How to break through the high-end road of domestic machines: independent innovation and optimization of product experience

For domestic mobile phone manufacturers, high-end is not only a major problem in front of them, but also an opportunity for advanced development. At present, a hot spot in the field of smart phones is the folding screen mobile phone. Recently, there is news in the industry that a folding screen mobile phone vivo X Fold with an internal code name of "Butterfly" will be released in April, which also makes vivo's accumulation and layout in technological innovation, product experience and industrial chain become the focus of industry attention.

In this regard, vivo gave its own answer: believing in the "product philosophy" is to accumulate thick and thin, race against time, but also to compete with themselves; believe that only by playing steadily and steadily to do a good job in products, can win the recognition of consumers, compared to the race against time, vivo is better at competing with themselves, dare to challenge and create surprises.

"Compete" core technology

As we all know, hinges are the key components that determine the shape of folding screen mobile phones, and they are also the core technology track of current experience innovation.

According to the official introduction, in order to create a hinge that leads the market recognition, Vivo invested a design and development team that far exceeded the number of straight plate machines by three times, continuously optimized the hinge technology, and launched an aerospace-grade floating wing hinge. In the use of hinge materials, vivo uses six aerospace grade materials, which greatly improves the durability of the hinges, and the vivo X Fold screen can withstand 300,000 bends, which is enough for the general consumer to use worry-free during the replacement cycle.

In addition, in order to optimize the screen crease to the greatest extent, vivo adopts zirconium alloy floating plate, pressure-resistant and durable UTG glass and the industry's smallest droplet hinge design, so that the X Fold crease optimization performance is better and the screen is more flat.

The research and development of the hinge has experienced hundreds of test items, several program iterations and mold openings, behind which is not only a large amount of time and energy doubled investment, but also vivo's insistence on bringing users a more durable and comfortable folding experience. User-oriented, design-driven. Through a hinge, Vivo is interpreting its "never compromise" product spirit.

In fact, as early as 2018, Hu Baishan, executive vice president of Vivo, said in an interview with the media that Vivo has always had research and development tracks on the folding screen, including many special teams and patent layouts. However, under the node of that year, the industry could not give a perfect solution, that is, consumers could enjoy the new experience provided by folding technology without affecting the normal mobile phone experience. Therefore, vivo did not rush to launch a folding screen, but chose to compete with itself, continue to increase scientific research, and crack one pain point after another in the use of folding screen.

What is "high-end": consumer demand and product experience

In addition to the dead-end technology, for vivo's innovation methodology, Vivo's senior vice president Ni Xudong once said, "Vivo's innovative methodology is to seek technological breakthroughs from the actual use needs of consumers, what functions to develop, how to make these functions to the extreme is what vivo is most concerned about, consumers need is not a large battery, is a long use time; consumers need not high pixels, but beautiful shooting, high parameter products are not necessarily good products." ”

Now, vivo still implements this methodology for folding screen mobile phones.

"For consumers, the larger the display, the better the visual experience. Therefore, the folding screen has become one of the development directions of the current mobile phone industry, which has attracted the attention of consumers. However, there are some trade-offs in the folding screen products currently on the market. Of course, the trade-offs in the industry have been successful to some extent. The relevant person in charge of Vivo told reporters that obviously, this is not what Vivo wants to give to consumers. For the vivo X Fold product, we believe that before impressing consumers, we must first impress ourselves. ”

In addition, in the high-end market, vivo insists on maintaining its product competitiveness in various price segments through the continuous optimization of the product series matrix, and its share in the high-end market of smart phones has also received positive feedback. According to a Counterpoint report, Vivo's market share in the $500 to $599 range doubled year-on-year, from 10% in September 2020 to 20% in September 2021.

From the product point of view, with the continuous iterative update of user needs, modern business people have put forward new requirements for mobile phones, and mobile phones that meet identity and are conducive to efficient office are the higher standards they pursue. Business people need a more convenient office experience, and the performance advantages of large-screen reading, multi-task split screen, fast screen projection and fast charging and long battery life meet daily needs. As the first folding screen product of the vivo brand, vivo X Fold positions itself as a business flagship, adhering to a comprehensive exploration of mobile phone form, performance, imagery, design, experience, etc., bringing more efficient use experience and fun to the business crowd and consumers.

This time, Vivo hopes to give the X Fold a flagship experience with two screens inside and outside the X Fold through the horizontal folding form.

Accumulation and ecological construction

As a technology enterprise that has been deeply engaged in the field of communications for 26 years, vivo not only has the accumulation of software and hardware technology innovation, but also has a far-reaching strategic alliance with the upstream and downstream supply chain, which has also become the basis for its high-end layout.

It is understood that at the beginning of 2021, vivo Central Research Institute was established to increase the exploration and investment in cutting-edge technologies and basic capabilities. In addition, advanced new technology laboratories and research institutes such as user innovation laboratories, chip laboratories, analog network laboratories, and thousand mirrors safety laboratories have been established one after another, and they and vivo's extensive R&D centers have jointly provided a reliable guarantee for vivo's future product strength.

For example, at the system level, vivo OriginOS Ocean is deeply adapted and optimized for folding large screens, whether it is the smooth switching experience of internal and external screens, or the differentiated interface development of large screens, users will not feel any experience faults. At the same time, vivo also exerts efforts on other products such as tablet PCs, continuously strengthens the links between various products, and builds and improves the vivo ecological chain.

As Counterpoint analyst IvanLam points out: "Vivo continues to push up its value chain through relentless efforts in research and innovation in camera technology, including a strategic partnership with ZEISS, a leader in optical technology." ”

According to reports, at the end of 2020, vivo officially announced that it has become a global imaging strategic partner with ZEISS, the global leader in imaging optics. At the same time, the "VIVO ZEISS Joint Imaging Laboratory" was listed at the global headquarters of VIVO in Dongguan, China.

In the era of mobile imaging, vivo has insight into the strong demand of global consumers for recording and sharing the ultimate image anytime and anywhere, so vivo will position the image as one of the core long tracks of the enterprise, is committed to creating "humanized professional images", and has laid out image research and development centers in many places, with more than 1,000 R&D personnel.

In this regard, industry insiders analyzed that enterprises that "die with product experience" can truly promote the expansion of the industrial chain by actively meeting consumer demand.

"Technological innovation is the only way for vivo to make great products." At the 2022 Vivo New Year Annual Meeting, Shen Wei, founder and president of Vivo, said in summarizing and reviewing the past year, looking forward to and deploying the 2022 plan. Now, for the creation of folding screen mobile phones and the breaking of the road to high-end, Vivo is also practicing the words of its founder in the annual meeting: "We know that the creation of great products and the growth of great brands are not overnight achievements, but as long as there are no distractions in the heart, and the efforts can be made, no matter how far away you can reach." ”