2012 is the year when Chinese Internet enterprises cross the border. The most typical example is mobile phones. Xiaomi's success proves the truth of "the early bird catches the worm", which also makes more and more Internet companies feel that doing mobile phones is actually quite simple, so they can't help but feel excited and want to jump into the water.
Standing in the air vent, pigs can fly. Lei Jun described it as "climbing to the top of the mountain first, kicking a stone down", but it also depends on the timing: climbing early, it is easy to fall in the dark; Climbing late, people kicked all the stones.
The reason why making mobile phones has become a mountain top is that the rise of Android in the past two years has brought new opportunities. The modular design makes the production of mobile phones a simple assembly work. In addition to the previous experience of MTK in leading us to make a revolution in copycat computers, we feel that this can indeed be done. If it is not enough, then add one more: the success of Apple's two legged model of software+hardware has given Internet companies great imagination: now is the era of experience, and doing well in user experience is what we are good at. As for hardware, is it not easy?
While a large number of Internet companies are climbing the mountain of mobile phones, this afternoon, Xiaomi will release the "Xiaomi Box" and start kicking stones on another mountain. Can Xiaomi open an era of "making boxes for all" again?
Making a box is easier than making a mobile phone
The practice of Xiaomi Box is actually the network upgraded version of the set-top box that users are familiar with.
Technically, a set-top box consists of two parts: software and hardware: hardware includes the main chip, tuning demodulator, memory, CA (encryption system) interface, external storage controller, audio and video output, etc. The main chip and tuning demodulator form a TV module to process digital stream information; CA system enables operators or service providers to effectively manage users, for example, to know when and what programs users watch; The software is divided into three layers: application layer, intermediate interpretation layer and driver layer. Each layer contains many programs or interfaces, through which various interactions with users are completed. No matter from analog to digital, DVB-C and DVB-S to IPTV, smart TV and TV stick, as well as network TV set-top box represented by Xiaomi box, various concepts have been emerging one after another, but such structure has basically not changed much. For users, no matter what concept you put forward, the key is whether it can solve the problem of "watching TV better".
The millet box we see today is actually equivalent to a computer with an embedded operating system. On the one hand, you can access the Internet through the network cable or Wifi, convert the media stream and other information transmitted through the network into analog video and audio output to TV, and realize data exchange, video on demand, web browsing, games and other functions on TV.
With the development of science and technology, the boundaries between mobile phones, set-top boxes and computers, which seem to be distinct from each other, are becoming more and more blurred. Especially, mobile phones are developing most rapidly. We can even say that In terms of functions, today's smart phones have completely covered all the functions of the box. The box should have, and today's smart phones have. What the box does not have or cannot do, the mobile phone does better.
Play video? no problem! surf the internet? There already is! game? I admit your screen is bigger, but can you play with the operation?
To put it simply, if you just make a small box that can realize the function of IPTV, all smart phone manufacturers are now competent. As long as the current smart phone scheme is changed, unnecessary functions such as calling are removed, and only functions related to IPTV are retained. Of course, such changes may increase additional costs. If you want ready solutions, chip manufacturers can immediately offer you a pile of everything from high to low; Software support is not a problem, Android Disturbance to the mobile phone market has also given everyone a swimming circle. Even without water, you can't sink as long as you put the Android shell on your body. Then try to solve the problem of movie source. Youku, Qiyi and Sohu. If you can't talk about it, you can set up a server and send thousands of movies and televisions to it. Living people can still suffocate in urine?
What's difficult is the wind that can blow pigs
In the final analysis, it is really not difficult to make a box. The difficulty is how to find the most appropriate opportunity to make a box. A few years ago, Shanda cooperated with Microsoft to push the box, not to say that things were bad, but that the opportunity did not come. With the progress of technology, the bottlenecks of the year, such as the popularization of the network, bandwidth, compression technology, decoding technology, interactivity and the realization of functions, are no longer a problem. Although "three networks in one" has encountered various constraints in the process of implementation, it has also brought many possibilities and opportunities, allowing operators, mobile phone manufacturers, Internet companies and other different participants, You can find your own position in this competition. The Eight Immortals cross the sea and show their magic. All roads lead to Rome. Whoever runs first will be able to roll down the stones and laugh at the wind and clouds.
How are you, the Internet companies who are still climbing the mountain of mobile phones?
