Today, Weiku Electronics was merely a generic mobile phone manufacturer with no projects requiring in-depth research.
They specialized in low-end feature phones, relying on chips from Lianke and components from well-established suppliers. Even the design plans for their phones were often provided by Lianke's public version templates. Weiku's primary R&D effort involved tweaking these designs: removing features, adding a custom shell, and sending the product straight to market.
Thanks to Lianke's turnkey solutions, producing a phone was straightforward. Yet, even this placed Weiku above most Huaqiangnan workshops.
Many smaller workshops lacked the capability to handle phone design plans, instead purchasing ready-made templates. Their focus was limited to cosmetic modifications and assembly. Such plans, based on public versions, could be bought for as little as 15,000 yuan, yielding nearly identical products differing only in appearance. These generic phones, lacking market competitiveness, were typical of small workshops and barely presentable even in Huaqiangnan.
However, ambitious manufacturers with some scale and resources often hired their own R&D personnel. This allowed them to adapt designs to company needs and market trends, creating products that deviated slightly from public versions. The key was rapid adaptation—and even faster copying.
Weiku Electronics belonged to this latter category. As one of Huaqiangnan's more capable manufacturers, the company produced over 500,000 phones annually, spanning both OEM and private-label products. With its own R&D department, a sizable assembly line, and even a few spare parts production lines, Weiku employed several hundred staff.
Despite these assets, their focus on low-end feature phones yielded modest profits. The production and sale of 500,000 units barely matched the profit margin of selling tens of thousands of high-end branded phones.
Xu Shenxue was determined to change this. Not only did he aim to stabilize and expand sales, but he also sought to maximize gross profit margins. To achieve this, prioritizing mobile phone R&D was essential, especially under the high-frequency sea-of-machines strategy, which relied on the rapid release of new models.
Even a simple shell redesign required adjustments to the phone's internal structure and external appearance, necessitating substantial effort from the R&D department.
After reviewing the R&D team's resumes, Xu Shenxue found no major surprises. The exception was Tang Gaochi, leader of the software group. A top computer science graduate from a prestigious university, Tang was technically skilled and a core contributor, earning a salary comparable to that of R&D Manager Xie Jianyong.
The remaining technical backbones were competent but unremarkable, fulfilling their roles adequately. Among the fresh graduates, several had strong foundational skills. Though their current abilities were limited, their solid theoretical backgrounds hinted at potential for growth with proper training.
After his review, Xu Shenxue instructed Xie Jianyong to gather Tang Gaochi, several technical backbones, and key personnel for a brief meeting. During the discussion, Xu Shenxue spoke candidly, made promises, and announced increased project bonuses for the R&D department. Additional benefits, such as free coffee, snacks, and midnight meals, were also introduced.
His words resonated with the team, though not for sentimental reasons. While the heartfelt talk was largely ignored, the mention of bonuses caught everyone's attention. In the workplace, money spoke louder than motivation.
Xu Shenxue's real objective wasn't the talk itself but the allocation of scientific research quotas from his system. Even Xie Jianyong, despite being older, received a quota. As the main designer for whole machines, circuit boards, and internal structures, Xie was indispensable to Weiku's R&D efforts.
Using the system, Xu Shenxue exchanged achievement points for ten D-level research quotas. These quotas were distributed among key personnel. Their performance would determine whether they retained their quotas—success meant continued support and potential raises, while underperformance would lead to reallocation.
Plans to recruit additional R&D staff were underway, with new hires set to receive any unallocated quotas.
After issuing the quotas, Xu Shenxue reviewed the system interface, where ten employees were now registered under D-level quotas. The system allowed for easy removal and reallocation, ensuring flexibility and efficiency.
Leaving the R&D department, Xu Shenxue returned to his office. An assistant arrived shortly after, delivering the HTZ smartphone he had commissioned.
Opening the box, Xu Shenxue examined the device: a side-sliding smartphone with a thick body and numerous buttons on the chin. This was the HTZ-G1, the world's first Android phone, released just two weeks prior and available only overseas. It had been purchased at a premium from the Huaqiangnan market.
Xu Shenxue spent some time exploring the phone's features, comparing it with the Fruit 3G smartphone released in June that year. After thorough analysis, he summoned Xie Jianyong for a discussion.
"Boss Xu, how can I help?" Xie asked as he entered the office, surprised at being called back so soon.
Xu Shenxue stepped away from his desk and gestured toward the sofa. "Old Xie, come and have some tea. A supplier sent me some Da Hong Pao from Wuyi Mountain yesterday. Let's see if it's as authentic as they claim."
Though slightly uneasy with Xu's enthusiasm, Xie Jianyong replied, "It's no trouble, Boss Xu. Let me brew the tea."
"Nonsense," Xu Shenxue said, expertly preparing the tea. "You're in charge of R&D. The success of the high-frequency sea-of-machines strategy depends on you. Making you a cup of tea is the least I can do."
As the first round of tea was ready, Xu handed a cup to Xie. "Try it."
Xie sipped and nodded. "Good tea. I don't know much about tea, but this is excellent."
Xu Shenxue smiled. "Glad to hear it." Setting down his cup, he continued, "Old Xie, I need you to pay special attention to our upcoming models."
He retrieved two phones from his desk and placed them on the table. Pointing to the HTZ phone, he asked, "Do you recognize this?"
"That's the HTZ-G1," Xie replied immediately. "The first Android phone, launched overseas last month."
Xie's expertise in mobile phone trends was evident. Although unfamiliar to the general public, industry insiders like him were well aware of the HTZ-G1.
"Correct," Xu confirmed. "I had it smuggled from Huaqiangnan."
He then placed the Fruit 3G beside it. "And this one?"
Xie nodded. "The Fruit 3G. It's immensely popular worldwide, even here through parallel imports."
Xu Shenxue smiled. "Exactly. Now, tell me: can we create an Android phone that's fully touch-controlled, with minimal physical buttons, a sleek design, an optimized interface, and a price point around 2,000 yuan?"
(End of Chapter)