NIO urgently needs a new story to enhance its brand influence, and the mobile phone business may enhance the stickiness between its automotive products and consumers.
Recently, there is news that Weilai Automobile will enter the mobile phone industry, and Yin Shuijun, former president of Meitu, joined and took the lead in taking charge of the mobile phone business.
It is understood that Weilai's mobile phone project is in the initial stage of research, the team is located in Shenzhen, and is currently doing personnel recruitment. Another insider said, "Basically rule out the possibility of OEM, the high probability is to make their own mobile phones, mobile phones will have a lot of interactive functions with Weilai cars." ”
Green Orange Automobile consulted Weilai Automobile on the above matters, and the other party responded that "there is no information to disclose at present, and further information will be communicated with you." ”
In fact, as the intelligent interaction between mobile phones and cars gradually penetrates into life, not only mobile phone industry giants such as Xiaomi and Apple have announced their entry into the car industry, but car companies have also planned for the mobile phone industry.
As early as September last year, Geely Holdings announced that Hubei Xingji Times Technology Co., Ltd. signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone to officially enter the field of mobile phones. Li Shufu once said that "the mobile phone business is of great significance to the entire Geely automobile industry", and stated that "mobile phones can provide users with a more convenient, more intelligent, and interconnected multi-screen interactive life experience".
Not only that, earlier this year, some media disclosed that Geely was negotiating an acquisition with mobile phone manufacturer Meizu, which started with MP3 and once became a giant in the mobile phone industry. In the case that neither Geely nor Meizu has made a clear statement on this matter so far, some insiders speculate that Weilai may become one of the intentions to acquire Meizu. In addition, Tesla has also been rumored to enter the mobile phone industry many times, but it has not been officially announced so far.
However, the problem of internal volume in the mobile phone industry has attracted much attention. Based on the background of the mobile phone giants represented by Apple, Huawei, and Xiaomi, which are in the front and have become the main customer groups of suppliers in the mobile phone production chain, in the eyes of the outside world, it is difficult for new mobile phone brands to obtain recognition from well-known suppliers in a short period of time, and then create brand advantages and win the favor of consumers.
It should be noted that there is a precedent for cross-border mobile phone industry players. As mentioned above, Yin Shuijun, the Meitu camera phone launched by him was once active in the market, and seized market share due to the positioning of "beauty", but was eventually partially acquired by Xiaomi due to losses. In addition, the mobile phone business of brands such as 360, Gree and LeTV has also withdrawn from the market due to insufficient competitiveness.
In addition to the mobile phone business, for now, Weilai is continuing to deepen the layout of the automobile industry. On the one hand, et5, ES7 and ET7 three pure electric models are expected to be officially launched within this year, when the brand product lineup will be expanded to six models; according to Li Bin, in order to ensure production, NIO's second plant is in the planning stage. On the other hand, the brand has been promoted in an orderly manner in overseas markets, charging pile construction, power exchange mode and so on.
Although the outside world is not optimistic about Weilai's entry into the mobile phone industry, it is foreseeable that if the relevant news is true, Yin Shuijun, who has opened the mobile phone market for Meitu, will provide assistance for the above layout, at the same time, when the mobile phone terminal and the car machine end form an ecological interaction and realize the relevant ecological industry chain, Weilai Automobile may also open a breakthrough in the market.