“MicroChat—a brand-new mobile instant-messaging app.”
Yu Xin walked to the center of the stage with a smile. She lightly tapped the controller in her hand, and the live display from her phone appeared on the giant screen.
“MicroChat’s biggest innovation is its voice-message function. All you have to do is press and hold the recording button at the bottom of the screen, say what you want to say, and release it. The message will be sent automatically.”
She pressed the recording button and softly said into her phone, “Hello to all our friends in San Francisco.”
A green voice-message bar appeared on the giant screen. She tapped it lightly.
“Hello to all our friends in San Francisco.”
The sound was clear and smooth, without the slightest trace of static.
“In addition, MicroChat supports a social network built around the contacts already saved on your phone. Once you register, any friends in your address book who have already activated MicroChat will automatically appear in your friend list. There’s no need to memorize complicated account numbers—you can add them with a single tap and start chatting right away.”
“MicroChat also includes social-entertainment features such as Drift Bottle and Shake It. Shake your phone, and you’ll be matched with new friends who are shaking theirs at the same time. Any bottle you toss into the digital sea may be picked up by a random user, and you can also retrieve messages from bottles tossed by others.”
“Of course, MicroChat does have one fairly practical drawback at the moment: voice messages and image transfers consume a relatively large amount of mobile data. Without Wi-Fi, users may see their phone bills go up.”
At this point, Yu Xin deliberately paused for several seconds and swept her gaze across the audience.
“To address this issue, the Wanlonghui Group has reached partnerships overseas with Sprint and T-Mobile. Here in China, we’ve also entered into comprehensive partnerships with all three major telecom operators. Any Longyao S1 user who signs up for one of the designated data plans will receive an exclusive subsidy. Any data usage beyond the plan will be fully covered by the Wanlonghui Group, so users won’t have to pay a single extra cent. For specific plan details, please visit the Longyao official website or one of our physical stores.”
“To put it plainly: once you buy a Longyao S1, you’ll never have to worry about data charges again.”
The moment she said this, the audience erupted into enthusiastic applause.
After all, in 2010, mobile data was outrageously expensive both in China and abroad. Many people could afford a smartphone but still refused to activate a data plan.
Yet the Wanlonghui Group had actually partnered directly with telecom operators and agreed to subsidize the cost of mobile data.
Of course, while the domestic plan covered all major operators, the overseas arrangement was limited to selected carriers and was therefore less convenient. Even so, the sheer number of operators they had managed to negotiate with was enough to make people wonder just how much power stood behind the company.
“Now that we’ve covered the hardware and software, let’s take a look at the accessories and see how much value Longyao is offering there.”
Yu Xin tapped the remote again. The screen displayed everything included inside the phone’s packaging.
“An official silicone case, a tempered-glass screen protector, a pair of wired 3.5-millimeter earphones with in-line controls, a charger, a data cable, a SIM-eject tool, and the user manual… Combined with the carrier data subsidy, the total value received by customers who purchase during the first launch phase exceeds 3,000 yuan.”
She repeated the value of the benefits once more.
Yu Xin set down the remote and looked at the countless astonished faces below her. Smiling, she said, “I know what you’re thinking. You’re wondering how a new phone brand like Longyao can offer so many benefits. Are we burning money?”
“To be honest, yes, we are.”
“But Longyao isn’t asking you to take advantage of a bargain and walk away. What we need is an opportunity—an opportunity to get users around the world to give us a try. Because once you do, you’ll discover that this phone is no worse than any international flagship. Its system runs smoothly, its processor is more than capable, its battery lasts, its camera takes crisp photos, its voice messages are convenient, and even its design has been copied by someone else.”
“Hahaha…”
The audience burst into laughter. Only the representatives from the invited Fruit Company sat there with faces as dark as the bottom of a cooking pot.
Yu Xin laughed along with them onstage, then slowly composed herself and solemnly emphasized the price.
“More importantly, it isn’t expensive.”
“The domestic price of the Longyao S1 is 2,999 yuan.”
“The overseas price is 399 U.S. dollars.”
The lights suddenly dimmed.
The curved screen at the center of the stage slowly rose, while a golden spotlight slanted down from the ceiling and landed perfectly on the enormous dragon-shaped logo behind Yu Xin.
“And that’s not all.”
“Before the final minute of today’s launch day arrives, we’re offering one more limited-time benefit. For the next 72 hours, anyone who pre-orders a Longyao S1 can trade in any old phone that still powers on and lights up the screen.”
“No matter what brand it is, what model it is, or what condition it’s in—even if it’s a basic phone worth only a few dozen yuan—as long as it can turn on and display something on the screen, it will qualify for a 1,000-yuan cash discount. Overseas customers will receive the equivalent of 100 U.S. dollars.”
“In other words, bring us any beat-up old phone and you can take home a Longyao S1 for just 1,999 yuan. Overseas customers will pay only 299 U.S. dollars.”
A collective gasp swept through the venue, and the hair on many people’s arms stood on end.
After all those benefits, they were still offering another 1,000-yuan discount through a trade-in program?
This was practically giving the phone away…
No, this was even more outrageous than giving it away!
“Ladies and gentlemen of the press, and all our honored guests, that concludes today’s launch event.”
“I hereby announce that the Longyao S1 has officially launched worldwide!”
“The 72-hour trade-in promotion is now in effect!”
The stage lights suddenly blazed to life.
Thunderous applause and cheers once again erupted throughout the venue.
What an incredible presentation! It had been absolutely spectacular!
They had never seen a phone launch this exciting before. It had completely blown the roof off!
At the front of the Imperial Capital venue, all the industry heavyweights were applauding so hard their hands were nearly swollen.
Lei Yun was clapping the hardest of them all. He was preparing to make phones himself, so he knew better than anyone how difficult it was to build a phone brand in China.
And today, a young woman standing halfway around the world had used a single Longyao S1 to shatter every doubt and criticism aimed at the company.
The launch had also given him countless ideas and filled him with even greater confidence in the upcoming launch of the Rice S1.
Of course, most importantly of all, the Fruit Company had truly run into trouble this time.
