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When Kakao was first established, Ziweixing invested US$5 million, accounting for 60% of the shares. Jin Fanxiu’s team invested a total of US$1.5 million, plus a portion of management shares, holding the remaining 40% of the shares.

After evaluation, the valuation is about US$8 million.

Only a year and a half later, Kakao has become the most eye-catching Internet startup in South Korea. Samsung has offered an olive branch and wants to invest US$25 million in Kakao and hold a 20% stake.

In other words, according to the standards of Samsung’s investment team, the company’s market valuation has reached US$125 million!

However, this money cannot be taken casually.

Zhou Buqi’s partner in South Korea is Hyundai Group. If Kakao wants to launch the next round of financing, Hyundai should be the first choice. One of the purposes of coming to South Korea this time is to solve this matter.

As a foreigner, Zhou Buqi has no interest in participating in the competition between Samsung and Hyundai. If he has a choice, he certainly hopes to have a good relationship with Samsung.

Samsung Electronics is the world's most important supplier of high-end mobile phone parts. Even Microsoft and Apple have to tolerate it.

However, there is no need to pay too much attention.

It's best if you can cooperate. If you can't, you will be pulled down.

Asda and Samsung have already launched a strong competition in the field of Android-based mobile phones. Samsung has even taken the initiative to act as Google's pioneer in filing a patent lawsuit against Apple.

It is actually quite normal for technology companies of this kind to copy things back and forth.

The patent stick is often a tool used by giants to deal with emerging small companies. Even if there is a collision between giants, it will often not go to court. The public attention attracted by litigation is too high, and both parties may be discredited, and the risks are too great.

Things that can be solved by money are no longer problems. They are nothing more than a matter of benefit distribution.

Sit down and talk and it will be solved.

The whole world can see that all smartphones at this stage are copying the iPhone. Samsung is unwilling to spend money to buy safety. It chooses to go to the United States to fight Apple head-on and litigate, which requires great business courage.

Samsung has never lacked this kind of thing, which is both sinister and ruthless.

In the previous life, Samsung and LG teamed up with several technology companies in Baodao and set up a bureau to fool Japanese technology giants in the choice of plasma screens and LCD screens.

Then, the electronic industries of Samsung and Baodao suddenly emerged, replacing Japan and entering the world's attention. It is under this background that HTC has become a world-class mobile phone giant.

At this time, Samsung's opponents have changed from Japanese companies such as Sony, Panasonic, and Hitachi to technology companies in Taiwan, and HTC is the first to bear the brunt!

On the surface, HTC was killed by Apple through patent lawsuits.

However, Apple’s initial appeal was just for patent fees. HTC's annual revenue is nearly 10 billion US dollars, and it pays Apple 100 million US dollars in patent fees every year, which is nothing at all.

The problem lies in the competition between the Android system and Apple system behind it.

Google needs a legal battle to draw a clear line between Android and iOS. Otherwise, Apple will say that Android is plagiarizing every day, and there is no way to refute it.

By filing a lawsuit, the sphere of influence can be clearly defined, which can reduce Apple's long-term blackmail against Google in the future.

Just like Apple and Microsoft back then, one of Microsoft's biggest headaches in the early years was the patent dispute with Apple. It wasn't enough to pay them every year, and it had to endure infamy. Later, Apple fell into bankruptcy. Jobs returned to Apple but had no money to reorganize, so he went to Bill Gates to ask for money, on the condition that there would never be any patent accusations against Microsoft in the future.

With the money from Microsoft, Jobs led Apple's renaissance.

Now that Apple is at its peak, there is no chance to take advantage of it.

Google has no choice but to force it.

The good thing is that Google doesn't have to show up in person. It owns the Android system. Naturally, someone took the initiative to submit a letter of nomination, and Samsung was the first to rush forward.

At this time, as the number one partner of Android, how can HTC watch Samsung get close to it? If HTC compromises with Apple, it will be safe for the time being, but it will be dangerous in the future.

Samsung took the initiative to file a lawsuit and performed well. If HTC does not keep up, Google will definitely have a strategic tilt in the future and make Samsung the first partner of Android, and HTC will fall behind.

There is no way, HTC wants to pay Apple, but it can't, so it can only force it.

But the problem came again.

The Samsung family has a great business and a solid family background. Even if the lawsuit against Apple is lost, it doesn't matter. Emergency public relations and emergency reconciliation will be enough. With Samsung's transcendent strength in the mobile phone supply chain, Apple does not dare to completely break up with Samsung. HTC cannot do that. Once it loses the lawsuit, it will really have to implement the court decision and be cleared.

So HTC was killed by Apple's patent lawsuit. This is just a superficial phenomenon. There is actually a cunning figure hidden behind it - Samsung.

After Samsung joined forces with Baodao's technology industry to defeat Japan's technology giants, it turned around and used its methods to attack Baodao's technology industry.

Then, Samsung finally became the dominant player in the world's electronics industry and became an unshakable giant.

Fortunately, the United States is not willing to see Samsung become too powerful, causing Samsung to form technological constraints on Silicon Valley. In the chip manufacturing industry, the focus is on supporting TSMC and curbing the development of Samsung chip factories to a certain extent. Only then did TSMC become the dominant player after HTC.

In terms of company strength, today's Asda is actually not much different from HTC in its previous life.

Now, Samsung has taken the initiative to challenge Apple and is going to initiate a patent lawsuit.

Do you want Astar to follow?

This is the fundamental reason why Zhou Buqi came to South Korea this time.

Zhou Buqi wants to talk to people at Samsung to see if he can find a reasonable solution that is good for both parties. Although the Li family of Samsung is cruel and evil, Zhou Buqi also has an advantage. He was foresighted.

Although Samsung is powerful, they know nothing about the future. Although they have formulated a series of business plans for Apple and Asda, I don’t know whether they can succeed!

Maybe it can succeed, allowing Samsung's smartphones to surpass Asda and become the world's No. 1 Android phone. Maybe if it fails, Samsung mobile phones will completely fade out of the mobile phone market like Motorola, Philips, and Ericsson.

It’s also a big gamble for Samsung.

If we sit down to talk and reduce high-risk decisions to low-risk cooperation, the two parties may not be unable to reach a consensus.

For this reason, Zhou Shaoning also flew to Seoul from the United States.

Talk to Samsung together.

The results were not good.

What Asda means is that Asda and Samsung will cooperate and join forces to file a lawsuit against Apple. With more people and more strength, we can fight together. After all, in terms of smartphone design, both sides are similar. They are both copying the iPhone, and the angle of plagiarism is also very similar.

This time they join forces to fight against Apple. In the future, the two parties can also cooperate with each other in mobile phone design, authorize each other on design copyrights and technology patents, and share appropriately in sales channels and supply chain systems.

In fact, Asda moderately gave up its own interests to persuade Samsung to cooperate.

Unexpectedly, Samsung refused.

Those who are barefoot are not afraid of those who wear shoes.

In the current smartphone market, Asda wears shoes and Samsung goes barefoot. Samsung has great ambitions and is obviously not satisfied with the small favors given by Asda. They want to snatch the shoes belonging to Asda and wear them on their own feet!

There's nothing left to talk about.

One shot and two breaks!

Want to invest in Kakao?

Go ahead and dream!

Zhou Buqi owns a mansion in Gangnam District, Seoul, and his neighbor is Zheng Zhongshun, an important figure in the Zheng family and whom he had dealt with before. After the negotiation with Samsung broke up, Zhou Buqi invited Zhou Shaoning to his home.

Zhou Shaoning was worried, "The situation is not good!"

Zhou Buqi asked: "What's the reaction from Google?"

Zhou Shaoning said: "I just came from the United States, and Google is negotiating with Samsung. This is probably why Samsung does not negotiate with us and has a strong attitude. It is probably because it has reached some internal agreement with Google."

Zhou Buqi nodded, "Now we have to recognize the situation clearly. Android has developed and has become the most popular mobile operating system on the market. Android has enough confidence. Aisda will continue to do what it has done in the past two years. It is no longer possible to eat alone.”

Zhou Shaoning was unwilling to give in, "Asda has introduced investment from Google."

"How much does this cost?"

Zhou Buqi shook his head.

Google has invested US$1.2 billion in Asda, holding a 10% stake. However, the current technology industry is changing rapidly, one day at a time.

That is to say, Zhou Buqi made a decisive decision and agreed to introduce Google's capital without any hesitation, which can be regarded as binding Aisda and Google to a certain extent.

Otherwise, if we hesitate for a year and a half and ask Google to invest, Google will not invest.

Android had not yet started to be developed, and Google was also worried. In order to prevent Aisda from joining other operating system camps, it invested money.

Android is now number one in the world, and the situation has reversed. It’s not Google that’s begging mobile phone manufacturers, it’s mobile phone manufacturers that are begging Google. Even Samsung has to obediently submit its letter of nomination.

Zhou Buqi concluded: "This is a strategic level for Google to remain competitive."

For Google, how can it best protect its own interests? How can we protect the vitality of the Android operating system? You just can’t bet your money on one company.

Aster phones are doing so well that 70% of the Android phones in the world now come from Aster.

This is not a good thing for Google.

In this way, Google will be threatened, and Asda may turn its back on customers and rely on its strong market share to threaten Google in turn.

This is why Google will happily reach an in-depth strategic cooperation with Samsung.

The Asda family cannot be allowed to dominate.

The same was true for HTC in its previous life. HTC thought it had Google as its backer, so it mustered up the courage to file a lawsuit with Apple. As everyone knows, Google simply does not want to let HTC dominate. It is best to let Samsung and HTC share the market equally, which is in Google's best interests.

Of course, something unexpected happened later that Google didn’t want to see.

Samsung is so powerful and getting stronger and stronger.

HTC is too weak and was killed by Apple.

The final result was that Samsung replaced HTC and became a dominant player. Later, Google urgently adjusted its strategy and established good relations with Chinese mobile phone manufacturers. It encouraged Huawei, Xiaomi, Transsion, OV, ZTE and other manufacturers to develop overseas. It also sold most of Motorola's assets to Lenovo at a low price, hoping that these The company can develop and compete with Samsung.

Unfortunately, for various reasons, it was not very successful later on.

This creates a situation where Samsung is the only one, dominating the market. Now, Samsung can really use its strong market share to "threaten" Google. Google can only break its teeth and swallow it, accept Samsung's threatening cooperation terms, and pay Samsung billions of dollars every year to ensure that Samsung's mobile phones will not have products that compete with its own product business.

Zhou Buqi has a very firm judgment, "What Google wants to do now is not to help Asda, but to suppress Asda, so that Samsung's smartphones can form a competitive market structure with Aster."

"This..." Zhou Shaoning opened his eyes in disbelief, "Google and Asda are strategic partners!"

Zhou Buqi hummed: "In this regard, there is a higher strategy."

Zhou Shaoning took a deep breath, "Why didn't you say it before?"

Zhou Buqi said angrily: "Do you think I can figure everything out?"

Zhou Shaoning said amusedly: "You are a business genius."

Zhou Buqi said: "Even if you are a business genius, it is impossible to understand everything accurately. I suddenly figured it out from Chao Wan Commune."

Zhou Shaoning was surprised, "That toy factory?"

"Yes, a toy factory that makes blind boxes." Zhou Buqi explained, "Chaowan Commune has now signed blind box agreements with many European giants. At the beginning of the new season, many teams will start selling Chaowan Commune. Blind boxes. This summer, domestic factories must speed up production and urgently ship products. Because it is an emergency, some suppliers have raised prices."

Zhou Shaoning asked: "What's going on?"

This is what Wu Yu complained to Zhou Buqi, and there was no need to hide it. Zhou Buqi said: "Because it was an emergency project, a carton supplier raised prices, causing a certain degree of management chaos. Later, it was Shi Jing Mei used her family's strong connections in Shanghai and sent the taxation, industrial and commercial, fire and other departments to jointly enforce the law and investigate the background of the carton factory. Then the carton factory backed down and quickly begged for mercy."

Zhou Shaoning shook his head, "Administrative measures are not advisable. We still have to start from the system. Especially in the international market, it is impossible to obtain special government rights in disguise. Many state-owned enterprises have failed miserably overseas, and this problem basically exists."

Zhou Buqi said: "Yes, I gave Chaowan Commune a very simple idea at that time, which was to add another carton supplier and provide incentives for the difference in order quantity. If you want to get more orders, just We need better quality and price services.”

Zhou Shaoning uses a similar idea to manage the mobile phone supply chain. In fact, it is to maintain competition and avoid monopoly.

However, from this case, he also understood the thinking logic of Boss Zhou, and said with emotion: "Yes, empathize with others and think from others' perspective. Chaowan Commune must prevent supplier threats, and Google will definitely prevent Asda's backlash. Google We need to reduce Asda’s market share and introduce more competitors to protect our own rights and interests.”

Zhou Buqi said: "So, when it comes to handling the lawsuit with Apple, we have to change our thinking."