The Millennium Semiconductor Survival Guide.

Chapter 253 Strategic Resources
For Microsoft, they are well aware of the importance of the mobile phone operating system, but how important it is and whether all resources need to be invested, Microsoft is not clear about this degree.

Because from the perspective of Microsoft, the volume and market of personal handheld computers that were in full swing back then were not smaller than those of current smartphones.

Since England's Psion Company began to release Psion Organizer for personal handheld computers in 1984, personal handheld computers ushered in an era of rapid development. In this era of rapid development, various handheld computer operating systems emerged.

Among them is Palm OS. Matrix under Zhou Xin acquired HandSpring, a company founded by the founder of Palm, for the mobile phone operating system; there is BlackBerry OS, which is a mobile phone after making a personal handheld computer; and Symbian launched by Psion. , The predecessor of Symbian was the EPOC system launched by Psion, and later Symbian, Nokia, Ericsson, and Motorola jointly established Symbian.

Of course, there is also Microsoft. Microsoft launched Windows CE based on personal handheld computers. Therefore, Microsoft has seen too many rises and falls of personal handheld computers since the era of personal handheld computers. They know the importance of smart phones and have invested resources to adjust Windows CE.

In Microsoft's concept, smartphones are similar to personal handheld computers, which are equivalent to personal handheld computers with communication functions. Based on this logic, they developed windows CES.

For Microsoft, the helpless point is that the Windows CES mobile operating system they created does not support many manufacturers. Nokia is ambitiously building Symbian. China's mobile phone operating system is also not cold.

Motorola has not yet launched the Symbian Alliance at this time, and has not developed its own mobile phone operating system, so it does not think much of Microsoft.Microsoft's mobile phone operating system is only used by some small factories. Not only do they not want to give Microsoft money, but they even hope that Microsoft will give them money in order to let them use Windows CES.

Bill Gates is naturally very aware that Microsoft is investing less and less resources in the operating system of smartphones under such a background.After experiencing the operating system of Mphone2, Bill Gates realized that compared with the operating system of the computer, the operating system of the mobile phone is a completely different design logic and design concept.

In the original era of Apple, Apple released the first-generation iPhone in 2007. It was only in 2010 that Microsoft began to enter the mobile operating system market. They did not learn from the design ideas of IOS, but completely based on their own set of design logic.

It's different now, because MOS was created by Zhou Xin. Zhou Xin's record in the past has fully proved his understanding of user preferences. One victory over their venerable opponents.

Therefore, Microsoft will attach importance to MOS and try to learn from the design language of MOS, instead of focusing on IOS.

Zhou Xin heard the continuous praise from Bill Gates. He was actually very proud of being able to build such a mobile phone in 2003. No one else could do this.

Technology maturity is one aspect, and being able to insist on releasing products after they are fully mature is another strategic vision.

Unlike Apple, which has a long enough history and sufficient precipitation, the Matrix brand is a brand new brand. It relies on binding with Zhou Xin's personal IP to have labels such as high-end, technology, and the future in the minds of consumers. .

Because it is bound to Zhou Xin himself, this kind of label relies on the first-generation Mphone, which is actually relatively weak.

This is a bit similar to when Musk first launched Tesla in later generations. Tesla and Musk were highly bound. It took Tesla nearly ten years to complete the branding.

Competitors in the era of smartphones will not give Zhou Xin such a long time to build a brand. Zhou Xin needs enough explosive products to further deepen the brand image of Matrix in the minds of consumers. Once the golden body is built, In the future competition, Matrix can be in an invincible position.

Apple squeezes out toothpaste every year, but there are countless fans around the world who will replace it every year to support Apple, which has a strong correlation with Apple's brand image.

If the first-generation Mphone is more of an advantage in product thinking, then Mphone2 is an all-round leader from the understanding of smartphones to technology, at least three years ahead of this era.

"Mphone2 will be a revolutionary product. When Mphone1 came out, I just said that Mphone will bring you a completely different experience. In fact, Mphone1 still does not break away from many concepts of traditional mobile phones in the past 20 years.

In Mphone2, you can hardly see the shadow of traditional mobile phones in the past. From the operation method to the experience, it is a completely new product. "

Speaking of the role of the brand, Matrix first launched a customized keyboard in 99, and by the way introduced the concept of customized keyboards to the world.

In the past, Matrix has a dedicated keyboard department, which is responsible for regularly launching some new products every year, continuing the past design language.But because of the high price, only a few local tyrants actually have the willingness to spend.

With the great success of Mphone, sales of Matrix keyboards are increasing year by year. When Matrix's executive responsible for keyboard sales reported, Zhou Xin was not surprised at all. When Matrix has the status of the later Apple, let alone a keyboard, even a cloth for wiping the screen can be sold at a tenfold premium.

Such a high premium can still attract a large number of consumers to pay.

Compared with Apple Dafa, Sony Dafa is much weaker.

Bill Gates said: "Yes, before I really got in touch with Mphone2, it was always difficult for me to imagine what the future mobile phone would look like. We have known each other for many years. At the first-generation Mphone launch conference, I also Sit under the stage and listen to your introduction.

In fact, at that time, I didn't quite believe the difference between the Mphone you showed and the previous mobile phones, because whether it was Weibo, WeChat or NewPay, it was nothing more than transferring applications from the computer to the mobile phone. Mobile phone manufacturers that have done similar things before did not Not a few.

Although the success of Mphone later proved that mobile phones can be important terminals, and mobile applications can play a much greater role than computers in certain occasions. You have indeed changed the ecology of mobile phones by relying on Mphone, but that is more of a software level, a system level.

Only after I came into contact with Mphone2, Mphone2 has completely subverted the traditional mobile phone form from hardware to software. In my career of using mobile phones for more than 20 years, there are only two types of mobile phones, Mphone2 and others. "

Bill Gates was not stingy about his praise of Mphone2, "Newman, I regret that when you were an intern at Microsoft, you didn't directly hand over the Xbox project to you. Xbox has done a better job than it already has."

Zhou Xin comforted: "Xbox has done well enough, as a new game console brand, it can compete with Sony and Nintendo in the North American market, which has exceeded many people's expectations.

If it were me, I might not be able to do better. "

Bill Gates looked at Zhou Xin seriously and said, "No, Newman, you will definitely be able to do better.

Even Mphone will be born in Microsoft, bringing new glory to Microsoft.

Because I am only a member of Microsoft's board of directors, I am not actually involved in Microsoft's operations. I know that the mobile operating system will be the largest incremental market in the next ten years, but I find it hard to believe that Microsoft can beat Matrix led by you.

You are a more formidable opponent than Jobs. "

Bill Gates can't overestimate Zhou Xin. Microsoft and Zhou Xin's companies have never won a frontal collision on Internet applications before.

MSN, which was originally full of confidence, and QQ found themselves vulnerable after colliding with QQ on the battlefield of enterprise instant messaging software.

Tencent’s enterprise qq is updated weekly to release new features, and major version updates are carried out on a monthly basis. Microsoft’s MSN major version updates take half a year as a node. From the perspective of customer experience and actual solution needs, Microsoft is not Tencent’s opponent at all. .

Even after entering 2003, there were voices within Microsoft that they wanted to give up this market directly, because the gap between the two parties was so large that Tencent could form a scale effect, and Microsoft could hardly see the hope of catching up in this field.

With such a historical record, Bill Gates can hardly believe that Microsoft's team can beat Zhou Xin in the mobile operating system market.

Zhou Xin said: "I also think so. In the field of mobile phone operating systems, Matrix has no competitors, whether it is Microsoft or Nokia."

"Many times there is no harm without comparison. Compared with MOS, Nokia's operating system is clumsy like an 80-year-old man."

In private, Zhou Xin speaks very bluntly, making no secret of his contempt for competitors, let alone Nokia and Microsoft will be the losers of mobile phone operating systems, even the current IOS on mobile phones, Zhou Xin does not pay attention.

Because there is no hardware blessing and no A-series chip blessing, it is impossible for Apple's software ecology to reach the level of future generations.

Bill Gates said: "Newman, you are too confident, but you have the right to be confident.

But Microsoft is not an opponent that is easy to admit defeat. I have already thought about it. When I return to Seattle, I will tell Ballmer that we need to pay more attention to mobile operating systems and this brand new battlefield.

What I think is that Microsoft can jointly develop smartphones with Nokia and Intel. Nokia is responsible for hardware manufacturing, Microsoft is responsible for mobile phone operating systems, and Intel is responsible for building the CPU core of mobile phones. "

This is the Wintel alliance of the new era planned by Bill Gates, but Nokia is added to it.

Zhou Xin said: "Then I think you have to speed up your progress. After consumers get used to the operation method of MOS, Microsoft will have no chance."

Zhou Xin was right. After the Mphone2 press conference, today's audience will be the first to buy the latest Mphone2 in the venue outside.

Because most of the audience are loyal fans of Mphone, during the press conference, some consumers on the spot synchronized the news of Mphone2 to Weibo.

When consumers get the real Mphone2 in their hands, they almost feel the same as Bill Gates, which is amazing.

"Although the price of Mphone2 is very expensive, when I heard that Newman announced the price at the press conference, I posted a Weibo saying that the pricing of Mphone2 would be the biggest reason for Newman's failure.

But when I got the Mphone2, I knew that I was wrong. The texture and the whole screen alone led to a high cost, and the price cannot be lowered.

And if the pricing of Mphone2 is the same as that of Mphone1, it will not only prevent other mobile phone brands from surviving, but even their own Mphone1 will be ignored. "

Similar remarks are not uncommon in American's major online forums. One experience made [-] viewers present become the tap water of Mphone. They are comparable to the enthusiasm of later generations of fruit fans for Apple.

Back at Zhou Xin’s mansion in San Francisco, Bill Gates was impressed by Zhou Xin’s answer: “I also have a sense of urgency. Compared with Mphone, the tripartite alliance between Microsoft, Nokia and Intel is only on paper. The agreement, even this paper agreement, is still just empty talk.

It's a pity that Matrix does not need external financing, and its cash flow is healthy enough, otherwise Microsoft's best partner must be Matrix. "

Zhou Xin thought to himself, you finally mentioned it, I don’t need to take the initiative to mention it, he doesn’t really want to take the initiative to mention it, it will be very passive.

Zhou Xin continued: "Who said that Matrix does not need external financing, Matrix needs to consider external financing, Matrix is ​​indeed not short of money, but we need external financing.

One is to rapidly expand the scale and build Matrix's global sales system. Compared with mobile phone companies with a long history such as Nokia and Motorola, Matrix's global sales system is much weaker.

We have almost only entered 30.00% of the countries and regions, and only have flagship stores in the top cities of these countries and regions.

The second is because of strategic considerations. At this point, Matrix needs more strategic investors who can provide Matrix with resources other than money. "

You don't need to say too much to smart people, just enough to stop.Bill Gates quickly understood: "Microsoft is definitely the best partner.

I can help you connect with the real top figures in Washington and Wall Street, who can provide a lot of convenience for Matrix's business in American and even the world.

We can operate in this way. Emerging investors will release a private equity fund, and then this private equity fund will open to them to purchase shares, and finally invest in Matrix through this private equity fund.

In this way, the control of Matrix is ​​still in your hands, and they can enjoy the dividends brought about by the development of Matrix.

As for me, the Bill Melinda Foundation needs to have a certain investment share. said Bill Gates.

Zhou Xin asked after listening: "I have no opinion, but I have to confirm that they have enough influence.

General problems don't really affect me. They must ensure that they can provide enough help for Matrix and me in some key events.

For example, Microsoft was sued by the Colombian court in the name of anti-monopoly. They should be able to help me settle such an apparent conspiracy. "

It’s just one aspect to settle these issues, and it’s another aspect to use Matrix and American’s truly influential figures to get online. NewPay is going to start a personal loan business similar to Huabei, and there are not enough influential people to support the scene. Zhou Xin didn't dare to move first.

(End of this chapter)