"This so-called tablet is completely impractical. Without a corresponding market, its functions are inferior to laptops, and its portability is worse than terminals. I believe it's a product that simply won't sell!" Huang Laoban watched the proud expression on TV, and Qualcomm's CEO, Evan Jacobs, said indignantly.
"Heh, the issues you've raised are exactly what Huang He himself mentioned at the press conference. Yet, he still chose to launch this tablet. Do you think Huang He has no ulterior motives?" Larry Page immediately retorted.
"What ulterior motives could he have? Is he going to hold a gun to my head and force me to buy this thing?" Evan's temper was indeed quite fiery.
"Mr. Jobs, what do you think?" Larry Page, not wanting to argue with Evan, asked Jobs instead.
"There are indeed no ulterior motives here!" Jobs sighed. "Or rather, Huang He has made his intentions very clear. He intends to produce one million units to test the market. If all one million units are sold, then the market exists, this product is successful, and it can continue to be developed."
"If they don't sell, he'll stop, and it will be as if this thing never existed!"
"How is that possible?" Evan Jacobs said incredulously. "Although the tablet evolved from terminals, it boasts a dual-system, along with various other optimizations. Furthermore, almost all production molds need to be re-engineered, and the entire production process requires immense effort. Without hundreds of millions in R&D funding, it's simply not feasible."
"Are these hundreds of millions of dollars just for market testing?"
"While these hundreds of millions might seem like a lot to you, in the eyes of the vast Jiangnan Group, a few hundred million dollars for trial and error is still affordable!" Jobs said. Evan Jacobs immediately fell silent.
Qualcomm, at this point, was not as formidable as it would become in the future. Qualcomm did not have the capability to spend hundreds of millions of dollars just to test the market.
"Our competitors are advancing by leaps and bounds, yet we are still here, arguing endlessly. It seems the terminal market is going to be handed over to them!" As the new product launch event concluded, Gordon Moore directly turned off the television and remarked indifferently. The previously somewhat noisy living room quieted down.
"Should we still cooperate?" Jobs asked the crucial question.
"Of course, we should!" Evan Jacobs nodded. His Qualcomm was in an increasingly difficult situation. Since 1992, Qualcomm had spent 16 years striving to gain a first-mover advantage in the 3G era.
However, currently, the world's best-selling 3G products used communication basebands not from Qualcomm, but from Huawei's 3G communication basebands. Qualcomm's market share in the 3G market had dwindled to less than 20%. If Tianzhou were allowed to continue developing unchecked, Qualcomm's only outcome would be death.
"As long as we can agree on the method of cooperation and satisfy everyone's interests, I am very willing to cooperate!" Larry Page also expressed his stance. Finally, there was Gordon Moore.
Although this gathering was convened by Gordon Moore himself, prior cooperation talks had faltered, bogged down by the specifics of how to cooperate. Gordon Moore and the Intel behind him insisted on collaborating through a joint venture, while Jobs advocated for forming a technical alliance.
"Forming an alliance is actually a good approach!" Gordon Moore finally conceded. However, he continued, "But an alliance cannot be established just by saying so. The most crucial aspect of an alliance is a leader who can unite everyone's efforts, mediate conflicts within the alliance, and allocate benefits among members in a way that earns universal approval. Otherwise, the conflicts within an alliance would be no less than those in a joint venture."
Clearly, Gordon Moore's statement indicated his desire for leadership of this alliance.
Thus, the focus shifted back to Jobs. After all, among the four companies present, only Apple's Jobs had the qualifications and capability to compete with Intel for the leadership of the alliance.
"For this cooperation, Intel needs to contribute more technology. We should acknowledge Intel as the leader of this alliance, but the alliance's rules and regulations must also guarantee the interests of its members!" Jobs's statement signified his willingness to compromise.
With these two reaching an agreement, the subsequent cooperation became much easier to manage.
The next day, the respective teams from the four companies began consultations, striving to reach a consensus and draft the relevant alliance terms as quickly as possible.
A week later, the "International Personal Communication Terminal Industry Technology Development Alliance," led by Intel, was officially established in New York.
However, neither Apple nor Google released any new products. The market seemed to be allowing Tianzhou Terminals to develop as a sole dominant force.
——————
"Zhiruo, have you been eating a bit too much lately?" The next morning, as the golden dawn broke, Huang Laoban, who had just opened his eyes, lay against the tender skin of Leng Zhiruo's belly. He gently caressed her slightly protruding abdomen and asked with a chuckle, also with a hint of surprise.
After all, they had been together for quite some time. Huang Laoban knew very well how much his wife valued her figure. Besides work and spending time with him, almost all her time was dedicated to fitness. The entire floor of their house was a gym, and Leng Zhiruo spent more time there than everyone else combined.
Therefore, even though she was in her early thirties, Leng Zhiruo's figure and skin were still perfectly maintained, as tender as a young girl's, and filled with astonishing elasticity, making Huang Laoban reluctant to let go whenever he touched her.
So, when Huang Laoban saw that Leng Zhiruo had developed a slight bulge in her stomach, he couldn't help but tease her with a smile.
"A little stomach..." Leng Zhiruo was taken aback for a moment, then reached out and felt her own belly. Her expression changed drastically, and she exclaimed, "This is impossible! I've been exercising every day, how could I possibly have a small stomach?"
"Alas, we have to admit that once people get older, these things tend to appear easily. Money can't save us from it. Just admit that we're middle-aged!" Huang Laoban said cheerfully.
"No, I need to find my personal trainer and ask her what's going on. I pay her over 200,000 a month for personal training, and I strictly follow her plan. If my physique changes, I'll make sure she can't work in the industry anymore!!" Leng Zhiruo said angrily.
"It's not that serious, is it? Little Liu is quite dedicated to her job!" Huang Laoban quickly said.
"You're speaking up for her? Do you have something going on with her too?" Leng Zhiruo's rhetorical question stunned Huang Laoban.
Recalling the memory of the snow-white, elastic, and internally vibrant "golden medal dynamo," Huang Laoban immediately shook his head vigorously. "You're thinking too much. A rabbit doesn't eat grass from its own burrow. It's impossible for her and me to have any relationship!"
"Then I'm going to find her and get a clear explanation!" Leng Zhiruo said, and she directly dialed her personal trainer's number, ordering her to appear before her within minutes.
Well, as someone who constantly monitored Leng Zhiruo's body and received a monthly fee of 200,000 yuan for personal training, it was only natural for her to live in Huang Laoban's house.
After all, many of the rooms there were empty, and having a few people live there would add some life.
"Sigh, Leng Zhiruo is perfect in every way, except she's too concerned about her figure!" Huang Laoban sighed, unaware of Leng Zhiruo's deepest thoughts.
In Leng Zhiruo's mind, she would never be able to have her own children. She had finally managed to persuade her younger sister to provide an LZ, but unfortunately, her husband was not up to par, and all the provided sperm samples had failed, resulting in no mature embryos. They had to start all over again.
However, Leng Zhimeng seemed to have been severely traumatized during that process, and she adamantly refused to help anymore.
Leng Zhiruo, who had been so close to success, could only endure the pain of failure once more.
Furthermore, Leng Zhiruo was not someone who liked to take her anger out on others. She could only grit her teeth and swallow her pride.
Also, because she couldn't have children, in Leng Zhiruo's view, the only way to keep her beloved brother-in-law by her side forever was through her own figure and beauty.
Therefore, Leng Zhiruo now spent nearly half her time and a tremendous amount of effort, sweat, and money maintaining her figure and appearance. As a result, even in her early thirties, Leng Zhiruo's figure and appearance were no less than those of an 18-year-old girl.
But now, she had developed a slight bulge in her stomach. How could Leng Zhiruo accept this? The long-suppressed anger within her naturally erupted.
Before long, the personal trainer, Miss Liu, appeared before Huang Laoban and Leng Zhiruo. As a private trainer who had constant physical contact with her, Leng Zhiruo naturally couldn't hire a male personal trainer, as Huang Laoban would absolutely not tolerate it. Therefore, this trainer had to be female.
At the same time, Leng Zhiruo knew her brother-in-law was not exactly a saint, so she specifically chose a trainer who was not particularly attractive but highly skilled.
However, as an excellent personal trainer, her own physique was the best proof of her professional ability. Thus, Miss Liu's figure was described as devilish, even surpassing Leng Zhiruo in terms of its lines.
And men sometimes prioritized physique over appearance. Moreover, Miss Liu also had aspirations of experiencing the taste of the world's richest man, so the two naturally... well, you know.
Therefore, when Miss Liu faced the furious Leng Zhiruo, she couldn't help but cast a pleading glance at Huang Laoban, begging him to save her.
After all, having sampled her, Huang Laoban felt it inappropriate to stand idly by. Thus, as Leng Zhiruo began her furious interrogation, Huang Laoban interjected, "Leng Zhiruo, there are many reasons that can affect changes in physique, such as hormonal imbalances within the body. These are not things that can be compensated for through fitness."
"Think back to any recent changes in your life or body. Perhaps we should go to the hospital for a thorough check-up?" Huang Laoban employed the classic tactic of misdirection.