Zhou Xin didn't want to sell Matrix to Microsoft simply because the income would be lower than expected and it would disrupt his original plan.
Although selling Matrix to Microsoft and then acquiring Apple to build Apple into the trillion-dollar empire that it later became was also a way, this road was not easy to follow.
Matrix has completely established its brand image in the minds of consumers and has created a high-end brand in the field of smartphones. This positioning has been formed after the release of the second generation Mphone. In the future, it only needs to continue to deepen the understanding of consumers through a series of technological innovations. Just the impression in your mind.
Borrowing Apple's shell to start a new business, from a future perspective, you will think this is a good choice. Apple's ecology has a lot of advantages, this idea is completely a desperate situation.
Apple's advantage is based on the fact that they have been in a leading position since the beginning of the mobile Internet. They have continued to achieve commercial success and gained a large number of fans, forming a snowball effect.
Apple's ecological advantages are the result of Apple's success rather than the reason for Apple's success.
After Microsoft acquired Matrix, it was too difficult for Apple to defeat Microsoft, even with Zhou Xin's future vision.
In terms of developer ecology, Apple is far behind Microsoft. The number of developers based on Windows operating systems is far greater than the number of developers based on MacOS. To describe it as ten times is an underestimate.
What's more important is that the agreement on paper can be overturned. There is no need for Microsoft to be the bad guy. Amerikan will naturally play this role.
Even if it is agreed that the merged Matrix will still purchase mobile phone chips designed by Xinxin, this is written in black and white in the contract, and it can be overturned by Americen on the usual grounds.
This is like Microsoft occupying the position of Apple in later generations, and even a stronger position than Apple in later generations. More than a quarter of the production capacity of the world's most advanced manufacturing processes depends on Matrix's most advanced smartphones, and the new core is equivalent to half of TSMC in later generations. status.
The sudden abolition of all orders would be a devastating blow to chip foundries.
What’s the difference if Matrix acquires Apple? The biggest difference is that the federal government pays far less attention to Apple than Microsoft. Zhou Xin’s move to move some of his R&D departments and functions to China will not attract much attention.
When decoupling occurs in the future, Zhou Xin can definitely learn from ByteDance and split Douyin and Tik Tok into two, using Apple for markets outside China and Matrix for the Chinese market.
At least half of the results can be retained.
A merger between Microsoft and Matrix would not be able to do this at all.
After Jobs heard this, he subconsciously rejected Zhou Xin's proposal. In his opinion, Apple was his Apple.
After Apple is acquired by Matrix, even though its name is still Apple, Apple will change from his Apple to Zhou Xin's Apple.
He now has far less influence on Apple than Bill Gates has on Microsoft.
Jobs asked: "Newman, if you acquire Apple, I'd like to know how we divide responsibilities between us.
Between you and me, or between Apple’s original management and Matrix’s management. "
Steve Jobs If Zhou Xin is determined to promote the merger of Matrix and Apple, he will never be able to stop him.
It is true that Apple is the company he founded, but in the ten years since he left Apple, he has sold almost all of Apple's shares, and his share of mobile phone shares is not even 1%.
As for wooing Apple's large and small shareholders to reject Zhou Xin's proposal, not to mention that Zhou Xin is Apple's largest individual shareholder. Even if institutional shareholders are included, Zhou Xin's share ranks first.
This group of large and small shareholders who only have money in mind cannot say no to Newman.
Jobs could say no, but shareholders, large and small, would only say yes. Even Zhou Xin didn't need to say it himself. As long as he revealed his idea, Apple's shareholders and board of directors would come together to facilitate the deal.
The merger of Apple and Matrix is also a big business, and it can also be regarded as the largest business in Silicon Valley since the 21st century.
After listening to this, Zhou Xin said: "We need to make some integration of resources. We must first clarify a principle that Matrix, Mac, Apple, and iPods are all Apple brands.
Then after the merger, some sharing of resources can be achieved, such as supply chain, sales channels, software ecosystem, etc. These can be merged.
Distinctions can be made in the research and development of some specific products. For example, Apple's original product line is still in charge of the original person in charge, and Matrix's product line is still in charge of Matrix's person in charge.
To put it simply, all types of resources are concentrated, and management is at best fine-tuned.
Because the merger of Apple and Matrix involves the integration of too many interests, and Apple is a company with a very long history, I should personally serve as CEO in the early stages.
Then you and the original CEO of Matrix will serve as vice presidents in charge of your respective business lines.
My initial thoughts are roughly this: Apple needs Matrix's technology, funds and ecosystem, and Matrix also needs Apple's technology and ecosystem. The two parties will have a relationship where one plus one is greater than two. "
After Zhou Xin finished chatting with Jobs, he did not make any publicity to the outside world. He just talked to Paulson, a Goldman Sachs executive, about his ideas.
Then let Paulson help run this thing, the condition is that Paulson needs to do it in extreme confidentiality.
After hearing Zhou Xin's idea, Paulson almost immediately thought of a move in the Chinese art of war, which was to build a plank road openly and covertly to attack Chencang.
The media that are hyping up the merger of Microsoft and Matrix are acting like clowns. In fact, Zhou Xin's idea is not to be acquired by Microsoft at all, but to take full control of himself to acquire Apple.
"Paulson, I am completely willing to hand over this business to Goldman Sachs, but I have a few requirements. First, the news about the merger of Microsoft and Matrix, whether it is overt or covert, can only be regulated." The department cannot accept Microsoft's acquisition of Matrix.
Second, Newman acquired Apple after doing the next best thing. "
Zhou Xin's request is so as not to affect his relationship with Bill Gates. There will still be many opportunities for cooperation with Microsoft in the future, especially if Microsoft plans to personally make mobile phones in the future.
The more customer resources the better for Xinxin, and Microsoft's Windowsphone sales have exceeded 100 million.
As a result, before Goldman Sachs could act as a mole and convince Amerikan's Ministry of Commerce, EU business-related departments stood up and stated that they could not accept the merger of Microsoft and Matrix.
Just like in later generations, Microsoft's acquisition of Blizzard required the consent of multiple countries. The markets of Microsoft and Matrix involve most mainstream countries in the world.
At the same time, it involves issues of antitrust law and competition policy. Different countries have established their own antitrust agencies and laws to protect market competition and consumer rights.
If an acquisition is opposed by antitrust authorities, the acquisition will be prohibited.
For the EU, which has two giants in the communications industry, Nokia and Ericsson, it is obviously unacceptable to accept the emergence of a behemoth after the merger of Microsoft and Matrix. This will cause a fatal blow to the EU's mobile phone industry chain.
Under the clear opposition of the European Union, the merger ended without a word before Americen's commercial department could speak.
Microsoft also took the next step and acquired Palm, intending to fully enter the field of smartphones.
"You are right. I have a very good relationship with Newman. I met him when he first came to Microsoft as an intern. He was an outstanding representative of that batch of interns.
I could feel at that time that Newman was different from other young people. He had his own ideas. Riot Games was also the investment with the highest return rate that my foundation had ever made. "
"Yes, I naturally hope to cooperate with Newman and see the merger of Microsoft and Matrix. I also told Newman that if the merger of Microsoft and Matrix is successful, the position of Microsoft CEO will be reserved for him.
From an intern to becoming the CEO of Microsoft in just five years, it can be considered an achievement. Of course, if he is willing, he will have the opportunity to become Microsoft CEO in 1999. "
"Yes, smartphones are very important. The mobile Internet has completely shown the booming development trend of the personal PC market in the past. Microsoft attaches great importance to this emerging market. This is also one of Microsoft's most important development directions in the future.
Microsoft is now lagging behind in this field. Originally we wanted to catch up by acquiring Matrix, but now it seems that this road will not work.
It can only rely on Microsoft's own capabilities to catch up in this field. "
"I still have great confidence in Ballmer. With the help of Microsoft's advantages, he can surpass Matrix in the near future."
Bill Gates addressed some recent rumors head-on during an interview with a TV show in Seattle.
His answer also makes Microsoft's attempt to acquire Matrix more credible.
Of course, the most aggrieved ones are Nasdaq investors. Why does the EU want to intervene in a matter that is clearly a done deal?
The stock price, which was about to take off, plummeted. This downward arc was much steeper than the big A.
Before the market's enthusiasm over Microsoft's acquisition of Matrix subsided, and Microsoft's rising market value had yet to retrace its gains, Zhou Xin posted on Weibo:
"Matrix plans to merge with Apple."
After the news came out, it quickly detonated Internet public opinion. Apple is an Internet company with a large number of fans, although they did very poorly throughout the 1990s.
The entire personal PC market has been handed over to others, but this does not mean that their previous fans have disappeared.
This is like the declaration of some singer fans: We are getting old, not dead.
The same is true for Apple supporters, not to mention Apple's return to the public eye with iPods Zero.
Different from the criticism on Weibo about Microsoft's merger with Matrix, after the news of Matrix's merger with Apple came out, Weibo could be described as "Xi Da Pu Ben".
If there are user profiles now, we can find that there is a huge overlap between the user profiles of iPods users and Mphone users.
"WOW! This is the best news I have heard this year. If Matrix and Apple merge, I will no longer have to consider other companies' electronic products."
"The merger of Matrix and Apple will be a win-win situation. The design advantages of MOS can be synchronized to the operating system of Apple computers."
“Does this mean Apple will launch a music player that supports touch screen functionality?”
"It's great to see the collaboration between Steve Jobs and Newman. Two of the top talents in the technology industry will bring us more and better products."
Zhou Xin didn't think there could be any sparks between him and Jobs. He was curious about what sparks could be created between Lei Jun and Jobs.
After all, the person Lei Jun wants to take over Steve Jobs's mantle after his death has always been known as Lei Bus to the outside world.
Either the wrong name or the wrong nickname. Lei Jun was named after Rebus, which obviously shows that he has similarities with Steve Jobs.
Zhou Xin thought that after the deal was completed, Lei Jun would be responsible for supply chain management and would have a lot of time to deal with Jobs.
At that time, you can ask Lei Jun and Jobs what they think of each other.
Matrix's acquisition of Apple is also a long-distance race. It cannot be done in a short time. It will take at least a year.
Because it is equivalent to Matrix borrowing Apple's shell to go public, it must first be approved by Apple's internal shareholder meeting, then Nasdaq agrees, and then Amerikan's regulatory authorities agree.
In the end, regulatory authorities from major countries around the world agreed, and the deal was finally concluded only after they agreed.
Zhou Xin's announcement is equivalent to him reaching an agreement with the shareholders behind Apple, and everyone will take this matter to the shareholders' meeting for decision-making.
Matrix's acquisition of Apple was handed over to Goldman Sachs, which once again proved that Goldman Sachs' powerful power was coveted by its peers on Wall Street.
Why do all the good things happen to you?
"Didn't you tell me before that you would consider selling Matrix to Microsoft as long as Microsoft offered enough chips?
Now it seems that the chips offered by Microsoft are not as good as Apple's? Li Jingyi asked.
When Li Jingyi and Zhou Xin were vacationing together at Bill Gates' villa before, they had discussed this issue.
At that time, Zhou Xin said that if the price is right, there is nothing that cannot be sold.
Li Jingyi thought Matrix was really going to be sold to Microsoft, and she was secretly looking forward to it.
Because according to her understanding of Zhou Xinxin, it was obvious that he was going to start a new business after selling Matrix. She was very curious about what Zhou Xinxin's entrepreneurial direction would be.
The result was that Zhou Xin acquired Apple backhand.
Zhou Xin said: "Pure money means nothing to me anymore, if Microsoft can work in the middle and sell Applied Materials to me.
I would sell the Matrix to him without hesitation. "
After Matrix is sold to Microsoft, Zhou Xin's ability can completely build another one. Even if it cannot achieve the same scale, at least it will have no problem reaching the scale of Xiaomi and OV in the future.
Applied Materials is different, a giant in the upstream semiconductor industry.
Applied Materials is a giant in the semiconductor field, with approximately 17,300 patents worldwide.
The most familiar semiconductor equipment to Chinese people is the photolithography machine, but the equipment used to produce chips is far more than just a photolithography machine.
It also includes atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, rapid thermal processing, chemical mechanical polishing, etching, ion implantation, wafer inspection, etc.
These steps all require semiconductor equipment, and Applied Materials’ market share in these equipment is at least 70%, making it an out-and-out giant in the semiconductor equipment industry.
(End of chapter)
