Why hammer cell phone become the target of public criticism?

Xu Xin / text

In recent days, a lot of hammer news, but unfortunately not much positive. Today, a cell phone quality problems, a black stuff tomorrow, the day after tomorrow a God up knife.

From the high profile speculation to the embattled, hammer cell phone although history is very short, but the ups and downs of the roller coaster is quite exciting. Do a lot of cell phones, like a hammer really no second home, the hammer two years of policy gains and losses it? Let's review it.

First, high profile hype mobile phone

The origins of the hammer cell phone can be traced back to a meeting between Luo Yonghao and Lei Jun. The rise of Lei Jun and Luo Yonghao met the Lei Jun side with their product ideas and marketing ideas. What a pity

After Luo took his own way, all kinds of speculation to attract attention, began to do the phone. This step, the old Luo is successful. He succeeded in using the demonstration effect of millet and the self-media influence in the mobile Internet era, boosting his popularity through various kinds of speculation, finally bringing investment and finding people who are making cell phones.

Although the outside world did not do anything with the old Loo, no one paid any attention to the old Loo's situation without using such means.

Second, do soft ROM first

In the old Luo to do the phone, learn millet chose to do ROM, after the phone steps. There is no problem with this step, making ROMs a lot easier than using a cell phone. In fact Lao Luo to find the design talent is good, from the first ROM conference to see, whether PPT or hammer ROM itself, some of the design is no problem in the aesthetic. This step is also old Lo also, he was able to find the investment can only be a ROM, by press conference to attract more venture to really make the phone hardware.

Third, design their own hardware to do the phone

Launched in the ROM after the successful venture capital, Lao Luo DIY cell phone, design and manufacture of their own. Unfortunately, this step Lao Luo underestimated the difficulty.

In fact, after the ROM conference, many media speculated that Lao Luo would find a reliable OEM or program vendor to do the hardware. As long as the hammer matched with its own hammer ROM, the product could be produced. However, Lao Luo had no choice but to ask questions In this step.

By 2013, with Android and Qualcomm processors, the difficulty of making a mobile phone is really much smaller than before, but that does not mean that the handset can be made casually.

From design to testing, to supply chain management, to quality control, this is a process that takes a long time to get started. Even a very experienced mobile phone manufacturer, to complete this process to a new model also takes a long time, far from being a ROM so simple.

Hammer directly to himself, trying to rely on foundries to solve the problem, this is inexperienced performance. When Huawei had relied on a foundry on a product, the pit was miserable, not to mention a very small batch of hammers.

Meizu was their own factory then, the first time to do M8 are a lot of problems, Moreover, the hammer that there is no hardware manufacturing experience also let others foundry.

The problems encountered by the hammer today are virtually unavoidable after this step. If at that time the hammer to hardware design and manufacturing to more experienced manufacturers, just put forward some ideas to customize, the result will not be like today.

Fourth, release high-profile products, improve expectations

After the hardware products were made, the hammer held a high-profile press conference, and all handset manufacturers dared bitterly and released the hammer mobile phone "proudly". Even before delivery, but also highlight the quality control excellent.

High-profile release is in fact no problem, but by this point, no longer need to continue to attract attention to obtain investment, and then attack the other manufacturers a bit troublesome mean.

Had peer is an enemy, you sarcastic sarcasm, wait until you go wrong, it will inevitably become the target of the public.

Prior to the delivery of the hammer, the old Luo on the quality control situation should be a few, foundries to do such a small list of the level of the industry have questioned. This time Lao Luo bragged to raise expectations, is to dig their own.

A few days later, the facts are revealed, you raise expectations this time, then lost too much nature will be hit. Lei Jun Ye Hao, OPPO Ye Hao, other manufacturers are lowered before the release of expectations, enhance satisfaction, and Lao Luo but to upgrade.

Later, the quality of the problem is strongly reflected and expectations are pulled too high a great deal.

Fifth, proud of the media, a choice of PR

Other manufacturers conference is to send tickets, the hammer is selling tickets; other media conference media manufacturers from the media is boarding accommodation fares, there are horse fees, and the hammer no matter what. Other vendors are widely distributed prototypes, some commercial taste of the media but also to the evaluation fee, while the hammer prototype only gave a few and some from the media.

The result of this is that only a few not-so-hot self-media outlets harshly praise the prototype media, nor do they say too much, and the rest of the media are passers-by. When negative news on quality issues comes out, it is very difficult for the media to look at the situation and turn to two less. Are passers-by, what to turn what, as well as click-through rate, why not turn?

Some media companies do a good job, even if the product is not perfect, do not see a few negative news, and even comment a little negative public relations will be off the shelf.

It is not necessary to spend more money in this area, the media is not bad money that small. Even after the conference staff and the media to drink tea, more exchanges and exchange views on the phone, it will not be passers-by.

Sixth, production and delivery in a hurry, the test is not enough

Millet phone is actually the first time that year to do mobile phones, but Xiaomi made a long time various tests. Large-scale construction machinery made a few rounds, improved a few rounds, to 300,000 units when the batch delivery.

This process is actually a test of capacity, supply chain and quality control. Meizu M8 is also the beginning of the beta version. Because cell phone prototypes, small-scale mass production, mass production out of something completely different, step by step to gradually improve the final mass production to come up with something to ensure the basic quality.

The supply chain does not say that assembly line workers also have a skilled process. Some design problems to be found step by step to improve.

The hammer from the release to the delivery a bit too hasty, the first batch of users to act as a test machine mice role, and these users are the first to pay the money. Natural problems complained of problems.

Review hammer two years, although many people can not understand the initial, but the actual success; the latter a lot of problems, the formation of today's embarrassing situation.

(The author is IT observer)