Baseband is more difficult to develop than chips, and Williams can't handle it either.
After all, the basebands of Texas Instruments are purchased from third-party plug-ins...
Wang Yi has some calculations in mind, and baseband research and development must be planned in advance!
Next year's processors and baseband chips will still be plug-ins.
But when Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 was released the year after, the baseband was integrated into the processor.
Subsequent Huawei Kirin 910, Samsung and other processors are also SOCs with integrated baseband.
Only Apple, which cannot make baseband, still uses an external baseband, resulting in poor signal...
Wang Yi wants to develop his own chips, and in 2012-2013, he can also plug in the baseband.
But after 2014, we must simultaneously develop baseband and integrate baseband!
It's just that baseband research and development is more difficult. It requires spending more money, poaching people, and solving the most critical CDMA patent issue.
Or directly acquire the baseband R&D company.
In a previous life, Apple spent US$1 billion to acquire Intel's baseband business in 2019.
Wang Yi could also have paid for it a few years in advance.
However, Wang Yi’s acquisition target is not Intel’s baseband department.
It is the San Diego branch of VIA, a communications subsidiary of VIA Electronics.
This division is the baseband division of VIA and has a large number of CDMA patents.
CDMA is the basic patent of 3G and 4G, mainly in the hands of Qualcomm, and a few in the hands of VIA.
To put it bluntly, without CDMA patent authorization, it is impossible to develop mobile phone basebands.
Even Huawei has to buy a license from Qualcomm or VMware in order to develop mobile phone basebands.
Or directly purchase basebands from VMware and Qualcomm for plug-in.
However, Qualcomm's basebands are too expensive to sell individually, so Huawei mobile phones in recent years have been equipped with VMware basebands.
However, VMware is about to go bankrupt. Only a cheap 2D baseband based on the 55nm process was launched in 2009, which caused severe heat generation.
Therefore, Huawei mobile phones from 2012 to 2013 are not good at generating heat.
At the same time, Qualcomm introduced 40nm and 28nm basebands.
A CDMA patent leads to an unusually large gap between the two parties.
Later, starting with Huawei 910, it integrated its own baseband and purchased a CDMA license.
But this method is not reliable. Once Qualcomm stops selling licenses, the baseband will not be manufactured!
Even if Qualcomm sells, it will continue to sell at high prices.
Even if Huawei has so many patents, it still has to pay Qualcomm 1.8 billion in patent fees a year.
After Wang Yi thought about it, the most reliable option was to directly acquire VIA's baseband department.
In this way, not only has VIA's baseband technology been mastered, but also some CDMA patents have been directly mastered, leaving Qualcomm unable to do anything.
With these basic CDMA patents, you can sign a patent cross-licensing agreement with Qualcomm.
Wang Yi remembers that in his previous life, in 2015, Intel acquired the baseband business of VIA, a communications subsidiary of VIA Electronics, for US$100 million.
Now Wang Yida can take action in advance and acquire it now.
After all, the nights are long and there are many dreams.
If it were acquired now, it might not cost US$100 million.
However, Wang Yi could not come forward in this matter on his own, he had to arrange for Lao Chen to come forward.
Now Chen Chuanqing is developing a flagship store in Taiwan, so he can buy it by the way.
Wang Yi is currently in the limelight. If he were to take over the company, he might attract the empire's attention and lead to the failure of the takeover.
But if Lao Chen comes forward, nothing will happen.
The current empire is not so tightly sealed, and there are still opportunities.
A few years later, the empire was keeping a close eye on it, and Wang Yi wanted to acquire VMware's baseband division, but was unable to do so.
After reading this, Wang Yi immediately called Chen Chuanqing:
"Old Chen, go to VIA as soon as possible and acquire all their baseband department and CDMA patents! Move quickly and be concealed."
"Okay, boss, what's the price..." Chen Chuanqing hesitated.
Wang Yi thought for a while: "It's best to win it for 50 million dollars. If you can't win it, 80 million dollars will do!"
Intel acquired it for US$100 million in 2015 and US$50-80 million in 2011, which should be about the same.
After all, VIA was about to go bankrupt due to Qualcomm's support. The factory had already stopped, and so had R&D.
The basebands currently sold to Huawei are all 55nm basebands in stock in 2009...
To put it bluntly, the situation of VIA's baseband business is worse than that of Texas Instruments.
Wang Yi is willing to pay for the acquisition, and VIA will not refuse.
The only ones that might refuse are Qualcomm and even Imperial.
However, smartphones had just started in 2011, and Qualcomm was not yet the dominant player and could not cover the sky with one hand.
The empire's degree of blockade against the East is not that high.
Wang Yi must take action as soon as possible. There will be a wave of darkness under the lights and he will take advantage of it!
As long as it wins the VIA baseband business and CDMA basic patents, Qualcomm will be unable to do anything to Xingyi Technology in the future!
"Okay, boss, I'll go right away!"
It was the first time that Chen Chuanqing saw Wang Yi taking something so seriously. He understood the seriousness of the situation and hurriedly went there.
"Go ahead and contact me anytime if you need anything." Wang Yida said.
Baseband involves patent barriers, so the sooner we enter the market, the better.
It's really hard to reach the sky if it's too late.
And basic patents like CDMA are even more crucial and cannot be bypassed at all.
Qualcomm relies on CDMA basic patents and collects Qualcomm taxes to make a lot of money.
For example, Xiaomi's ThePaper S1 has an integrated baseband.
However, in order to avoid the Qualcomm tax, we deliberately avoided Qualcomm's patents. As a result, it only supports five-mode 4, and can only use China Mobile 2G, 3G, 4G and China Unicom 2G.
Not only does it not support Telecom 2/3/4G, it also does not support China Unicom 3G and 4G.
To put it bluntly, ThePaper S1 is an inherently deficient mobile 4G chip that does not support China Unicom or Telecom 3G or 4G at all.
In order to avoid Qualcomm's patent, a full-network chip was converted into a mobile chip... Both sales and revenue dropped sharply.
For Wang Yi to make chips, he cannot do without integrated baseband, and he must also carry out patent layout as soon as possible.
The current 3G era is already a thing of the past. All the meat has been divided, and no bones or scraps are left.
Qualcomm holds the majority share, and Wang Yi is now in the game, so he won’t get anything.
You can only pay patent fees, or acquire some 3G patents from other giants to build your own patent moat!
For example, VMware's CDMA patent must be obtained.
In addition, if the price is right for the 3G patents held by other giants, they will have to spend money to buy them.
Only with enough patents can we compete with Qualcomm and negotiate prices with Qualcomm!
As for the next 4G, Wang Yi still has a chance.
You can spend money to poach industry experts and communication experts, plan ahead, develop in advance, and seize the opportunity!
Currently, there are many 4G standards being developed by various countries. Some are developing WiMax standards, some are developing HSPA+ standards, some are developing LTE standards, and some are developing WirelessMAN-Advanced standards... all of which have some patents.
No one knows which standard will eventually be formulated as an international standard.
Once the standard developed by oneself becomes the final international standard, relying on the patents accumulated now, one can make a lot of money and have the right to speak.
But if the standards for research and development fail to become international standards, then all investments will be wasted, all patents will be lost, there will be no right to speak, and ultimately all money will be lost...
Reach the sky in one step or lose everything, it all depends on the bet!
Just like in the 3G era, with so many standards, who would have thought that cdma would be finally settled?
So Qualcomm, which has mastered the vast majority of CDMA patents, rose directly from a small semiconductor company to the top of the industry!
It has become the dominant semiconductor company that has stepped on Nvidia, Intel, and beaten Texas Instruments, MediaTek, and HiSilicon!
But as a reborn person, Wang Yi knows clearly that the future 4G international standard is not the currently popular WiMax or HSPA+.
It’s LTE and its improved version, LTE-Advanced!
Domestic TD-LTE-Advanced and FDD-LTE-Advance have also become international 4G standards.
It’s easy if you know the final standard of 4G!
To put it bluntly, when other giants develop 4G, they are trying to cross the river by feeling the stones and relying on deception.
Some are developing LTE, some are developing WiMax, some are developing HSPA+...
In the end, those who succeeded in LTE made a lot of money, mastered a large number of 4G patents, and had great say in matters.
But if you make a mistake, those who develop WiMax or HSPA+ will lose everything and all their investment will be lost.
But Wang Yi drove the navigation and headed towards the final standard!
Wang Yida can spend money to recruit global communication experts now, and focus on targeted research and development for LTE and LTE-Advanced!
To put it bluntly, other giants will take detours, take the wrong path, and lose everything.
Wang Yi knows the final international standard of 4G and will not take detours or take the wrong path.
However, the 4G international standard will be released in three months, and it is difficult for R&D to produce results in a short period of time.
But Wang Yi can invest huge sums of money to collect LTE core patents developed by other companies and individuals!
LTE is not yet an international standard, and these patents are not expensive at the moment. Wang Yi can spend money to get them in advance!
In this way, when the LTE standard becomes the international 4G standard in early 2012, Wang Yi will be able to have a certain ranking in 4G contribution.
Coupled with subsequent R&D investment, new 4G patents are constantly being produced.
The right to speak will also gradually increase.
As for the final standards for 5G that will follow, Wang Yi also has a clear idea and can develop them in advance.
The difference between open book exams and closed book exams is so big.
The development of 5G by other giants is a closed-book exam, but as a reborn person, Wang Yi is an open-book exam!
Just recruit top talents, spend money, conduct targeted research and development, and plan ahead.
Now that Xingyi Semiconductor has been established, application chip research and development has begun.
The baseband department must also be established. After acquiring the VMware baseband department, we will build the baseband department of Xingyi Technology with VMware as the core.
Then use VMware's baseband technology as the basis, continue to spend money to recruit talents, and develop newer and more advanced 28nm basebands!
In addition, we have to dig out communications talents, set up Xingyi Communications, carry out LTE-oriented research and development, and accumulate 4G and 5G patents!
At the same time, a patent pre-research division must be established to develop important patents in other fields in advance!
For all core patents that Wang Yi has an impression of, he directly recruits industry experts with high salaries and invests in targeted research and development!
For example, mobile phone flip lenses, 3D structured light, under-screen fingerprint recognition, fast charging technology, DC dimming, eye protection screens, hinge technology for folding mobile phones, etc...
Wang Yi is now investing in these practical and related patented technologies and organizing talents to carry out targeted research and development. They can be produced within a few years and become the patents of Xingyi Technology!
From now on, if Samsung or Apple uses it, they will have to pay royalties to Wang Yi!
In addition, as for existing core patents, as long as the price is right and can be acquired, they will be acquired directly.
Now that Xingyi Technology has just started, what it lacks most is patent knowledge!
High-paying talent recruitment, targeted pre-research + acquisition of existing core patents, the combination of the two will gradually build Xingyi Technology’s own patent moat!
As long as the patent moat is built, there will be no fear of patent wars or Qualcomm taxes.
What's more, Qualcomm will be subject to antitrust investigations and ravages by various countries in the future...
After the ravages were over, Qualcomm's temper changed, and Wang Yi accumulated a large number of patents. He could cross-license with Qualcomm and exempt each other from patent fees.
For giants like Qualcomm, they would be exempted from each other and Wang Yi would pay just a little bit, and that would be enough.
However, in the 5G era many years later, Wang Yi will be well prepared to research relevant patents in advance. By then, Qualcomm may have to turn around and pay patent fees to Xingyi Technology!
Solid research and development is the foundation of our rise.
Fortunately, Meiyou International has exploded, with good revenue and enough to make money.
There is enough profit to support Wang Yi to invest huge sums of money in various poaching, acquisitions, and research and development!
The road is long and far away, I will search up and down.
This road is destined to be difficult, but it has to be walked.
As long as the chip research and development is completed, the baseband is completed, and the patent layout is steadily advanced, the high-end Xingyi mobile phone will have a bright future!
Of course, in terms of mass production, it has to be left to TSMC and SMIC.
As for the problem of the photolithography machine, that is something that the officials have to worry about, and Wang Yi can’t handle it either.
If he can break Qualcomm's CDMA blockade and realize self-research on chips and basebands, Wang Yi will be considered very successful.
CPU, GPU, baseband, and patents are all indispensable, and Wang Yi had to make a comprehensive layout.
For example, when Xiaomi gave up on the follow-up research and development of the ThePaper S2, it failed to tape out.
Secondly, it’s still Qualcomm tax!
After all, even if the ThePaper S2 is successfully developed, Qualcomm will still have to pay a sky-high tax.
If you don't pay, it will be the same as S1, and it does not support China Unicom, China Telecom 3G, and 4G.
The sales of mobile chips that are born with disabilities will be very low...
Thinking of this, Wang Yi left the semiconductor department and immediately approached Jian Ziyan:
"Ziyan, the recruitment speed is going to be accelerated! Semiconductor R&D engineers, baseband R&D engineers, are all being recruited. Let the HR department speed up the recruitment and include them in their performance appraisal. Also, contact the headhunters to get commissions.
We will provide enough communication R&D talents and recruit some..."
"Okay, boss." Jian Ziyan responded quickly.
I just feel like Wang Yi is a changed person after coming back from the empire.
Wang Yi used to make clothing, and with his design style that is ten years ahead of the current time, Wang Yi is able to do it with ease.
HM, Zara, GUCCI, Prada, they are all crushed directly.
The clothing industry depends on design, cost, and marketing.
No matter how big the brand is, as long as the design is ugly, not many people will buy it, and consumers are not blind.
Wang Yi relied on the pure lust style design that was ten years ahead, the low cost in China, plus the Meiyou APP based on female users, Meiyou Mall marketing, a combination of punches, and he succeeded directly.
To be honest, the barriers to entry in the clothing industry are not high.
But precisely because the threshold is not high, this means that if Wang Yi can do it, others can also do it, and there are not many barriers to entry.
It is precisely because of this that clothing giants such as H&M now have an annual revenue of 160 billion, but ten years from now they will not be as good as they are now!
Even Nike and Adidas, their future revenue is declining.
To put it bluntly, the clothing industry and shoe industry are in decline!
Any industry with low technical barriers will continue to decline.
But mobile phones and semiconductors are different.
Technical thresholds, patent thresholds, supply chain thresholds...every aspect is difficult.
They all have to break through one by one.
This will lead to the fact that in the next few years, so many new mobile phone brands will all fail within a few years, and almost all will go bankrupt...
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Chapter completed!