prioritize cost-performance will then consider our MX."
"Alright! 2299 it is, a direct cut of seven hundred! And the launch must be as early as possible, we can't wait until January."
"Good, with Starry Sky X phone 1 out there, our MX won't sell many anyway. After the launch event on the 6th, we'll go straight to sale!"
"Right!"
Xiaomi Headquarters.
Lei Bus was also full of melancholy:
"Chairman Wang, you are my nemesis!"
"If you didn't make phones, Xiaomi's 1999 price could snatch a lot of Meizu's market; they're always around three thousand! Our Xiaomi would definitely sell explosively!"
"But as soon as you started making phones, you directly bought up all the Qualcomm chips, leaving me with no chips to use! My production lines are freaking shut down!"
"Now Starry Sky X phone 1 is selling so cheaply and so well, you're really not giving me a way to live!"
"Sigh!"
"But by February, when we get Qualcomm chips, it will be stable. At that time, the 1999 price will still be cost-effective and definitely sell!"
"No longer aiming for profit, just breaking even will be fine."
"If only I had known, I wouldn't have used hunger marketing and would have mass-produced earlier. Sigh!"
What Lei Bus didn't know was that it wasn't just Wang Yi who wanted to 'hammer' him, but also Meizu's Chairman Huang!
And they had their 'hammer' ready!
At this moment, General Manager Li, one of the four partners, walked in:
"Chairman, with the launch of Starry Sky X phone 1, our future looks even bleaker. Plus, Qualcomm's processors won't be available until the end of February, meaning a March launch, which is too late!"
Lei Bus nodded:
"Indeed, but there's nothing we can do. Chairman Wang ordered an additional 11 million 8660 chips, so we can't get Qualcomm to supply us any earlier. Do you have any ideas?"
"I'm considering whether to change processors!"
"Change processors!"
Lei Bus was startled.
This idea was too bold, but not necessarily unfeasible:
"Elaborate!"
General Manager Li explained:
"Replace the Qualcomm dual-core processor currently used in Xiaomi with a Texas Instruments or Nvidia dual-core! This way, we can re-launch a Xiaomi 1S. If all goes well, we could launch and mass-produce in January, and it could be on the market by late January or early February, without waiting until March!"
Lei Bus fell silent, finally sighing:
"Is it worth offending Qualcomm just to launch a month earlier?"
"This..."
General Manager Li fell silent.
Lei Bus waved his hand:
"Let's put this matter aside for now, but we do need a backup plan. With Starry Sky phones in the domestic market, our future there seems bleak, so we need to open a second front!"
"Are you referring to Europe and America? No, that won't work, we're likely to get sued, and we can't afford to lose."
"Not Europe and America, it's A-San. Nobody talks about patents in A-San! Heh heh."
General Manager Li's eyes lit up, extremely excited:
"That's a great idea! We can take Xiaomi to A-San to sell. They have a large population, little competition, and we can make a fortune."
Lei Bus patted General Manager Li's shoulder:
"Old Li, I don't trust anyone else. You've followed me all the way from Kingsoft, and I have the most faith in you. I'll have to trouble you to open up the market in A-San!"
"Don't worry, I'll book my ticket now and fly to A-San tomorrow."
"Very good. It will take about two or three months for you to complete your investigation and open up the A-San market. By then, Xiaomi phones will have chips and be in stock. If domestic sales aren't good, we'll sell them in A-San!"
"Yes, that's more secure. Avoid Starry Sky phones' sharp edge!"
Both their eyes gleamed; they had discovered a new continent!
Starry Sky Industrial Park.
Song Sining wrapped her arms around Wang Yi's neck, a little reluctant to let go:
"Darling, I have to go back to Jeju. There are still many things to do at Meiyou. I'll come back next month."
"Just leave Meiyou to Old Chen! You go back tomorrow."
Wang Yi held Song Sining's hand.
A short separation makes the heart grow fonder, like a new marriage.
But seeing each other only once or twice a month, for two days at a time, was still too little!
Long-distance relationships are tough!
"Old Chen went to Jiangzhe to discuss the factory project and hasn't returned yet!"
"Still not back? Hasn't he been gone for many days?"
"Don't even mention it. As soon as they heard we were building a factory, several cities in Jiangzhe started fighting, all trying to snatch it! As a result, they still haven't settled on a location."
Wang Yi chuckled: "..."
"Sometimes being too popular isn't good either."
"Indeed, local governments spare no effort to attract investment, especially for quality enterprises like ours with promising projects."
Other enterprises, even if introduced and invested in by local governments, might not succeed and could become huge money pits, draining resources for nothing.
But Meiyou Technology, once introduced and given some support, would definitely succeed, definitely grow big, break even within the year, and then it would all be pure profit – a sure thing for huge returns!
It would be strange if they didn't fight for it!
(End of Chapter)