Coming out of the meeting room of the classification society, heavy snow was still falling in the sky. The auspicious snow heralded a good harvest. It seemed that this year’s harvest was good.
With this thought in mind, Qin Tao walked towards his high-end Hongqi car. Just when he was about to open the door, a person jumped out.
“Mr. Ni?” Qin Tao was surprised: “Why are you here?”
“Mr. Qin, it’s too cold outside, so I’m waiting for you in the car. I’m here this time…”
“Let’s talk about it after we get in the car.”
You are cold, don’t you know that I am cold too? Qin Tao looked at him speechlessly.
"Oh." Mr. Ni nodded and opened the car door: "Mr. Qin, you get in first."
"What's the priority?" Qin Tao pushed him into the car, and then followed him up. He blew the heater inside and warmed his whole body. This down jacket was just not as warm as a military coat.
“What’s the matter?” Qin Tao asked Mr. Ni.
Mr. Ni took out a small box from his pocket, which contained a small black chip: "Mr. Qin, this is a mobile phone chip we made specifically for the communications market. Its main frequency is 460 megabits. Hertz integrates audio and video decoding modules as well as 2G baseband. We believe that this chip has reached the highest level of mobile phone chips, so we will bring it to you to take a look."
Loongson is a computer chip company, but according to Qin Tao, the computer market will shrink in twenty years, and the mobile phone market will develop by then. People will replace their mobile phones every two years, but computers may last ten years. .
Hence, Loongson has also begun to get involved in the mobile phone chip industry, and it is determined to be the strongest.
Whether it is the processor frequency or other performance, it is the strongest, and it is all integrated into one chip!
The chips of mobile phones are also constantly developing. In the first mobile phone, that is, in the 1G era, mobile phones only had call functions, and the chip in the mobile phone was the baseband. In the 2G era, not only calls were required, but text messages, games, and Internet access functions were also required. , only the baseband chip is not enough, a special CPU chip must be added. In the later stage of 2G, mobile phones also have audio and video functions, so related chips must be added.
At present, what Loongson is making is a chip that can adapt to the late 2G era, and its performance is the strongest among currently available chips.
Qin Tao nodded: "Well, this chip looks pretty good. What are you going to do next?"
"Mr. Qin, we don't know either." Mr. Ni said: "We don't know whether we provide complete machines like Loongson Computer, or whether we only provide chips."
Providing complete machines will definitely earn more profits, but at the same time, it will also involve Loongson's energy. After all, their main business is not complete machines, but chips. They developed chips by researching and developing them. But if only chips are provided, to whom?
“If you want to develop our domestic electronics industry, I think only providing chips is a good solution.” Qin Tao said: “This can promote the development of our country’s entire mobile phone industry.”
"Industrial Development?"
“Yes, most of the current mobile phone brands are from foreign countries, such as Motorola and Nokia. There are still very few domestic mobile phone brands. We provide a turnkey model to support their development.”
"Turnkey model?" Mr. Ni was a little curious. Mr. Qin often said these words that were difficult to understand but very interesting. What did this mean?
“Mr. Ni, have you bought a house?” Qin Tao asked.
“The work unit will allocate houses, what kind of house should I buy?”
"Oh, then I suggest you buy a few houses. The salary you earn is useless in the bank. It is better to buy a house. This can also support the development of the country's economy. What do you think?"
"Mr. Qin, since you suggest so, then I will buy it to support the country." Mr. Ni nodded: "Then when you say turnkey, do you mean buying a house?"
"That's right, it means buying a house. When the house is built, it's time to hand over the keys. When you take the key and look at the house you bought, you will find that the inside of your house has been decorated, with floors and wooden doors. You can just move the furniture in and live in it." Qin Tao said: "Our turnkey model is just like buying a house. We not only provide chips, we also provide chip supporting systems and even software integration. This can Leave it to Goose Factory, so that our downstream mobile phone manufacturers only need to adjust the appearance of the mobile phone and the system interface. They don't even need to have their own factory, they just need to find an OEM to produce it."
Nowadays, all mobile phone manufacturers are giants, such as Nokia, Motorola, and Siemens. They are all very arrogant. An ordinary brick-shaped mobile phone can be sold for several thousand yuan, and all the profits are made by them. This is absolutely not allowed!
Since our Loongson Company has entered the field of mobile phones, we must let the people use cheap mobile phones!
"If downstream mobile phone manufacturers don't even need a factory, a group of speculators will inevitably appear." Mr. Ni thought of something and continued: "They enter this mobile phone market not to really engage in the mobile phone industry, but to make money. A little extra money.”
"Then let them make money. When they make money, they will inevitably expand investment and continue to speculate. This will quickly expand our mobile phone industry chain and allow us to have a complete mobile phone industry chain in China." Qin Tao said: "I I also hope to see a hundred flowers blossoming in our country, with hundreds of mobile phone brands emerging, and then the waves will wash away the sand, and the industry leaders will be left behind."
What Qin Tao said is of course encouraging copycat phones.
In the era of 2G mobile phones, MediaTek adopted a turnkey model, which quickly allowed MediaTek to gain a foothold in the mobile phone market and occupy a large share of the low-end. It also cultivated countless copycat phone brands. They look like Apple, but in fact there is something inside. With the heart of MediaTek, MediaTek has earned the reputation as the father of copycat phones. In the 5G era, Qualcomm’s radio frequency system has also embarked on this turn-key path.
This is a very important business acumen: should you make money yourself or drive everyone else to make money?
Apple is a typical example of making money on its own. No matter what they do, they have to build a closed system, build their own ecology, and not let the outside world get in. If it weren't for a period of time when their technical strength was not enough, they would even make the CPU themselves.
MediaTek is a typical example of everyone making money together. They only sell chips and provide all supporting packages. Any copycat manufacturer can easily produce a qualified mobile phone under the guidance of MediaTek. Regardless of how many months it can be used, at least it still looks the same. Something happened.
Of course it is possible for Loongson to follow Apple's approach, but this will only allow Loongson to develop as a company, and will not be able to drive the development of the entire country's electronics industry. Only one company that is strong is not truly powerful, and everyone needs to be strong together. It's really strong!
From this perspective, the turnkey model is naturally better.
It’s like the later generations, who are shouting about cars every day, but they just don’t admit it. They have been publicly declaring: We don’t build cars!
Why is this? Even Apple is clamoring to build a car, but Weibo actually doesn’t? Of course they have a bigger agenda: We don’t build cars because we are not proficient in building cars, but we hope to match all cars with our intelligent systems! Is it more profitable to independently build a brand of cars, or to monopolize the intelligent systems of all brands of cars? You know, the core technology of electric vehicles is the intelligent system.
If Loongson makes mobile phones, it is definitely better to take all domestic mobile phone companies under its umbrella and let them make more money as downstream manufacturers. Those who produce complete machines will never make as much money as those who produce chips. As the industry develops, money will be made, so why not for?
"Mr. Qin, I understand, we will follow your plan." Mr. Ni said: "We will use this turnkey model to provide complete supporting and integration solutions to downstream manufacturers! Let us develop the mobile phone industry domestically and Suppress imported mobile phones!"
Qin Tao nodded: "If we want to suppress imported mobile phones, we must not only rely on low prices, but more importantly, quality. Our mobile phone chips have the most advanced performance, and we also need to carry out reasonable designs. The current mobile phone design solutions can no longer satisfy It’s our need.”
From the structure of mobile phones, they are divided into two types: candybar phones and clamshell phones. When clamshell phones first came out, they amazed the world, won the favor of many users, and quickly became mainstream.
The first one appeared was the lower flip phone, which functioned as a microphone and protected the keys. Later, the upper flip phone appeared, with the screen and keyboard folded in half. Now this kind of flip phone is the most popular.
However, as Loongson enters this market, mobile phones will return to the candy bar era from clamshell phones.
“Mr. Qin, please speak.”
"Our chip performance is strong enough, and we also already have advanced LCD displays. I think our mobile phones can be equipped with a large enough screen so that they can display the most content. By the way, touch screen technology has already passed the test, right? ?”
“Well, I just need some guidance.” Mr. Ni said.
"Then our mobile phones are represented by large screens." Qin Tao said: "Omit a large number of physical buttons, put all the numeric keys on the screen, and only keep the power on and off buttons and sound buttons, plus at most answer and hang up calls. Buttons and such a large screen can display enough content and can also enhance the quality of our mobile phones.”
This will be a revolution in the field of mobile phones!
Mr. Ni couldn't help but take out his mobile phone: Nokia 3310, a compact body with a slightly wider middle, a yellowish screen, and small buttons below. There is also a small game like Snake inside. This mobile phone It is already common in this era.
Next, the large-screen mobile phone we are going to develop will definitely be heaven and earth compared to this one!
Lao Ni was full of expectations.
"With the big screen, our mobile phones can not only make calls, read text messages, and play some small games, but also have many other uses." Qin Tao said: "For example, we can open spreadsheets and word processing programs. You can read various files, use our ICQ, and make calls and videos when there is wifi.”
Mr. Ni nodded: "Mr. Qin, in this way, our mobile phone functions will be more powerful!"
“Of course, that’s true, but it’s not the most powerful yet. When technology develops in the future, mobile phones will be even better and can even replace many functions of computers.”
At best, it is at the stage of multimedia machines and has not yet developed to the stage of smartphones. With the level of current chips, it is impossible to directly install various operating systems.
Hearing Qin Tao’s words, Mr. Ni was full of yearning: “What will the mobile phones look like in the future?”
"In the future? There is no need to build in all the programs. Users can install the programs themselves according to their needs. All walks of life can develop their business on mobile phones." When Qin Tao said this, what came to mind: "By the way, our mobile phones can have built-in GPS." Chip?"
“This is also possible. We can provide this kind of technical solution in our turnkey model.”
“Okay, let’s integrate GPS and our mobile phones can also navigate. This kind of product exists as a high-end product.”
Nowadays, a single satellite navigation terminal can be sold for several thousand yuan and is directly integrated into a mobile phone. Those who specialize in selling navigation terminals have to cry and faint in the toilet.
Who says that copycat phones can’t be high-end? A mobile phone integrated in this way is not too expensive to sell for 10,000 yuan. After all, it is equipped with the most advanced chips developed by Loongson Company.
“Mr. Qin, what is the name of our chip?” Mr. Ni finally asked a question.
At this time, the car had already arrived at the entrance of the hospital, and Mr. Ni's mission to find Mr. Qin was basically completed.
Many people are curious: Why does a company need a driver when the boss of the company can obviously drive?
Because the company CEO's time is very precious, he still has to deal with official business even in the car. Let the company CEO drive, which is wasting his precious time.
Loongson is just the name of the company. In fact, the real names of chips such as Loongson 1 and Loongson 2 are Godson 1 and Godson 2. Even if it is printed on the surface of the chip, it is Godson. Now, if we want to develop a brand new mobile phone chip, we need a brand new name.
“Our current mobile phone chips have integrated a large number of accessories, which can be called SOC chips. As for the specific series name, how about calling it Kirin?”
Qin Tao couldn't think of a better name, so he simply adopted the Kirin chip. The current one is Kirin 1, followed by Kirin 2 and Kirin 3.
The mobile phone chip not only has a CPU, but also integrates various modules, so it is inappropriate to call it CPU, so it is called SoC. Its full name is System on Chip, which is a system-on-chip, on a small chip. , a system solution that integrates various modules. In the field of integrated circuits, it is defined as a system or product formed by combining multiple integrated circuits with specific functions on one chip, including complete hardware systems and embedded software.
In current SOCs, the CPU still occupies more than half of the area. In the future, the CPU area will be reduced to 15%. The largest occupancy is the image processor GPU. After all, 4K signals need to be processed. Without a powerful GPU, there is no way. It won't run smoothly.
"Okay, then let's call you Qilin, Mr. Qin. After I go back, I will arrange all your plans." Mr. Ni said.
“Now that you’re here, don’t leave in a hurry. How about holding the Kirin chip launch conference here in the capital?” Qin Tao said, “Let’s just set the time for Christmas Eve.”
It is already December, and Christmas, the traditional Western holiday, is coming soon. Qin Tao doesn’t like to celebrate foreigners’ holidays, but now, announcing it at this time can make Christmas Eve no longer peaceful for many people in the West. Tossing and turning, Qin Tao will feel a sense of accomplishment.
"Okay." Mr. Ni nodded: "Mr. Qin, will you attend the ceremony with us?"
"Of course."
“Then where will we hold this press conference?”
Where? Qin Tao had a playful smile on his face. He wanted to name the Institute of Computer Science. After all, this was the place where Mr. Ni once worked. It was also the place where he decided to give up on VLSI and completely integrate with the international community. Disjointed, this is also the place where people like Liu Zhongyeol were cultivated.
But let’s forget it, the past is in the past.
“Let’s be in Zhongguancun.”
Zhongguancun was an electronics street in the 1980s. Later, after the rise of computers, Zhongguancun became a famous computer store. Before the rise of online shopping, Zhongguancun was the largest computer market in the country. However, this is only the Zhongguancun store in the eyes of ordinary people. There are also a large number of high-tech companies in Zhongguancun, tens of thousands in total. These high-tech companies are relying on computers and the Internet to develop. At the same time, if we talk more broadly, even Beida and Tsinghua University are within the Zhongguancun area.
It is also most appropriate to hold the Kirin chip launch conference here.
“Okay, then I’ll get in touch.” Mr. Ni said. After all, he has lived in the capital for many years and is very familiar with it. Now that he is here to hold a chip conference in the capital, it is enough for him to run the show alone.
Thinking of the difficulty when bidding for Loongson One, he is full of emotions now. He has finally passed the most difficult period of starting a business, and his career is now on the rise.
Sure enough, just as he thought, when he said he would hold a press conference in Zhongguancun, everyone came to him, hoping to provide him with a venue. The experience of showing off on the wall.
So many places where conferences can be held dazzled Mr. Ni. However, when Tsinghua University approached him, he almost agreed immediately.
Tsinghua University, School of Information Science and Technology.
While other universities were still naming their departments after computer science, they had already changed their name to information science. This shows how forward-looking they are. That night, the large lecture hall of the School of Information Science was decorated with lights and colorful, and it was very lively.
Two cameras marked CCTV were set up on both sides of the back of the classroom, facing the rostrum. The first row was occupied by prominent figures, and the two rows behind them were elite representatives of the industry.
Media at all levels racked their brains to apply and came here for interviews, occupying four or five rows of the lecture theater.
The people sitting behind are all college students. They are all students of the School of Information Science and Technology. Being admitted to this university is enough for them to be called the proud ones of heaven. It is said that there are very few things that can catch their eyes, but , at this time, their eyes were all full of expectation and longing. They were waiting for the people who appeared on the podium in front and what was about to happen.
Loongson Corporation, the world’s most famous chip company! They, Tsinghua students, also look forward to working there.
While waiting, time passed little by little. Finally, at seven o'clock in the evening, the lights in the classroom suddenly went out, leaving only the spotlight on the podium.
The spotlight shines on the edge of the podium. A person walks from there, and the light moves with him, making him the focus of the audience.
Lao Ni!
The creator of Loongson, Mr. Ni!
“Welcome all leaders, friends from the news media, colleagues and classmates to attend our chip conference. First of all, let me introduce our chip to you.”
The projector was started, and a block diagram appeared on the projection screen of the podium.
"This newly developed chip we have developed is called a SOC chip. It not only integrates the CPU, but also integrates audio and video controllers, and integrates wifi and baseband modules. In other words, our chip will To realize all the functions of mobile phone chips, we have also expanded it and will integrate more modules in the future."
Putting everything together! Only the East can do it, because they have the most advanced chip production technology in the world! Even if other manufacturers want to do this, they will have to give up due to high heat!
The people below were filled with emotion.
"The core frequency of the CPU is 460 MHz. It is currently only a single core. We will consider integrating more cores in the future, but now, we feel that it is the fastest chip in all mobile phones. We put this chip Named Qilin, the current one is Qilin No. 1. There will be Qilin No. 2 and Qilin No. 3 in the future.”
“I know that you are very interested in the performance of the chip, but what I want to talk about here is the business operation model of this chip. Here, our Loongson company solemnly promises that we will not manufacture mobile phones!”
Don’t make mobile phones?
Everyone looked at Mr. Ni in surprise. Aren't you the ones who make this chip to make mobile phones? If you don’t make mobile phones, then why do you make chips?
"After the chip we develop is taped out, it will be handed over to other downstream manufacturers for collection and manufacturing. We not only provide chips, but also complete supporting systems and software integration for any manufacturer that wants to enter the mobile phone industry. , they can get a complete set of solutions from us and then manufacture qualified mobile phone products."
“Excuse me, why are you doing this? Can’t you make more money by making your own mobile phones?” A reporter couldn’t help it and started to ask questions.
“We are not short of money. We are doing this not to make money for ourselves, but to promote the progress of our domestic electronic technology and allow more mobile phone manufacturers to emerge in our country.” A voice came from the side.
Mr. Qin makes a grand appearance!