Chapter 272 Two years! The time of outbreak has come
Lin Xiao appeared in front of Amy Pascal again.
"God, if I have made any mistakes, let God punish me, don't let this person torture me." Amy covered her forehead in pain.
"Lin, I have another meeting..."
"never mind……"
Next, Lin Xiao went to the screening room again and took out DreamWorks' "Shrek the Monsters", Pixar's "Toy Story 2" and "Monsters, Inc."
And we also got Blue Sky Studios' Ice Age 2.
Amy really couldn't do anything the whole day today. She accompanied Lin Xiao to watch five classic cartoons.
Finally, I replayed Kung Fu Panda.
"I know what you're going to say." Amy: "I can see the difference."
I didn’t notice it when I first watched Kung Fu Panda, but after watching five classic action movies first, I could clearly feel the difference in the pictures.
Lin Xiao: "Blue Sky Studios' first Ice Age was relatively crude, but by the second, the quality had skyrocketed."
"Ice Age 2 grossed $660 million worldwide, and with the box office revenue and other revenues, the revenue was at least $400 to $500 million."
"Amy, I want to ask, if the main investor of this film was not me, but was completely led by Sony Columbia, would you let it go?"
Amy Pascal was silent.
"Amy, this isn't a movie, this is a series."
"And if this one is successful, the entire IP can be fully leveraged, and we can make the second, third, and fourth parts."
"Not only that, I will also open a second IP and a third IP."
“This is a multi-billion dollar industry that will last for the next decade or so.”
"I am a very, very generous collaborator. You should be able to see that we took the lion's share of the credit for the success of The Last Days, but you took the lion's share of the profits."
"You should really treat me as one of your own."
"How much money have I made for you over the past few years? I can say that you have invested in countless projects in Asia and have invested a lot of money. But all the projects combined have not made as much as I have made for you."
"But at least now, you don't treat me as your own."
Amy Pascal said slowly, "I'm very sorry about the Squidward Game incident."
The drama "Squid Game" has achieved unprecedented success throughout Asia and swept across East Asia.
Lightning Entertainment came to the United States with great hopes and had great hopes for CBS.
Because this is the largest television network in the United States. Although CBS and Columbia Pictures are no longer the same company, they still have a strong connection.
In addition, YouTube was also one of the earliest companies to purchase American TV series, purchasing a large number at one time, most of which were purchased from CBS.
However, in the end, Squidward and CBS failed to reach an agreement.
It’s not that we didn’t agree to buy it, but the price offered was very low and the broadcast schedule was very bad.
So, Lin Xiao took it back and made other plans.
“Americans are very realistic. Although Squidward has been a huge success in East Asia, your other show Breaking Bad has terrible ratings.”
"I'm very sorry, Lin, our influence on CBS is really limited."
"As for the Sony Electronics incident, I know you made mobile phones. Regarding the mobile phone screen, you had great expectations for Sony Electronics at the beginning, but the final result disappointed you."
"But you also know that although they are all in the Sony Group, the relationship between Sony Electronics, Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Sony Pictures is..."
"Okay, Lin, I have enough guilt in my heart. You can tell me your intentions now, even though I know what your intentions are."
Lin Xiao said: "Re-processing Kung Fu Panda is an animated film, not a live-action film, so it can be improved. The so-called re-processing is just re-processing to make it better, and it does not need to be completely re-shot like a live-action film."
Amy Pascal: "That would add tens of millions of dollars to the cost. The key is the schedule."
Lin Xiao: "I have had several meetings with people in the studio. The core members of Oriental Dream Studio were once the backbones of other animation giants. They are not lacking in skills. The reason why the effect is not very good is that the budget is not enough. The key is that most of the time and cost were spent on early running-in."
"Our production schedule was very tight, and we only gave them less than two years, so the finished product was not satisfactory."
Amy Pascal: "Two years is not a short time. Although many animated films take about three years to make, that's because a lot of time is spent on character design and script perfection. The script for Kung Fu Panda was complete from the beginning, and you've already designed every character, so two years is plenty of time..."
Lin Xiao: "Fifty million US dollars should be enough. I'll pay thirty million and you guys pay twenty million."
Amy spread her hands and said, "Lin, if The Hunger Games can be successful, then everything will be fine and I won't have any pressure on the board of directors."
Again, Americans are very realistic.
If you succeed, you can ask for anything.
"Breaking Bad" and "The Hunger Games" were both tailor-made for Facebook's nationwide talent show. Now that "Breaking Bad" has poor ratings, Sony Columbia's expectations for "The Hunger Games" have been greatly reduced.
In the board of directors, the status of Lin Xiao as a strategic partner was also downgraded.
"Okay, okay, you're the boss, I promise, I promise..."
"I will be responsible for persuading the board of directors, or suppressing them." Amy said to Lin Xiao.
Lin Xiao: “You are the best.”
Amy: "You can keep silent, but I can clearly feel the hypocrisy in your words."
Then, Amy opened her arms towards Lin Xiao.
Lin Xiao stepped forward and hugged her gently.
"You are a lunatic, but you are also an infectious lunatic." Amy said, "You should succeed quickly. I really want to see you continue to succeed."
………………
Next, Lin Xiao went to negotiate with the people from AMC.
Persuade them to agree to put "Breaking Bad" on YouTube.
Charles Dolan owns countless industries. He is even one of the co-founders of HBO and the owner of an NBA team.
The Dolan family is not ranked very high on the rich list, but it is definitely an old-school capital.
Lin Xiao was invited to the best seat to watch an NBA off-season game.
The only difference is that the person who invited him was James Dolan, and on the right was AMC executive Adam Allen.
After watching the game, Lin Xiao negotiated with Adam Allen.
"Lin, although the ratings of Breaking Bad are not good, we all like it very much, especially Charles, he is a sentimental person, so we will co-produce the second season and renew it."
"But the video and DVD market is huge, and because the ratings are not good, the video and DVD market can make up for some of it. Once you decide to put the first season on YouTube for free, we will lose most of the video and DVD market."
The popularity of Breaking Bad is largely inseparable from the fermentation of the Internet and streaming media, and Lin Xiao wants to bring this fermentation forward.
He gave his reasons, and the most important thing is that YouTube paid for the copyright.
Because most of the copyrights of this drama are in the hands of Fantasy Vision, they have the final say on this matter, and the reason they talked to AMC is purely out of respect.
James Dolan couldn't help but say, "Lin, your YouTube is too crazy, too crazy."
"It took us several years, even more than ten years, to develop this audience, but you, YouTube, have reached that audience in less than a year, or even surpassed it."
“Our family coveted it and thought about investing in it.”
"Okay, we agree. We hope that, as you said, word-of-mouth on the Internet will bring more viewers to our second season."
"After all, I've heard about your success, and I want you to replicate it at AMC. We are not like CBS. We are full of strong personal imprints and can resonate with geniuses like you."
This matter did not take much effort and was settled immediately.
A few days later, the first season of Breaking Bad was available on YouTube for free streaming.
…………………………
And "Kung Fu Panda" got what it wanted and was remade.
Both parties increased their capital by US$50 million.
As a result, it has become almost the most expensive animated film in the industry.
Wu Lingxi was completely joking, but it was just as she said, it felt as if Lin Xiao's luck had been taken away.
After he resigned from all positions in Lightning Group and started his third business, his previous brilliant success seemed to have stopped.
"Squid!" suffered a setback in the United States, "Breaking Bad" had poor ratings, and "Kung Fu Panda" did not perform well as a finished product.
But it’s coming soon, really soon…
Soon after, a work that had been several years in the making appeared.
All will explode at once.
After finishing things in the United States, Lin Xiao flew back to China again and returned to Ning City.
At this time, it is already the end of the year.
The end of another year.
In just over two months, Quantum Technology Company has more than 300 employees.
The China branch of X Research Institute also has more than one hundred people.
The chips are not out yet, the screens are not out yet, the systems are not out yet, and the baseband chips are not out yet.
The current work of quantum technology is the design and finalization of mobile phones.
The LOGO of the quantum mobile phone is still very beautiful and advanced.
Because the overview of quantum itself is very beautiful and sci-fi, it is completely something from the microscopic world and is full of a sense of the future.
Whether a mobile phone can sell well or not depends not only on the screen but also on the processor.
Appearance is also important.
At this point, Lin Xiaoxian asked the design department to complete one draft after another.
Then……
He directly released the renderings.
Suddenly, the entire design department was speechless and looked at each other in surprise.
For the first mobile phone appearance, Lin Xiao still plans to overtake others and learn from others.
Which generation of iPhone is the most amazing?
It is undoubtedly iPhone 4.
The concept map given by Lin Xiao is equivalent to a slim version of the iPhone 4.
The screen of iPhone 4 is 3.5 inches, while Lin Xiao’s first generation mobile phone has a 4-inch screen.
And he personally thinks that the slender version will look better and more agile.
Because the appearance of the phone is so important, not only people from the design department were present, but also the entire senior management.
When I saw this concept map, I was speechless.
There are only two words in my mind: Fuck!
Then, he instinctively took out the cell phone from his pocket.
There are Nokia, Motorola, and Sony Ericsson.
They are all flagships.
Compare with the concept map given by Lin Xiao? It’s more than just a dimensionality reduction attack? Coming Soon is a work from two different eras.
This doesn't look like a mobile phone at all, but more like a work of art.
It’s so beautiful and amazing.
but……
But...
"Boss, can I ask, what material is used for that gorgeous effect on the back... on the back?" Bai Yongxiang asked in a trembling voice.
Lin Xiao: “Glass.”
Bai Yongxiang: "The cost is very high. The most important thing is that the high-hardness glass on the front is used to protect the screen. If another piece of glass is added at the back, the risk of breakage increases by half."
"And there are very high requirements for hardness and toughness. This is material science, and we... we may not have enough time to work with suppliers to overcome it. Even if we can make it, the cost will be very high."
Lin Xiao: "I know, I know."
"So, this glass back cover is only for the Supreme Edition, and is released in small quantities."
“The back cover of the regular version is still plastic, but it must have the texture of glass.”
Bai Yongxiang: "It's not difficult, it's not difficult."
"Then, what about this middle frame?"
Lin Xiao: "It must be metal. There is no compromise on this."
Everyone present gasped.
Boss, are you taking too big a step?
In the past few generations, smartphones were made entirely of plastic.
One of Huawei's mobile phones did not use a metal middle frame at the time, but only a metal edge, but its appearance had been greatly improved and sales also soared.
The Xiaomi 1 mobile phone is undoubtedly a success. Its configuration alone is very good, but its appearance is really hard to complain about.
Liu Zuohu: "Boss, we can make a metal frame, but... the cost will increase a lot. If we continue like this, how much will our phone cost?"
yes?
How much should it sell for?
The mark of Xiaomi's success is too deep in Lin Xiao's memory. The price of 1999 is almost like a magic sound that fills his brain.
And it's not just Xiaomi, even Meizu, Huawei and so on, the prices are not much different.
It was not until the P1 came out that it was positioned as a flagship and priced at 2999.
But there is no doubt that Lin Xiao could not sell it for 1999.
Because of Lin Xiao's decisiveness, this appearance was decided immediately.
But the troublesome thing is that the key accessories are not finalized and the size is difficult to grasp.
The space inside a mobile phone is extremely valuable.
When Lin Xiao bit it off, the thickness could not exceed 9.3 mm.
The thickness of Xiaomi 1 is 11.9 mm, which really has no aesthetic appeal.
With a thickness of 9.3 mm, it is simply exquisite in this era.
The next step is to negotiate with the foundry.
Target Inventec and Foxconn.
There is no doubt that the OEMs will be furious when they see these requirements.
Damn it, can you please stop messing with me? However, Apple is not the most powerful in this era, and you can meet its requirements.
I have paid so much money and I have so many orders, why can't you do it? However, if the quantity is not five or six million, I am afraid the OEM factory will really not do it.
You place an order for five or six million units without even knowing how many units will be sold? Chips, basebands, screens, cameras, and systems have all cost a huge amount of money.
Nowadays, the requirements for mobile phone appearance, appearance, size, and processing are so high.
God really knows how much money it will cost.
Fortunately, as long as it is not US dollars, everything is easy.
The next thing to be decided is whether to open a flagship store? By the time this phone comes out, the logistics will be pretty good and online shopping will be OK.
But...it is still difficult for most people to accept such high prices for online shopping.
Therefore, flagship stores and specialty stores are necessary.
"We don't need many specialty stores, dozens or even hundreds will be enough." Lin Xiao: "The key is still the distributors."
Liu Zuohu: "However, based on the cost and price of our mobile phones, there is not much profit margin left for distributors, so they may not be willing to sell our phones."
Lin Xiao: "That requires that our phones are popular enough and awesome enough for dealers to push. If you don't have our quantum phones in your store, you don't deserve to open a mobile phone store."
This is Apple's way.
For a long time, Apple has only had a few genuine stores in the country?
Selecting locations, decorating, recruiting, etc. for specialty stores across the country requires time, manpower and money.
Xiaomi 1 did not have any offline stores at the beginning, and sold 8 million units entirely online. But that was in 2011, so it’s not comparable.
………………
Just like that, in the midst of extreme busyness! 2006 passed and 2007 arrived.
During this entire year, Lin Xiao had hardly achieved any decent success and had been spending money, spending money, and spending money.
But...this year's Spring Festival, he was able to go home to celebrate the New Year.
It has been almost three years since he went home for the New Year.
He participated in the CCTV Spring Festival Gala in 2004 and 2005, and was in the United States in 2006.
And from the public eye, Lin Xiao has disappeared for two years.
In the past 2006, Tencent and NetEase became very popular.
Tencent's revenue is nearly 3 billion, and NetEase's historical revenue is about 2.2 billion, but in this world, with the support of World of Warcraft, it directly exceeded 2.6 billion.
Of course, because World of Warcraft will not really enter its explosive growth period until next year, next year’s financial report will be even more explosive.
Shanda's revenue has been declining, reaching only around RMB 1.6 billion in 2006.
Lightning Group is not listed, so it does not publish public financial reports.
But Lin Xiao has full control over all the data.
A lot, very successfully.
But...it has reached a bottleneck period.
First of all, Lightning Entertainment is still growing, but it has also reached a bottleneck period, and the four major variety shows have been saturated.
Two or three TV series and two or three movies every year.
Of course, the most core asset here is Facebook.
His development in the country had reached its ceiling, with QQ standing in the way, completely insurmountable.
Therefore, Lin Xiao’s mobile Internet strategy can only succeed, not fail.
The gaming industry had a breakthrough with Fallout 3.
The film and television industry achieved a breakthrough with "Kung Fu Panda".
The Internet industry relies on quantum technology to achieve strategic breakthroughs in mobile phones.
………………………………
"As long as it's RMB, that's easy." Xia Xi said, "The group has made a lot of money this year, but is it enough for you to make mobile phones?"
Lin Xiao: "If it's not enough, take out a loan."
If we follow the early Xiaomi model, that would be completely sufficient, because it is purely a futures model that basically relies on the supply chain.
But Lin Xiao chose the Apple model, which is highly independent and has to be very strong in front of the OEM factories, with very strict requirements.
That would require a lot of cost.
"In the past two years, your reputation, and the reputation of our Lightning Group, has continued to decline..."
“Is Facebook Night still going on this year?”
Lin Xiao: "You are the boss of Lightning Group, you decide?"
Xia Xi: "Renren Night is about to start again, with Microsoft as the platform. Sina Blog is also very popular this year, and has great influence on public opinion."
"On the contrary, we are making more money than ever before and are very successful, but our momentum is gradually becoming mediocre."
"I understand you now. Making money in a mediocre way is really boring."
“It’s a great tragedy if a company really falls into mediocrity.”
Lin Xiao smiled.
It’s the incubation period, the breakthrough period.
Very normal.
The previous Lightning Group had almost released all of its amazing power, so it would take two to three years to accumulate it.
"Come on, baby, let's set off the fireworks..."
Lin Xiao held Lin Yiyi in his arms and came to the field opposite the house with great interest.
“Bang, bang, bang…”
"It's the New Year..."
……………………
After the short Spring Festival, Lin Xiao started to travel again.
Go to the OEM factory and the supply chain.
Because Liu Zuohu and Bai Yongxiang were not famous enough at that time, they were not taken seriously when they went to the supply chain and OEM factories.
You don’t know until you try. You will understand after you try.
A mobile phone has so many components.
This is not like ten years later, when the supply chain is so perfect that anyone can make a mobile phone.
The current supply chain is completely full of counterfeit feature phones.
Lin Xiao, the pioneer, really needs to deal with the supply chain and suppliers one by one.
Even when the supplier is unable to handle the problem, Lin Xiao needs to mobilize university resources and laboratory resources to help solve it.
The difficulties and challenges seem endless.
At this time, we really have to thank Apple, because at least it was the first to blaze a trail.
Of course, there is also Nokia. Although they are not smart phones, they are also quite radical in exploring appearance.
But the current situation is... Lin Xiao's requirements are too high. In terms of appearance and material alone, they are even higher than the iPhones of the same era.
At least the metal frame is used in iPhone 4, Lin Xiao decided to buy it now.
Although it’s not necessarily difficult, but... even if the OEM factory is required, it has to start from scratch.
Just keep working on it.
It even gave Lin Xiao a feeling that this was not really making a mobile phone. This is clearly a journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures, there are more than just eighty-one difficulties.
It gives people a feeling that there is no end in sight.
On January 9, 2007, Apple’s first generation iPhone was released.
Although it is not good enough, it has already amazed the world.
So, when Lin Xiao went to Foxconn and Inventec, the other party saw Lin Xiao's request and his design drawings.
It's just a feeling.
You are crazy! Apple's IPHONE is already amazing enough, and you...what the hell is this request?
But Lin Xiao also complained in his heart.
What are you pretending for? What are you surprised about? In the second half of the year, Apple's iPod Touch 1 will be released.
Isn't that design difficult? Isn’t the processing difficult? Two or three years ago, Apple's iPod Touch surpassed the iPhone in terms of shooting and appearance.
It just keeps going on like this.
If you can't do it, then update the equipment and upgrade the production line.
I'll just add money, add money, add money.
……………………
Time continued to pass quickly.
There were no results or good news on almost all fronts.
Lin Xiao is still burning money, burning money, and burning money.
The dollar is burning.
The RMB is also burning.
It's like a bottomless pit.
There are still about eight months left before repaying the US dollar loan.
However, all the IP blockbusters are still in the making.
And just like that, time came to May 2007!
It has been exactly two years since Lin Xiao disappeared from the public eye and resigned from all his positions.
On this day, Lin Xiao was still in the OEM factory.
"Mr. Lin, I don't know when your phone will be released or when it will be on the market, but according to this schedule..."
"We purchased brand new machine tools, brand new equipment, and even updated the production line for you."
"Where's your cell phone?"
Lin Xiao: “Almost there, almost there.”
The other party took Lin Xiao's cigarette and said slowly: "But, I am looking forward to it too."
"Apple's iPhone is already so amazing. If your phone really comes out, I can't imagine what the effect will be."
"But even the SOC and the screen haven't been figured out yet?"
Lin Xiao: “Almost there, almost there.”
………………………………
"Lin Xiao, come to X Research Institute." Wu Di called.
"Our cell phone system is out."
Lin Xiao was stunned. Is it finally coming out?
Oh my god!
This is such a great moment.
In the past two years, I have spent $150 million on this system alone, right? Because the core is in the United States, we have to bear the high costs and high salaries there.
That’s more than twice as much as Google.
In order to get one step ahead.
Because for this thing, whoever comes out first owns it? Google is awesome, but it's not urgent and doesn't even have a mandatory schedule.
But Lin Xiao is in a hurry, so he needs to invest regardless of the cost.
"Yes, it's actually not as difficult as imagined, it's just troublesome, very troublesome..." Wu Di.
Lin Xiao: "Have you learned everything?"
Wu Di: "Don't be so annoying. Come quickly. We are waiting for your inspection."
Just when Lin Xiao hung up the phone, asked his assistant to book a ticket and rushed to the airport.
The phone rang again.
Amy Pascal called and said, "Lin, The Hunger Games is all done, and there will be a preview in three days."
"You should hurry up and fly over here. We still have a meeting to discuss the scale of its release and promotion."
"So far, Sony's strategic level for this is not very high, and the hope is not very high. I need you to work with me to promote this work."
"I need your incitement."
Lin Xiao hung up the phone and looked at the blue sky.
The sky is clear!
"The Hunger Games" grossed $694 million worldwide! Top hit!
Beyond everyone's expectations.
The haze is really going to pass.
The moment of explosion may really be coming.
Lin Xiao: "Okay, I'll fly to the United States the day after tomorrow."
………………
A few hours later! Lin Xiao landed in Ning City and rushed to the Quantum Technology Park without stopping and rushed into the X Research Institute.
More than a hundred people stood neatly outside to greet them.
A welcoming welcome.
Roll on, roll on, do this.
Enter the office.
The two vice presidents of the institute, although they are Americans, are also present.
Wu Di was in a wheelchair, holding a mobile phone in his hand.
Of course, this is not a quantum phone, but a batch of mobile phones specially customized to verify the mobile phone system. Even the SOC is developed by ARM.
“In fact, this system came out a few months ago.”
"But I know who you are, and I dare not show it to you."
"We are really afraid of your sigh and your disappointed look."
Wu Di said slowly: "I am smarter than you, and I am more demanding than you, but my vision is not as good as yours, so I think it's almost done, and I should be able to show it to you."
“Of course, there is still a lot of room for improvement in UI and detailed functions.”
"Just look at the basic functions, fluency, etc...."
Lin Xiao raised his head and said, "Don't force me, I'll see for myself."
Lin Xiao took the phone.
Don’t look at functionality or fluency first.
Just this UI, this layout, this icon design.
Wow! It really is worthy of his vision which is more than ten or twenty years ahead.
It was really worthy of him to ask the artist to draw them one by one according to his memory.
And the whole layout.
It's not about technology, it's about applied logic, it's about aesthetic design.
There are so many mobile phone systems that are truly ahead of this era.
……………………
Note: I went out again today and will be back to write in the afternoon. I don’t have to go out tomorrow and can focus on writing. My benefactor, can I still ask for a monthly ticket? Thank you all very much!
(End of this chapter)
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