Pei Qian thought for a moment. One crucial factor in the previous OTTO E1 phone’s success was using many mature supply chain designs, ensuring quality control for the phone. Combined with extra services like replacement-only policies without repairs, they managed to establish this high-end phone brand.

So what about doing the opposite now?

Using only immature designs from the supply chain – wouldn’t that guarantee poor quality control?

Of course, Pei Qian didn’t intend to deceive consumers. If the defect rate was high, they’d do replacement-only policies. If that didn’t work, they’d add more compensation. Then as OTTO’s after-sales costs increased, their reputation would worsen, sales would decline, triggering a chain reaction…

Wouldn’t that be a win-win?

After considering this, Pei Qian asked, “What are the latest technologies in the supply chain right now?”

Chang You thought for a moment and said, “The latest technology… should be full-screen technology and pop-up cameras. These should be next year’s mainstream solutions. As far as I know, Shenhua and several other major phone manufacturers all have plans to develop similar models.”

“However, full-screen solutions also bring certain problems, such as increased phone weight, higher costs, worse waterproofing, poorer heat dissipation, lower yield rates, etc. The only benefit is that the front is a complete screen, which looks good.”

“So these major manufacturers don’t consider using full-screen for their flagship models and volume models.”

Pei Qian nodded, “Mm, that’s good. Let’s go with that!”

Regarding phone development trends, Pei Qian naturally had his estimates.

Full screens would definitely be the future trend. Before perfect solutions like under-display cameras could be mass-produced, alternatives like waterdrop notches, notches, punch holes, and pop-up cameras would exist for a long time.

Pop-up cameras would be popular for a relatively short period but would quickly be replaced by waterdrop and punch-hole designs due to various issues.

Of course, some flagship phones with 3D structured light would use notch designs, but that obviously had nothing to do with OTTO Technology, which lacked significant technical reserves.

Although they’d settled on the pop-up camera solution, standard pop-up camera designs still had a good chance of success. Pei Qian needed to think of other approaches to be safer.

“According to the current plan, where exactly would the pop-up camera be positioned?” Pei Qian asked.

Chang You immediately replied, “It would be at the top, Mr. Pei. Usually placed at the phone’s upper edge – on the left, right, or center. Different structures mean different internal layouts, but the differences aren’t significant.”

Pei Qian nodded, “Mm… Since others are placing them on top, we definitely can’t copy them.”

“Let’s place it on the side!”

“Put it on the upper part of the phone’s left long edge!”

Chang You was confused, “Huh?”

Placing a pop-up camera on the phone’s upper left corner was indeed a common solution. But others’ upper left corners were on the short edge, popping out vertically. But Mr. Pei wanted it on the long edge, popping out horizontally!

This was too strange!

Of course, this position wasn’t completely unreasonable. Whether holding the phone with left or right hand, the lower half wasn’t suitable for pop-up cameras as hands might block them. They had to be placed in the upper half.

But normal people would place them on top, right? Who puts them on the side!

With the camera popping out like this, it would literally look like a “7” shape – completely ridiculous.

Chang You hesitated before saying, “Mr. Pei, putting a pop-up camera at that position might be asymmetrical? It might look quite ugly?”

Pei Qian paused briefly, “Asymmetrical? Mm… Then you can add another pop-up camera on the upper right or lower left to create symmetry. That works too.”

Chang You: “???”

What the heck, make two pop-up cameras!

When Chang You mentioned asymmetry, he meant they should move the camera to the center, whether in the middle of the top edge or the left edge. At least it would look more aesthetically pleasing.

But Mr. Pei actually interpreted it as making two pop-up cameras for symmetry?

This has to be a joke!

A phone with one pop-up camera is already too much – why add so many pop-up cameras!

Chang You said, “That definitely won’t work…”

Pei Qian waved dismissively, “Never mind, just put it where I said. Alright, this design is settled. You can consider the other details yourself.”

Chang You opened his mouth but seeing Mr. Pei’s resolute attitude, ultimately said nothing.

Clearly Mr. Pei’s words had deeper meaning. Now wasn’t the right time to ask questions. He’d better contemplate it carefully later.

Pei Qian continued, “Besides phone development, there’s another project for you. This project will require close collaboration between you, Tuoguan Fitness, and Shangyang Games.”

Hearing it was a project requiring three departments working together, Chang You naturally took it very seriously, temporarily setting aside the phone matter, “Mr. Pei, please tell me.”

Pei Qian said, “Develop a smart fitness device. You’ll be responsible for finding manufacturers and product design; Tuoguan Fitness will provide technical support and serve as display stores; Shangyang Games will develop games compatible with this fitness device.”

Chang You was completely bewildered, quickly asking, “So Mr. Pei, what is this smart fitness device?”

Pei Qian said, “Smart Fitness Clothes Rack.”

Chang You: “Huh?”

What the heck, Smart Fitness Clothes Rack!

If Mr. Pei’s expression wasn’t completely serious, Chang You would have thought he was joking.

As for why Pei Qian emphasized three departments working together…

Because he discovered that the more departments involved in a project, the more resources and budget could be utilized!

Just like developing Mission and Choice, if it was only a game project or movie project, they could only spend one budget. But making both games and movies allowed spending more than the original two budgets combined!

Moreover, Pei Qian had realized that even when assigning just one department to one project, he couldn’t stop them from mysteriously collaborating anyway.

In that case, the harm would be greater since Pei Qian wouldn’t be prepared, getting backstabbed unexpectedly.

If so, might as well have multiple departments develop new projects together from the start, actively arranging collaboration. This way the entire development process could be monitored, preventing mysterious backstabs.

Three departments using over triple the budget to fail at one project – wouldn’t that be triple the joy?

Chang You asked, “Mr. Pei, this Smart Fitness Clothes Rack you mentioned… what exactly is it?”

Pei Qian cleared his throat twice and said, “Home fitness has always been a crucial fitness scenario. While gym workouts are more effective, for most homebodies, traveling to distant gyms is already troublesome and hard to sustain.”

“With Tuoguan Fitness already established, developing a home fitness product helps expand our fitness product line! It also aligns with the ‘Tenda Lifestyle’ healthy living philosophy.”

“The most fatal problem with current home fitness products is they easily become clothes racks. Whether treadmills, ellipticals, exercise bikes, or weight benches – they all eventually can’t escape becoming clothes racks.”

“This actually highlights a crucial user need. Think about it – why do users turn these fitness equipment into clothes racks? Is it because they’re lazy? Don’t want to exercise?”

“Not necessarily.”

“I think the key reason is they don’t have enough space to hang clothes at home! If they had sufficient space for hanging clothes, why would they hang clothes or sheets on fitness equipment?”

“So this is an important customer need.”

“Customers buying home fitness equipment actually have two needs: first, to exercise; second, to hang clothes. But traditional fitness equipment doesn’t satisfy either need well!”

“So we must solve this pain point for customers!”

“Our fitness equipment should have clothes-hanging functionality from the design stage. This way, for hanging clothes, our product completely beats regular fitness equipment and has higher practicality!”

“Among all home fitness equipment, our product is best for hanging clothes; among all clothes racks, our product is the only one with fitness functionality.”

“This is the core competitive advantage of the Smart Fitness Clothes Rack! And it’s foreseeable that for a long time, there’ll absolutely be no similar products on the market!”

“For users, if they buy fitness equipment that becomes a clothes rack, they’ll feel regret and won’t recommend it to others. But thinking the opposite way – buying a clothes rack that can be used for occasional exercise? That’s a great deal!”

Chang You blinked, listening in astonishment.

Mr. Pei was a logic genius!

This was like that joke – if you say you smoke while reading, it sounds bad; but if you say you read while smoking, it instantly becomes inspirational.

Fitness equipment becoming clothes racks makes people feel cheated; but if it’s a clothes rack you occasionally use for exercise, it instantly feels like winning!

But thinking deeper, something still felt wrong…

Chang You thought and asked again, “Mr. Pei, why make this device smart? You mentioned having Shangyang Games develop a compatible game – what kind of game would that be?”

Pei Qian fell into brief silence.

Because he hadn’t really thought about these questions. He simply thought it would increase price and reduce sales, without any specific plans.

A home fitness device was already useless, prone to collecting dust and taking up space. Making it smart would add costs without much use, plus game development costs…

Definitely a loss!

But he couldn’t tell Chang You this reason.

Pei Qian could only say with feigned depth, “This question requires all three departments to think together.”