"Congratulations to President Nie on becoming the new head of VIA." Wang Hong smiled and extended her hand.
"It all depends on Director Wang's trust." Nie Zheng said with a smile.
Seeing Nie Zheng's high-spirited attitude about to fight, Wang Hong's expression was extremely complicated.
When VIA's subsidiary VIA Telecom was acquired last year, Wang Yi came to negotiate with him personally and signed the contract in person.
This year's acquisition of VIA, Wang Yi didn't even show his face, and the deal was settled with just one phone call.
Even signing the contract is done by arranging a subordinate.
It can only be said that in one year, Wang Yi has changed from what he used to be and has become a person that even Wang Hong cannot reach.
Xingyi Technology, a humble emerging company, has become a super giant that even HTC has to look up to.
And she, Wang Hong, is still the same Wang Hong, not making much progress and even seriously regressing.
As for HTC?
Not to mention regressing, one year has been wasted!
Last year, the total market value of HTC parent company HTC exceeded 200 billion, crushing Nokia.
HTC is also known as the King of Android, making Apple, Samsung, and Nokia feel like enemies and have to sue continuously.
This year, Hongda Electronics’ total market value is gone, not to mention 200 billion, but 50 billion!
Sales volume is even worse.
As for Apple, Samsung, and Nokia, they no longer take HTC seriously and just think about how to send HTC away directly.
How to use litigation to make money from HTC.
Due to the impact of the Xingyi mobile phone, the three giants are not doing well, with sales plummeting and profits plummeting. They have to ask for a patent fee from HTC to regain their blood.
There is no doubt that this has also accelerated HTC's decline.
In just one year, HTC, the old king of Android, has completely fallen.
But Xingyi Technology, the new king of Android, is rising slowly.
Not only is it the king of Android, Xingyi Technology is so powerful that it is no exaggeration to say it is the king of mobile phones!
Even Wang Hong has to admit that the era of HTC is over, and the era of Xingyi mobile phones has begun!
When Wang Hong walked out of the conference room and looked at Weisheng in front of her, the loneliness in her eyes became more solemn.
The existence that once made even Intel extremely fearful has now declined to the point of being sold to external parties.
All I can say is that things are ever-changing.
You know, Intel once said directly: "We are more afraid of VIA than ARM!"
Ten years ago, Intel, VIA, and AMD were known as the three CPU giants.
Around 2000, VIA's chipset sales were 50%-70% higher than Intel's, so much so that Intel couldn't find a way to win.
Through the acquisition of Cyrix and Centaur, VIA gained the ability to produce CPUs.
Intel decisively prosecuted various patents, dragging VIA to death!
In fact, in order to maintain their dominance, CPU giants such as Intel and Cyrix have been engaged in patent wars for many years.
Cyrix is ​​not even licensed for X86.
Cyrix is ​​also trying its best. Although it is not authorized by Intel, it has produced a CPU compatible with Intel pins through clean room reverse engineering!
Reverse engineering!
Such a outrageous operation made Intel furious and decisively sued Cyrix.
But unfortunately, Cyrix's 486-compatible CPU is just reverse engineering and does not infringe any Intel patents!
There is no doubt that Intel lost the case.
It is also impolite to come and go without reciprocating.
Immediately afterwards, Cyrix launched a counter-suit!
Sued Intel for infringing its own bus, power management and other patents.
Now, Intel was confused. They had really infringed on these Cyrix patents.
In order not to lose the lawsuit, Intel could only settle with Cyrix and reach a patent cross-licensing, and Cyrix also obtained a permanent license for Intel X86.
In 1999, VIA acquired Cyrix and inherited the permanent license for X86, but was still sued by Intel for infringing on other Intel patents!
Fortunately, VIA acquired Centaur, which also has a large number of CPU patents and core technologies.
VIA decisively launched a counter-suit, suing Intel for infringing on some of Centaur's patents.
On both sides, you sue me and I sue you.
After years of patent wars, Intel and VIA finally reached a settlement, and the patents of both parties were cross-licensed. VIA can use almost all the instruction sets and patents of X86.
However, years of patent wars have dragged VIA to death. It has very little market share left, and its products cannot keep up with Intel and AMD. There is no way back.
In the previous life, starting in 2013, VIA transferred its technology and business to the mainland and cooperated with Shanghai Magic City to make Zhaoxin grow.
In 2020, Zhaoxin fully acquired VIA.
But this time, Wang Yi intercepted Hu in advance and directly acquired it wholly, which can be regarded as a new beginning.
After Wang Hong left, Nie Zheng became the new person in charge of VIA.
The team arranged by Jian Ziyan directly took over the related business of VIA.
Two days later, the full handover between the two parties was completed, and VIA ushered in new development.
Nie Zheng held a high-level meeting, and all core R&D personnel were also present:
"After Xingyi Technology acquires VIA, it will make a series of adjustments to the organizational structure."
"In the future, the CPU R&D headquarters will be moved to the Imperial City and Xingyi Technology Headquarters. For employees who are willing to develop in the Imperial City and join the Xingyi Technology Headquarters, we will arrange a team and send you to the Imperial City together."
"As well as your family and children, if you want to take them with you, you can also take them with you later. Arrangements will be made for your children's schooling, your family's employment, and their imperial household registration."
"Don't worry about this. I also returned to the imperial capital from abroad. Director Wang attaches great importance to talents and has arranged everything for my family."
"Now that I have a good promotion opportunity, I was directly appointed. This is care and treatment that I have never received at Texas Instruments or Intel."
Hearing this, many people were moved.
If you are the first group of people to go to the imperial capital, you may not be worried.
But Xingyi Technology has received several batches of semiconductor elites, including Texas Instruments, MediaTek, TSMC, and Samsung...
Everything was arranged very well.
"And VIA's former subsidiary VIA Telecom, are you all familiar with it, right?" Nie Zheng said with a smile:
"VMware Telecommunications has been acquired by Xingyi Technology a long time ago, and everyone has moved to the headquarters of Xingyi Technology."
"You are all familiar with Pang Liguo, Mr. Pang. The former manager of the R&D department of a subsidiary company is now the director of the baseband business department of Xingyi Semiconductor and the chief baseband expert. The pterosaur 3000 baseband of True Netcom was made by Director Pang."
"Similarly, if you go to the Imperial Capital, you will all be reused and you will all have good development!"
At this time, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
They may not be familiar with others and may not believe them, but they know people like Pang Liguo well.
They are all owned by VMware Telecommunications, one of their subsidiaries.
To put it bluntly, Pang Liguo was just a R&D manager of a subsidiary before, and his status and salary were lower than many of their senior executives at the headquarters.
It's just a subsidiary, and it's one level lower than the headquarters at the same level.
But now, he has become the leader of Xingyi Semiconductor Baseband Division and the chief baseband expert!
It can be said to be a step to the sky!
Wang and Dong will personally receive him, and they are no longer comparable to each other.
The reason is that he took his family to the Imperial Capital and joined Xingyi Technology!
If Pang Liguo had refused, he would not be as brilliant as he is today!
At this time, everyone was excited.
Pang Liguo can do it, maybe they can do it too!
Even if he can't reach Pang Liguo's level, it's still much better than half-dead at VIA.
Moreover, everyone knows the strength of Xingyi Technology, which is a headache for both Apple and Qualcomm.
As for HTC, it doesn’t deserve Xingyi Technology to carry shoes.
Wang Dong is also well-known as a polite and virtuous corporal.
After reading this, many people immediately began to express their opinions:
"Mr. Nie, I am willing to go."
"I'd like to go too."
"I am unmarried and have long wanted to join Xingyi Technology and settle in the Imperial Capital."
"Although I am married, my son wants to climb the Great Wall."
“My daughter also wants to visit the Forbidden City!”
…
Hearing this, Nie Zheng was happy and said: "Very good. If you are willing to go, please arrange it as soon as possible. We will go to the imperial capital in batches."
"If you are really in trouble, it doesn't matter. You can stay in Taiwan."
"From now on, the Imperial Capital side will be the headquarters, and the VIA R&D Center will still be the branch on the Taiwan side."
"There is no doubt that the salary and development at the headquarters are much higher than those at the VIA branch. After all, it is the headquarters, and everyone knows it."
"Okay, everyone thinks about it for themselves. Those who want to go to the headquarters can go home and pack first."
"Those who want to stay should continue to work. I will work with everyone in the future. You can also go home and discuss it with your wife."
Soon, most of the people left and went home.
VIA has been losing money for many years, and the benefits are hard to describe.
After four or five years, let alone a salary increase, sometimes the wages are not even paid.
If he continues to stay at VIA, Nie Zheng made it very clear that at most he will not be owed salary, and it will be difficult to get a salary increase.
Unless something is achieved!
But when I went to the Xingyi Technology Headquarters, my salary increased by 50%, which was no problem.
This was the case with VMware Telecommunications before. An engineer with a monthly salary of 10,000 yuan went to the Imperial City to directly earn a monthly salary of 15,000 yuan.
This year, because of the success of the Pterosaur 3000 baseband, there will be an additional 4 months of year-end bonuses, a salary of 16, and an annual salary of 240,000, which is twice as much as before!
Don't look at the fact that there are only four months of year-end bonuses, most companies don't have two months of year-end bonuses.
And it’s only 3G baseband, so the four-month year-end bonus is not low.
When they come up with the 4G baseband, Wang Yi will directly pay an 8-month year-end bonus of 20 yuan in salary.
Similarly, the 40-nanometer chip packaging and testing technology content is limited, and the packaging and testing R&D team also gets a 4-month year-end bonus.
Once they figure out the 28nm packaging technology, that will be a 6-month year-end bonus.
The Williams team developed the 40-nanometer Kunpeng 702 and Kunpeng 700 SOC, and was directly awarded a 6-month year-end bonus of 18 salary.
When George's team develops the 28-nanometer Kunpeng 902 SOC, there will be an eight-month year-end bonus and a salary of 20.
Mr. Hu's wafer factory R&D team achieved mass production of the 40nm process and received an 8-month year-end bonus with a direct salary of 20%.
When mass production of the 28nm process is achieved, a 12-month year-end bonus and a salary of 24 will be directly paid to an extra year of salary!
Wang Yi has always been willing to spend money on chip research and development.
It’s just about scoring technical content and classifying grades.
Also score time.
For example, Kunpeng 902 will be successfully taped out in March next year and will receive an eight-month year-end bonus.
If the tape-out is successful in June next year, there will only be a three-month year-end bonus.
If the tape-out is successful next September, there will be no year-end bonus and George will have to be fired.
The top management of the entire Kunpeng 902 team also needs to be purged.
To put it bluntly, if you make great achievements, everyone will receive a year-end bonus of hundreds of thousands.
If you can't achieve results, you will be fired collectively!
Wang Yi is not a philanthropist.
The purpose of the year-end bonus is to make breakthroughs in technology, not to make employees suddenly rich and unwilling to make progress.
If there are too many, it will be detrimental to the research and development of next-generation technology.
After all, they all have money, so many people no longer want to work day and night.
Good work comes from hard work, and waste comes from playfulness.
More importantly, there are many people in the R&D department, not dozens, nor one or two hundred.
The research and development teams for mobile phone chips alone have thousands of people in total.
If one person is given a year-end bonus of 200,000 yuan, it is 200 million.
As for Xingyi Technology, there are many such departments, and they have to develop them all.
Wang Yidu had to follow the rules and benchmark BBA and Huawei, which is slightly higher by 30%.
If it is too high, it will easily mess up the level of the workplace.
Nothing is too much or too little.
Just like ten years later, everyone said that the post-00s generation would reorganize the workplace. However, within two years, the post-00s generation no longer even had a workplace.
40% of those with a master's degree may not be able to find a job.
Everyone started to get busy, and Nie Zhengze and the people from the headquarters began to count the assets of VIA.
Later, Nie Zheng dialed Wang Yi's phone: "Chairman, VIA has fully received it, but there was an unexpected discovery."
"Oh?" Wang Yi became interested.
"Chairman, VIA has acquired three companies. In 1999, VIA acquired Cyrix and became the third largest CPU manufacturer after Intel and AMD."
"In 2000, VIA acquired the graphics department of S3, becoming the third largest GPU manufacturer after NVIDIA and AMD."
Wang Yi fell silent: "..."
He has forgotten that VIA is so awesome and even acquired the former GPU overlord S3 Graphic.
Of course, he is the overlord of the 2D era, dominating NVIDIA.
In the 3D era, it is somewhat behind the times. Coupled with wrong decisions, it can no longer be compared with NVIDIA.
It is precisely because of this that the generation of GPU overlord S3 graphic disappeared after many years.
"Chairman, VIA also acquired Centaur. Not only did it acquire a large amount of CPU technology and patents, but it also has an overseas Centaur R&D team."
Nie Zheng continued: "In addition, there is a VIA R&D team in Seoul."
Wang Yi was numb: "..."
VIA is simply a nursing home for semiconductors.
The once glorious CPU giants and GPU giants were all acquired by VIA.
Now it’s better, they were all acquired by Wang Yi!
After some understanding, Wang Yi finally understood all of Wei Sheng's family background.
CPU: Cyrix, Centaur.
Both companies have a large number of patents, and it was these patents that allowed VIA and Intel to reach a tie in their multi-year patent war.
X86 is also licensed through Cyrix.
The Centaur is even more powerful, with a lot of CPU R&D technology.
VIA's CPU architecture technology is mainly derived from Centaur.
Similarly, Zhaoxin later also obtained a large number of Centaur technologies and patents.
However, the original Centaur team is overseas and has become VIA's overseas R&D team, which is quite accomplished in the field of AI chips.
It was sold to Intel by VIA in 2021. Two years later, Intel released a new AI PC processor Core Ultra with a built-in NPU that can provide AI computing power.
Among them, the Centaur team played a big role.
It can only be said that the Centaur team should not be underestimated.
In addition, VIA also has a strong R&D headquarters in Taiwan, which is VIA's original R&D team, which is very powerful.
And in Seoul, there is also a mainland CPU R&D team.
GPU:S3 graphic.
After acquiring S3 Graphic, VIA moved S3 Graphic's R&D center to VIA's headquarters, and later transferred it to the mainland team.
Wang Yi understood that VIA now has three R&D teams.
Taiwan VIA headquarters, CPU-based.
The overseas R&D team focuses on CPU and has the ability to develop AI chips.
Mainland R&D team, CPU + GPU, focusing on GPU.
Wang Yi made a calculation: "Mr. Nie, re-adjust the deployment. From now on, the imperial capital side will focus on CPU, and the mainland R&D team in Seoul will focus on GPU."
"As for Taiwan and overseas R&D teams, you can mobilize them. Those who are willing to come will come to the imperial capital. Those who are unwilling to come will stay in Taiwan and overseas R&D centers."
"Okay, Chairman, how should we arrange the specific business of the four R&D centers?" Nie Zheng was a little confused.
Wang Yi said calmly: "The Imperial City is the strongest, developing high-end X86 CPUs. The R&D center in Taiwan develops mid-range CPUs. As for the overseas teams, they absorb global talents and develop AI chips and NPUs! The mainland team in Seoul develops GPUs!"
Wang Yi is not worried about the two major CPU R&D centers.
Invest money, recruit talents, expand the scale, rely on the technology of VIA or Centaur, and give it time, CPU can do it.
At most it's a level gap, how much behind Intel.
As for catching up or even surpassing us in a short period of time, this is unrealistic.
It would be great to shorten the generation gap to two generations.
But NPU is not that easy.
Future AI development will require NPU.
In a few years, mobile phone chip SOC will integrate an NPU to provide AI computing power.
Similarly, if PCs are to be equipped with AI in the future, they will also need to integrate NPU chips.
In 2019, the Centaur team released the world's first high-performance x86 SoC with integrated AI co-processor.
Previously, the NPUs developed by Huawei and Qualcomm were all ARM SOC NPUs.
Now, Intel was excited. It finally had an NPU with X86 SOC, and decisively acquired the Centaur team.
Two years later, Intel released a new SOC Core Ultra, with a built-in NPU AI hardware unit that was developed by the Centaur team!
Similarly, future Xingyi computer chips must also take the SOC route and integrate CPU, core graphics, and NPU.
In this regard, the Centaur team is very powerful.
Wang Yi decided to invest funds to expand the scale of the Centaur team and devote all its efforts to research and development of NPU!
There is no way, not only Xingyi mobile phones need NPU.
Xingyi PC also requires NPU.
Xingyi Auto’s autonomous driving also requires NPU!
Xingyi Cloud data center, cloud computing, etc. all require NPU!
…
Of course, there is no rush to install NPU on mobile phones now, and it will be possible to integrate NPU after 2016.
In the previous life, Huawei launched the Kirin 970 in 2017, which integrated an NPU.
Similarly, the NPU on PC can be more relaxed. It will be okay after 2020.
But for NPU in cloud data centers, the earlier the better.
Big data, cloud computing, AI large models, etc. are all inseparable.
Most servers are based on X86 architecture, so the NPU still has to be integrated into the X86 SOC.
As for the mobile phone integrated into ARM's SOC, there is no rush for that.
After all, when mobile phones start to integrate NPU in four or five years, Xingyi Mobile will probably have already abandoned the ARM architecture and begun to develop its own instruction set.
By then, NPU with self-developed instruction set for mobile phones can be launched.
But four or five years later, it will be a bit difficult for Xingyi computers and servers to completely abandon X86.
It can be said that it is easy to replace a simple instruction set like ARM, but it is much more difficult to replace a complex instruction set like X86.
What's more, after acquiring VIA, Wang Yi has almost all the licenses, architectures and patents of X86, so there is no big problem in continuing to use X86.
However, the sooner the NPU is developed, the better.
Moreover, the Centaur team has this strength, so it can invest funds and make arrangements in advance.
Of course, Wang Yi welcomes the core talents of the Centaur team who are willing to come to the imperial capital with both hands.
And simultaneously build an NPU R&D center in China to share technology and results with the overseas Centaur team.
In this way, even if something unexpected happens to the overseas team, the domestic team can still retain the results and retain R&D capabilities.
To put it bluntly, Wang Yi wants to use the overseas Centaur team to overpower the domestic NPU team.
Use foreign talents to help develop NPU.
There is no way, Wang Yi is more cautious in doing things, and the most important thing is to move back to China as much as possible.
Therefore, the CPU headquarters is in Imperial City, the NPU headquarters is also in Imperial City, and the GPU headquarters is in Seoul.
As for the Taiwanese and overseas teams, they are all branches.
However, relatively speaking, the research and development of NPU is relatively easy.
The hardest thing is the GPU.
Originally, Wang Yi was confused and had no clue.
Well now, VIA has also acquired S3 Graphic.
With S3 graphic's R&D team, technology, patents, and investment, it is not impossible to develop a GPU.
At least it's easier than starting from scratch.
After all, S3 Graphic’s team is also very strong. In the 2D era, GPUs were the absolute dominant player, and they also launched several 3D graphics cards in the past few years.
However, due to limited follow-up funds, setbacks in development, and poor decision-making, it was completely desolate.
Now that Wang Yi has invested huge sums of money, there may not be no hope of a comeback.
Of course, another gain is that with this wave of acquisitions, Xingyi Technology has obtained a large number of patents!
Whether it's Cyrix, S3 graphic, or Centaur, they all have a lot of patents.
There are patents in the CPU field and there are patents in the GPU field, which will greatly improve Xingyi Technology's patent protection wall.
With these patents, VIA has evened out its patent wars with Intel.
Similarly, with these patents, Wang Yi is not afraid of patent lawsuits from Intel and Nvidia.
Wang Yi said earnestly: "Nie Zheng, make good arrangements. Several departments are very important and core. In the early stage, the headquarters will provide sufficient financial and various support, but we must produce results! The business department that is the first to produce results will
Your strategic status will be enhanced!"
Nie Zheng instantly understood what Wang Yi meant.
Gu raising mode!
Now CPU, GPU, and NPU all need to be developed and invested. CPU and NPU are still dual R&D centers.
Even future GPUs will have dual R&D centers.
Internal competition will then be essential.
Likewise, competition between different businesses is also essential.
Whoever makes achievements first will continue to improve his strategic position.
On the contrary, business units that fail to achieve results will be marginalized or even sold!
There is nothing we can do about this.
Just like VIA acquired S3 Graphic, but S3 Graphic could not produce a powerful GPU in the short term, so it was abandoned by VIA.
The same is true for the CPU business. Not to mention arm wrestling with Intel and AMD, as long as Wang Hong can stabilize 10% of the market share, Wang Hong will not package it and sell it to Xingyi Technology!
Semiconductors burn money and are naturally cruel.
If there is output, Wang Yi will increase investment.
If there is no output, Wang Yi will also consider changing the team, changing the leader, or even giving up the entire business.
After all, no one’s money comes from the strong wind.
Chapter completed!