Global Monopoly of Technology

The polite words were almost over, Luo Sheng asked bluntly: "Then Mr. Cook, what is the purpose of your coming to see me on behalf of Apple this time?"

Hearing this, Cook also decisively explained the purpose of this: "We hope to obtain your company's multi-touch screen technology including smart phones, soft boards used to connect antennas and motherboards to reduce signal loss and improve networking performance. Wait for the authorization of 12 technical patents."

Luo Sheng understood in an instant. The meaning of what he said was worse than Apple's announcement that it was going to enter the smartphone market. He could imagine that Gang Master Qiao was in a lot of pain recently, and a arrogant boss finally faced the challenge. Reality compromised.

As a major competitor of the Côte d'Azur, Apple has more than one competition. Of course, Luo Sheng is also paying attention to the company's situation. Knowing that Apple's recent situation is very bad, he probably predicted that most of the compromises of the Qiao Gang will be It can't stand the pressure of Apple's board of directors and shareholders.

If he doesn't compromise, he may be kicked out of the company he founded again.

However, Luo Sheng pretended to say, "Oh? Your company is going to enter the field of mobile communication terminal equipment?"

Cook didn't hide it, nodding very directly to acknowledge that since he came here, he showed his recognition that the Cote d'Azur is the current leader in the smartphone field.

Luo Sheng smiled and said: "No problem, I have granted these 12 patents, on the condition that your company's mobile phone products are supported by the WOS system, and the annual patent fee of 350 million US dollars offsets the 74.8 million US dollars of patents paid to Apple by Cote d'Azur. fee."

When Cook heard this condition, there was an unnamed fire in his heart, but he held it back, and shook his head with his eyebrows locked and said, "Mr. Luo, these three conditions of yours are too much. accept."

Such a condition, in Apple's eyes, is no different from being a hooligan. If Gang Master Qiao came to talk, he might have to pat his butt and leave as he did last time.

Fortunately, this time it was Cook.

"The patent fee is 170 million US dollars. Our products do not need WOS. We will develop our own operating system. The 74.8 million US dollars cannot be offset. This is Apple's bottom line." Cook said seemingly decisively.

Luo Sheng felt happy when he heard it. Isn't the bottom line just used to break through?

"The current situation is tilting Mr. Cook to the seller's market. If I am not mistaken, the iPhone project that your company has put on hold is actually very complete. If I were in charge of Apple, since I decided to restart the iPhone project, I would definitely do my best. It will be launched this year." Luo Sheng said slowly.

The current changes in the smartphone industry are changing every year, and the update speed is quite fast, and Luo Sheng of the iPhone project does not know the specific amount of R\u0026D expenditure, but it is certainly not a small amount. In addition to the current situation of Apple, it is not so generous. If you give up the funds, you will give up and then overthrow it again.

It is still necessary to recover the cost as much as possible and launch it as soon as possible.

The last time Apple almost went bankrupt was Bill Gates. This time, if Apple faces bankruptcy again, Luo Sheng will not pull it. If there is a chance, it is best to kill him directly. Sheng will not be vague.

Next is wrangling time.

But then again, Luo Sheng actually hopes that Apple can live, or at least not die too quickly, and also hopes that Apple can live relatively well in recent years.

But only if you don't ride on the head of the Cote d'Azur.

Luo Sheng has his own strategic considerations. Apple is a long-established high-tech company in North America, and it must have its place in the history of IT.

But this is not the key. The key is that Luo Sheng hopes to deepen cooperation with Apple. If the old and the United States initiate such sanctions in the future, a large number of local companies in North America will also suffer.

Then these affected North American companies will definitely come out and oppose it fiercely. The resistance has become bigger. The North American authorities are really determined to impose sanctions, and they have to think twice before doing so, at least it can delay the time.

Although there was a lot of talk during this negotiation, a consensus was reached on the same day. As Luo Sheng said, it is now a seller's market. The Côte d'Azur has the initiative, and Apple does not have much room for bargaining.

And Luo Sheng also gave concessions to a certain extent, the patent fee was only 50 million US dollars, and at the same time offset the patent fee paid by Cote d'Azur to Apple, but Apple's iPhone must support the WOS system.

This is not negotiable.

It seems that Luo Sheng has made great concessions. Every year, he loses the huge sum of 300 million US dollars that can be obtained by lying down, and also gives support to the WOS system, but in fact, it directly leads to Apple wanting to do its own closed-loop software ecology. The dream declared bankruptcy.

Not only that, the WOS open source system is regarded by Luo Sheng as a core weight of international competitiveness.

As everyone knows, Google in the last life used Android to sanction Turkey, and the new local Android phones without Google services face the embarrassing situation of shock.

Technological hegemony is what Luo Sheng values ​​and wants most.

Europeans and Americans just use technology hegemony stores to bully customers. I have to say that this is a good thing. Luo Sheng also likes it. At that time, they can happily hurt each other.

Who is afraid of who.

Three hours later, Luo Sheng signed and sealed the agreement, and then said with a smile when exchanging documents with Cook, "It's a pleasure to cooperate."

"Pleasant to work with."

Cook forced a smile, and when he took over the contract in his hand, he had mixed feelings in his heart.

There is no need to stay for a long time after the matter is settled. Cook said a few polite words and left with the team of lawyers who came with him.

A few minutes later, there were only two people left in the waiting room where about 20 people had gathered. Luo Sheng looked at the document in his hand with a happy expression, closed the document and handed it to Qin Weimu with a smile: "From now on, great The Apple company of my company has also become one of my younger brothers, and I will have to see how I live in the future. If you want to eat and drink spicy food, you must first serve the elder brother well.”

Qin Wei gave him a blank look: "Come on..."

Luo Sheng spread out his hands: "Yes, that's right, it's just a jerk."

Qin Weimu glanced at him with a playful smile: "Aren't you going to be obedient and willing to serve Ben Gong?"

Luo Sheng: "emmm..."

...

Cook's visit this time was quite low-key, and there was not much coverage in the media. He didn't even hold a grand signing ceremony. Instead, he silently returned to North America after receiving the contract. Apple also silently restarted the iPhone project.

Apple has become the first overseas mobile phone manufacturer partner of the WOS open source system, but it is obvious that Luo Sheng will not be satisfied with this. As long as there is an opportunity, he will try to win over as many allies as possible, thereby squeezing the living space of the Android system. , the best strategy is to bring as many international mobile phone manufacturers into the WOS open source ecosystem as possible.

However, Luo Sheng also knows that such an idea is a bit unrealistic. Apple's compromise this time is impossible. If it is to blame, it is Apple's shareholders who put pressure on it.

Multi-touch screen is undoubtedly a core patent in current electrical products, especially in the smartphone industry, and this patent is also very complicated. Among large companies, especially multinational giants, the patent itself is quite complicated.

First of all, the multi-touch screen patent is actually quite vague, so Cote d'Azur uses an A4 paper document of more than 400 pages to describe it. Secondly, it is not only Cote d'Azur that has patents, and it is not only Android that has patent disputes.

There is no doubt that Google actually violated the multi-touch screen patents, but Google also has a lot of patents that the Cote d'Azur has to use.

If a lawsuit is really involved, the situation will be complicated. In addition, Laomei is a maritime law system, and judges have great power. Different judges may have different judgments. Even if the Cote d'Azur has a large legal team, as A Chinese technology company may not be able to win a lawsuit internationally. These are all potential variables.

Apple's application of the WOS system to support the iPhone this time, to a certain extent, accounted for a lot of luck, and Luo Sheng made a mistake.

But Côte d'Azur is not alone, as new patents will be filed this year, one of the core patents being an innovative CAD tool under multi-touch screens, which details a highly innovative computer-aided Design and draft user interface that allows users to operate various on-screen tools through a multi-touch display.

In general, the core technology is the king, and the rest are just icing on the cake.

With the passage of time, entering July, the smartphone industry has ushered in a new heavyweight player in China. Rebs' first-generation Xiaomi mobile phone is about to go on sale, and it will make a big splash in July.

...

(The third shift is over, irritable Xiaoyu, ask for tickets online~~)