Chapter 2801 Technological faith defeated by cost advantage

In the past few years, China has made great achievements in the field of electronic product manufacturing. The most commendable achievement is of course the improvement of the computer and mobile phone supply chain system. Today, although there are still HP and Dell in foreign computer companies, and Samsung and Apple are extremely powerful in mobile phone companies, their market competitiveness cannot be separated from the domestic supply chain system.

The smartphone industry has just developed, and it may not be too clear.

But the computer industry has gone from prosperity to decline.

This is very representative.

Twenty or thirty years ago, computer companies dominated the global technology industry. Technology giants such as Microsoft, Adobe, and Oracle all provided supporting services for computer companies. The real name of Apple at that time was Apple Computer Company.

There are at least hundreds of competitive computer companies in the world, which are the most desirable places for technology talents.

But soon, a large number of companies fell.

The lucky ones were acquired.

The unlucky ones went bankrupt directly or their entire computer business was laid off.

Lenovo, a very inconspicuous company from China that started out by reselling home appliances and had no technical content, has risen rapidly and survived by defeating a series of large companies that lead the global technology trend. This will inevitably make many people feel sad.

The technology that once made countless people admire is vulnerable in the face of cost!

The sacredness of technology is gone.

It turns out that the so-called technology is so fragile. In just a few years, a large number of computer companies with strong technical strength can be defeated by a company that has no technology and only plays assembly... Even IBM, which once occupied 80% of the global PC market, can't play anymore. It surrendered and split and sold its computer business.

Dell and HP can still survive, why?

It's not because these two companies have higher technical levels than other computer companies, but because these two companies have chosen the right strategic direction. In terms of technology and trade, they both chose the latter. In fact, these two companies do not have much technical content. Because of the lack of technical content, they know that they cannot beat their competitors in technology, so they do not focus on technology research, but put a lot of effort in supply chain management, and they all choose the domestic market.

This is just like grabbing territory.

Whoever pleases the domestic market first, who can firmly look at China, who can first establish a relationship with the powerful and complete computer supply chain system in China, can survive in this industry.

Not only the international market, but also the domestic market.

Those who are ambitious to play with technology, one by one, have died, including Giant Group, one of the independent directors of Ziweixing, Shi Yuzhu. He also told Zhou Buqi about this matter, asking him to be careful and cautious in technology research and development, and not to kill himself.

Because Giant Computer at that time was also very competitive in the domestic market.

Giant was the most powerful private technology giant in China at that time, and he even became the richest man in China for this.

Then, he was a little arrogant.

Many people know that the bankruptcy of Giant Group was caused by a leader who told him that he should adjust the construction plan of Giant Building and build it more magnificent and spectacular, which caused a break in his cash flow and the company went bankrupt.

This is only the superficial reason.

There are deeper reasons behind it, including the rectification of the health care products industry and the end of Giant Computer.

Why did Giant Computer end?

Because Shi Yuzhu became the richest man, he felt that he should respond to the call, listen to the instructions and arrangements of some leaders, do what he should do, and then began to invest heavily in the direction of technology development... The ideal is beautiful, but the reality is miserable. The R\u0026D cost will eventually fall on the product and be included in the cost of the product. The expensive Giant Computer ended as fast as a roller coaster. It was the peak of the industry at the previous glance, and then it was dead in the blink of an eye.

For ordinary people, don’t look at them shouting happily at ordinary times, as if everyone has faith in science and technology... But in fact, when they need real money to support, they must buy good and cheap things.

Why was Tim Cook favored by Jobs and invited to Apple as COO, and later CEO?

Because Cook was working at the computer giant Compaq at the time, in charge of supply chain.

But his business was not taken seriously, and the domestic market he was optimistic about was not approved.

Later, the result was very embarrassing.

Compaq Computer, which was once among the top three in the world, suffered from serious unsalability in the low-price competition after its peers enjoyed the low-cost advantage, and its products died suddenly and could not be played.

This was a tragedy.

Cook became the biggest winner and a hot manager in the industry, because the facts proved that his strategy was right. The increasingly powerful HP and Dell, as well as the rapidly growing Lenovo, were enough to show that his business vision was advanced and correct.

So even if Cook did not understand technology at all, he was immediately favored by Jobs.

Jobs personally did not like to come to China.

Piracy was prevalent in China, and what he hated most was the theft of intellectual property rights. But as a big businessman, this made him make the most calm judgment. The purpose of hiring Cook was to let him rebuild Apple's supply chain system. The most important point was to make full use of the domestic manufacturing advantages and industrial supporting policy determination.

When Cook later became the CEO of Apple, Apple replaced Microsoft and became the most pro-China among the technology giants, because he knew very well where the viability of Apple products lay.

This is true for the computer industry, and so is the mobile phone industry.

When it comes to the electric vehicle industry, you can’t go wrong!

Cars sound like a very high-end industry, but with the popularization of technology, this thing will become more and more popular. As long as it is not a million-dollar luxury car, in the field of general-purpose vehicles, the biggest competitiveness is still cost, not technology.

If the country wants to become a real economic power, it must not avoid the automobile industry.

Compared with the automobile industry, computers and mobile phones combined are insignificant.

On this day, Zhou Buqi spoke at length on this idea for more than an hour.

The total time allocated is only 90 minutes.

Basically, I was listening to Zhou Buqi.

In fact, many people attending the meeting are big bosses of domestic car companies, but they are basically state-owned enterprises and play a decisive role in the domestic car industry. Zhou Buqi didn't give them any face, because these car companies relied on policy advantages and resource advantages to establish joint ventures with foreign car companies. They used foreign car-making technologies that had been eliminated or leftovers, and the authorized price was They are all extremely expensive. They are fine for sale in China, but if you take them abroad, people won’t even take a look at them.

But if a private enterprise manufactures electric vehicles, this is different.

Especially with the involvement of the Internet and the era of Internet of Vehicles, everything will change.

The most indispensable thing in China is excellent product managers.

These product managers have all worked hard in the Internet industry. They understand the mentality of users and the minds of consumers very well. This will lead to some product ideas that are completely different from traditional car-making concepts.

Only such domestically produced cars, without the huge expense of intellectual property rights, with domestic low-cost advantages and a product concept that better understands the user's mentality, can be truly competitive when exported abroad.

What Zhou Buqi said was clear and logical.

Mr. Wei from the automotive industry who was present couldn't help but asked, "The cost advantage is indeed an advantage, but do electric cars really have no technical barriers built by patents? The huge expenditure on patent fees will also increase the cost."

Zhou Buqi smiled and said, "Mr. Wei, I work in the Internet. In the Internet industry, there is almost no concept of patent fees. Open source technology has made the current global Internet era possible. Entering the era of Internet of Vehicles, the Internet must be "

Mr. Wei shook his head, "You didn't explain the patent barriers clearly."

Zhou Buqi said: "Open source is the answer."

"Open source?" Mr. Wei was slightly stunned, "Share the car technology for free? Can car companies around the world use it?"

Zhou Buqi said: "That's what it means."

"This is impossible!"

Mr. Wei flatly rejected it.

Not only him, but the five or six big guys in the automobile industry who were present all felt that this guy was a bit fanciful, and he started to drift off when he became the world's richest man. Since you are an Internet person, just study your Internet with peace of mind. You don’t understand cars at all!

Zhou Buqi added to this, "I'm talking about new energy vehicles, specifically electric vehicles."

"Electric vehicles are also impossible." Mr. Wei felt that he was too amateurish. "Our company also has an electric vehicle business. This field... Mr. Zhou, electric vehicles are indeed an emerging field, but some key areas are still controlled by Europe and the United States. Whether it’s an electric car or a traditional petrol car, they’re both cars, there’s no difference!”

Zhou Buqi was the youngest person present. Even the confidential secretaries in the back row who were taking notes were all in their thirties or forties. But he had no stage fright at all. Especially when it came to the business field, he showed a lot of enthusiasm. Strong confidence, "Mr. Wei, are all the key technologies for electric vehicles you mentioned in the hands of Tesla?"

Mr. Wei nodded, "Tesla is the benchmark in the field of electric vehicles. In fact, it is indeed the case. Tesla has redefined electric vehicles. Electric vehicles have been around for hundreds of years, but the user experience has always been terrible. Especially SLA has made many technological breakthroughs in some key areas.”

Zhou Buqi said: "That's easy to do. I will make Tesla's technologies...the intellectual property rights you mentioned that may form patent barriers open source. Some of the core indicators may be commercial secrets, which will kill them." Hold on tight. But most of the patents will be shared for free. Tesla will definitely not build patent barriers to restrict the development of domestic electric vehicle companies!”

"ah?"

The corners of Mr. Wei's mouth were slightly raised, a little mocking, and he didn't want to answer the question.

Some other industry leaders also shook their heads secretly.

I feel that Mr. Zhou, who is so young, is a bit too young.

As expected, he is young and energetic.

Just not stable enough.

Is this the place for you to talk big and brag?

Everyone is very busy, no one has time to listen to your nonsense!