Reborn in 2005, starting with repairing mobile phones

A week later.

The sun had been hanging in the sky since early morning. The familiar smell of cutting fluid wafted in the air, mixed with the odor of the heated concrete floor.

Lin Dong stood at the warehouse entrance and glanced at the sky. Seven days had passed; the agreed-upon batteries should have arrived today.

The roar of trucks could be heard in the distance.

A white van turned into the factory gate and stopped at the warehouse entrance.

Zhang Minghai jumped out of the passenger seat, and as soon as his feet touched the ground, he saw Lin Dong.

"President Lin!"

He strode over, a smile on his face. Behind him were two technicians, who were unloading white styrofoam boxes from the carriage.

Speak of the devil, and he appears. Lin Dong went to greet him.

"Did Manager Zhang deliver it personally?"

Zhang Minghai smiled and reached out to pat one of the boxes.

"We don't trust anyone else to handle the first batch of samples."

He paused.

"Twenty yuan. Is that enough?"

Lin Dong glanced at the boxes.

For the first batch of tests, twenty batteries will be enough. Running data, installing and testing, and repeated verification—one battery can last for several days. Twenty batteries will keep them busy for a while.

That's enough.

The boxes were carried into the warehouse and laid out side by side on the cement floor.

Zhang Mingyuan was already waiting there. He knew the battery was arriving today, and he had run to the door three times that morning. For the past week, he had been thinking every night about how to process the data after the battery arrived.

The ripple has been reduced to 7.8 ohms, and power consumption has decreased by 5%, but these were all achieved in a simulated environment. Will there be interference once the battery is installed? How stable will the discharge curve be? Will the battery life meet expectations?

The more he thought about it, the less he could sleep, and the less he could sleep, the more he thought about it.

I woke up at five o'clock this morning and couldn't fall back asleep.

He stared at the few white styrofoam boxes, his eyes shining.

It is it.

Once the casing and battery are ready and the size is right, the motherboard can be installed.

Whether it works or not depends on this one.

The foam box was opened.

Inside, silver-gray batteries were neatly stacked.

Smaller than the palm of your hand, thin, with rounded edges. It has a matte finish in the sunlight and looks sturdy.

Zhang Mingyuan took a step forward.

He reached out and picked up a piece.

It was heavy, a bit heavier than he had imagined.

He looked at it over and over twice, as if checking the size.

"The battery has arrived." He looked up at Lin Dong. "Then my motherboard can begin."

Lin Dong nodded.

"We can begin."

Zhang Mingyuan flipped the battery over and looked at the parameter label on the back.

Rows of numbers, densely packed.

He found that number.

Energy density 580.

He was taken aback. 580? That's almost 20% more expensive than the market price.

For the same size and weight, the battery life can last for more than an hour longer.

With this battery, all those data that were tested countless times to reduce power consumption, all those nights spent working on battery life, and all those parameters that were run countless times in simulation software can finally be put to rest.

He looked up at Lin Dong.

"580?"

Zhang Minghai chimed in from the side, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Latest lab data. 18% higher than market prices."

He paused, his tone tinged with barely suppressed pride.

"This is the latest model from our lab, and it can be said to be the battery with the longest battery life and best performance in this type on the market right now."

Zhang Mingyuan opened his mouth, but no words came out. 18%. He had been running the data for so long, racking his brains to reduce power consumption and increase battery life, and now a single battery had given him nearly 20% more.

He looked down at the silver-gray battery in his hand again; it was heavy and lay there quietly.

Before the motherboard even started running, the battery gave him a pleasant surprise.

Su Xiaowen also came over.

She had been waiting with Zhang Mingyuan since morning. The battery hadn't arrived, and she couldn't concentrate on anything else. The casing had already gone through four iterations, the tolerance reduced to 0.1 millimeters, but the battery hadn't arrived, and she was constantly worried. What if it couldn't be installed? All her previous work would have been for nothing.

She didn't look at the battery specifications; she looked at the size first.

Thickness, correct. Width, correct. Length, correct.

She glanced at Zhang Mingyuan.

Zhang Mingyuan was already measuring with calipers.

He placed the battery on the worktable, clamped it in with calipers, and looked closely.

"The thickness... is just right."

He changed his position.

"The width... is just right."

They changed positions again.

"The length... is just right."

He finished measuring and looked up.

"It fits our battery compartment perfectly."

Su Xiaowen's lips twitched. The anxiety that had been gripping her finally eased a little. The dimensions matched. Those lines, those curves, those details that had been revised countless times—no need to redraw them just to accommodate the battery. No need for rework.

Li Guohui also walked over from the machine.

He was adjusting the cutting path for the next batch of casings when he heard the noise outside. He wiped his hands on his clothes and came over.

He stood to the side, looking at the battery, then glanced at the casings on the worktable.

This thing fits perfectly inside.

He nodded without saying anything.

Lin Dong walked over and took the battery from Zhang Mingyuan.

I turned it over and took a look.

The surface is silvery-gray, smooth, and heavy.

The batteries finally arrived.

The casing is 0.1 millimeters short of the design standard, but that slight deviation does not affect battery installation.

Zhang Mingyuan can start by running the data, and then work through the process. By the time the casing is finished, the data will be almost ready. By doing both things in parallel, the timeframe will be just right.

He put the battery back in the box.

"Let's get to work."

Zhang Mingyuan nodded.

He carried the battery and walked towards the worktable.

Su Xiaowen followed, unfolded the blueprints in her hand, pointed to the location of the battery compartment, and said something to Zhang Mingyuan.

Li Guohui followed them. He stood to the side, listening to their conversation, occasionally interjecting with a comment, pointing to a spot on the outer shell and gesturing.

The three of them huddled together, examining the battery and the casings.

Zhang Minghai stood by and watched this scene unfold.

He turned his head and looked at Lin Dong.

"Mr. Lin, we've been working on this batch of batteries in our lab for six months, and we've only managed to get fifty units out."

He paused.

"Here's twenty yuan for you to use first. We'll talk about the rest when your data comes out."

Lin Dong nodded. The battery samples in the R&D stage didn't come off the production line; they were made one by one in the lab by hand, stacking and packaging the wafers. Making fifty in six months was already considered fast.

"I'll send it to you as soon as the data processing is complete."

Zhang Minghai smiled.

"Then I'll wait."

He stretched out his hand.

Lin Dong grasped it.

They clasped hands briefly, then released them.

Zhang Minghai turned and got into the car.

The truck started and slowly drove out of the warehouse gate.

Lin Dong stood there, watching the car disappear through the doorway.

Then he turned around.

Inside the warehouse, Zhang Mingyuan had already stuffed the batteries into the battery compartment.

The outer casing went through four versions this week.

The first version was off by 0.5 millimeters. Without saying a word, Li Guohui readjusted the cutting path.

The second version was 0.3 millimeters off. Su Xiaowen, who was watching from the side, said that the edges could be tightened a little more.

The third version was off by 0.15 millimeters. After measuring with calipers, Zhang Mingyuan said, "Let's get it closer."

The fourth edition just came out this morning. The tolerance has been reduced to 0.1 millimeters.

Holding it in my hand, it already looks a bit like a mobile phone.

Zhang Mingyuan put the battery in.

Just right.

Not too loose, not too tight, fits perfectly.

He froze for a moment.

Is that all? No need to adjust it anymore?

Then he took it out and put it back in. Take it out and put it back in. Take it out and put it back in.

I tried it five times.

Every time, it's just right.

Su Xiaowen stood by and watched.

His eyes were fixed on the battery compartment, on Zhang Mingyuan's hand, and on the part where the battery met the casing.

After inserting it for the fifth time, Zhang Mingyuan stopped.

He raised his head.

"It's a success."

Su Xiaowen's lips twitched.

She reached out and took the battery casing from Zhang Mingyuan.

I held it in my hand and turned it over to take a look.

The outer casing is silvery-white, thin, and has smooth edges. Inside, the silver-gray battery fits perfectly and remains motionless.

She stared at it for a long time.

She looked up at Li Guohui.

Li Guohui stood beside her, looking at what she was holding.

He nodded.

"The battery compartment doesn't need to be changed."

Zhang Mingyuan turned around and looked at Lin Dong.

"Mr. Lin, the motherboard can be started now."

The motherboard can now be worked on. Continue polishing the casing, and start running data tests on the battery. Once these three are running smoothly, the screen will be useful; now we can start thinking about the screen.

Lin Dong spoke.

"Let's begin."

He stood there and watched for a while.

Zhang Mingyuan had already inserted the battery into the test fixture and started connecting the wiring. Su Xiaowen squatted beside him, watching intently, still clutching the blueprint in her hand. Li Guohui returned to the machine, and the toolpath started turning again.

That's about it. He walked over.

"I'm going back to Shenzhen first."

Zhang Mingyuan raised his head.

"Now?"

Lin Dong nodded.

"Keep an eye on things here. Let me know when it's done."

Zhang Mingyuan paused for a moment, then nodded.

"it is good."

Su Xiaowen also looked up and nodded at him.

Li Guohui waved from the machine.

Lin Dong turned and walked out.

Ah Hao had already driven the car to the door.

Lin Dong opened the car door and got in.

The car started and slowly drove out of the factory gate.

In the rearview mirror, those people were back to their work.

The car got on the highway and headed towards Shenzhen.

Lin Dong leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.

In 2005, the mainstream mobile phone screens were still CSTN and TFT. CSTN was cheaper, but the colors were poor and it was difficult to see in sunlight. TFT had better display quality, but it consumed more power and was thicker.

High-end models are starting to use LTPS (Low Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon), which offers high brightness, energy efficiency, and a thinner profile. Sharp, Toshiba, and Hitachi are among the Japanese manufacturers that produce the best results.

Samsung is also making them, but mainly for its own supply.

LG is also chasing it, but it hasn't taken off yet.

Domestically... BOE is just starting out and is still exploring.

Lin Dong knew which way to go after the screen.

After TFT comes OLED. Samsung will dominate the OLED market for several years, and even Apple will have to source from them. BOE will gradually catch up, taking more than a decade to become the world's second-largest OLED manufacturer.

Japanese manufacturers will gradually fall behind; their costs are too high and their response is too slow, allowing South Korea and China to catch up.

That's for later.

The current question is, what kind of screen should the first-generation mobile phone use?

What he wanted was LTPS. It was effective, energy-efficient, thin, and fit his design.

However, LTPS is expensive, and Japanese manufacturers have long lead times, so they may not be willing to accept orders from small customers.

TFT is also an option; it's mature, stable, and inexpensive. However, it's thicker, consumes more power, and the costs associated with the battery need to be recalculated.

These are the suppliers.

Sharp has the best technology, but I know Japanese manufacturers are known for their temperament: they won't accept small orders, they won't do business with long lead times, and their payment terms are rigid. If you try to negotiate now, you're likely to get rejected.

Toshiba is easier to talk to, but its products are not as good as Sharp's.

Samsung only supplies its own products; no need to even think about it.

BOE...it's too early, let's leave it for now.

LG's pursuit means they want customers, orders, and to prove themselves. At this point, you can adopt a more assertive approach and negotiate terms.

He knew where LG would end up. Not at the very top, but good enough. And in 2005, LG was short of customers.

They're the ones.

LTPS is expensive now, but LG wants to catch up, so they're willing to lower the price. They can use future order volume to negotiate the current price.

Then we'll choose LG screens; the rest is just negotiation.

He opened his eyes.

First, have Uncle Cai contact them, send them information, and schedule a time.

Once the casing and battery are running smoothly in Dongguan, we'll take the samples directly to South Korea.

LG has its headquarters in Seoul, and its screen division should also be located there.

What should we discuss? Price, delivery time, and technical support.

He knew LG's current mindset: they wanted to catch up with Samsung, prove themselves, and attract more clients.

He had casing samples, battery data, and motherboard solutions; he wasn't going to negotiate empty-handed.

Moreover, the price is negotiable. He can use future order volume to lower the current price.

The first generation might only order a few thousand screens, but what about the second and third generations? Once the phones start selling well and orders double, LG is willing to lower prices to meet that expectation.

Delivery time also needs to be negotiated. Japanese manufacturers have long lead times, so Korean manufacturers should be faster. His launch event is next December, so the screens need to be delivered six months in advance; there can't be any delays.

Technical support also needs to be discussed. A screen isn't something you can just buy and use; you need to adjust parameters, write drivers, and ensure it's compatible with the motherboard.

Ding Xiao is waiting for the screen specifications to be finalized before starting work, and Zhou Chengyu also needs the screen to be lit up before he can adjust his touch algorithm. LG needs to prepare all this information so they can cooperate immediately if any problems arise.

He roughly calculated the time.

A week later, Cheng Chuan and Cheng Yu arrived at their posts, and everyone assembled.

Once the battery data runs smoothly in Dongguan, the casing meets the standards, and the motherboard design is sent out for prototyping, he can take the samples to South Korea.

Talk for a week, sign a letter of intent, and place an order.

The screen will arrive in about two months. By then, the motherboard prototype should also be ready, so we can install and test it, and Ding Xiao and Zhou Chengyu can start working on it at the same time.

There is still time.

He picked up his phone and dialed Uncle Cai's number.

The phone rang twice before being answered.

"President Lin."

"Check out LG's screen business and schedule a time. I'm going to South Korea in a week."

Uncle Cai paused for a moment, as if he was taking notes.

"Okay, I'll contact you tomorrow."

Lin Dong hummed in agreement and hung up the phone.

He then dialed Zhang Mingyuan's number.

After ringing a few times, Zhang Mingyuan answered the phone. The background noise was a bit loud, and he could hear the hum of the machine.

"President Lin."

"I'm going to South Korea in a week to discuss the screen. Is a week enough for your side? Will the battery performance be smooth? Will the casing meet the requirements? Can the motherboard design be sent out for prototyping?"

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.

Zhang Mingyuan's voice came through.

"enough."

Lin Dong didn't say anything more and hung up the phone.

He leaned back in his seat and looked out the window.

The car had entered Shenzhen's urban area, and the number of tall buildings on both sides was increasing. Sunlight shone on the glass curtain walls, reflecting a dazzling white light.

Over the next week, they worked in Dongguan to collect data, refine the outer shell, and finalize the plan.

He's handling things in Shenzhen, waiting for Cheng Chuan and Cheng Yu to arrive, and waiting for Uncle Cai to make plans with his husband.

A week later, I went to South Korea.