Top of the big era

However, Goal's current user scale is still relatively small, with 5 million registered users and 5 million converted users, making the total scale only 10 million.

The so-called converted users mean that Goal has completed data integration with the official websites of many teams. For example, if a fan of Manchester United's official website has registered an account in the past, he can also use the account and password of Manchester United's official website to log in to the Goal community.

In short, the user scale is a bit small.

Almost all men, women and children in Europe are fans. This is almost the only popular sport in Europe. If it is run properly... it can reach 250 million users in Europe alone.

Still a long way to go!

The top priority is to do our best marketing.

Ziweixing Digital Media wants to sponsor Barcelona's chest advertising to gain greater exposure and attract more fans. This email was sent by Bill Mertens, assistant to the chairman, and the tone was not polite at all.

He said that Barcelona is better than Manchester United. It has Messi, Habaib, and Henry. It is popular and has greater global influence... If you have a choice, it is better to sponsor Barcelona instead of Manchester United.

Zhou Buqi agrees with this view.

Moreover, Manchester United cannot sponsor it, and the chest advertisement has been sold. As for the advertising of training uniforms, the naming of training centers and the naming of reserve team stadiums, these things are just for the uninitiated, and I have been fooled by them.

Zhou Buqi thought for a moment.

It feels like he hasn't paid attention to the specific business of Ziweixing Digital Media for a long time. As a man and a boss... he has to be equally exposed to rain and dew.

In the email, he responded to Mertens, saying that he would return to London in a few days to handle the matter personally.

Football is his hobby.

Being able to combine your interests and work is definitely the most wonderful thing in life.

Of course, there are even better ones.

"Okay, let's go to the sofa."

Zhou Buqi called Jiang Shuying out from under the table. Then he quickly responded to an email from Kevin Feige of Marvel Studios, which probably means that he has confirmed the development plan for "Spider-Man". After the first phase of the "Avengers" series is completed, the first film will be released. The Marvel blockbuster will be a new version of Spider-Man.

He approved.

The next day, go to the hospital.

Finalize a cooperation plan with Apple.

Zhou Buqi went to Stanford Hospital with Zhou Shaoning and Lu Qi. This is a decision-making meeting, just settle down the big terms, and the specific details need to be finalized later.

On the way, Zhou Buqi was very happy, "It seems that the cooperation with Apple will be smoother."

Zhou Shaoning said: "Other terms are pretty good, but the 50% commission in the 'Instruction Manual' is too high and must be reduced."

"Just an 'instruction manual' is not enough." Zhou Buqi looked confident, "Jobs is dying. I could see it the last time I went to the hospital. His style is not as strong as before. Isn't that what negotiations are like? Now Apple is obviously more anxious. Whoever is anxious is at a disadvantage."

This is a bit cruel.

But business competition is like this. Reason is respected and emotion is rejected.

Zhou Shaoning's expression was calm, "Well, take advantage of his illness and kill him."

Zhou Buqi waved his hand, "No, cooperation, it's not that serious. In addition to the commission for the 'Instructions' having to be reduced, other items in the Apple Store will also have to be reduced."

"oh?"

Zhou Shaoning doesn't quite understand.

This is not surprising, he is the boss of Esda, and he makes mobile phones. The "Apple tax" is related to the software level, mainly related to Ziweixing.

Zhou Buqi said: "Yesterday I went to Netflix and confirmed with Spotify that this matter is indeed very difficult. Apple takes a 30% commission on the subscription fees of Netflix and Spotify for iPhone and iPad."

"Yes, Apple..." Zhou Shaoning shook his head, "Isn't this a monopoly? The commission is understandable, but it is too high."

Zhou Buqi said: "Yes, so more than a dozen paid products, including Netflix, Spotify, Financial Times, and Playboy, have canceled the payment window on Apple terminals."

This year, Apple launched a new epoch-making product-iPad.

There were actually tablets in the past.

But the iPad, just like the iPhone, redefined tablet computers and then exploded the market. The effect is very good, and the impact is that many Americans hold an iPad in their hands to read books, send emails, or watch streaming videos online.

iPad is a mobile product and can be held anywhere.

The screen is not as small as a mobile phone.

Very convenient.

Then, a phenomenon emerged. More and more people began to use iPads to watch Netflix. There was even a slang popular in American society: "Netflix_and_chill."

It's a tactful hint.

For example, when a man and a woman are dating, they used to say, "Come to my house for a cup of coffee?", "I have a horror movie at home, do you want to watch it together?", "Go and take a rest?"

After Netflix became popular, the popular hint words began to change: "Watch Netflix at my house?"

But there is a problem here. Apple’s tax is too high.

So there were a lot of protesters.

Netflix is ​​one of them, stopping the payment window on Apple terminals. If users want to use their iPad to watch Netflix, they can. First log in, pay, and purchase membership on the PC, and then log in to the account on the iPad to avoid Apple tax.

But this is not the solution after all.

It's okay now, the PC Internet is still mainstream.

Everyone is accustomed to operating on the computer.

It will be different in a few years, and mobile Internet will become mainstream. For many young people, they are more accustomed to operating on mobile terminals, and the operations on computers are not so smooth.

Apple's attitude has always been strong.

No matter what, he refused to give in.

As the iPhone and iPad sell well all over the world, third-party apps have no choice. Netflix and Spotify, among others, have restored the payment window on Apple terminals and acquiesced to a 30% commission.

If possible, it would be best to solve it all at once this time!

However, the initiative in this negotiation is not on Zhou Buqi's side.

It all depends on Microsoft!

The stronger the threat from Microsoft, the more uneasy Jobs became; the more uneasy Jobs was, the stronger his intention to cooperate with Zhou Buqi for a win-win situation; the stronger the intention to cooperate, the better the cooperation terms Zhou Buqi could get.

Went to Stanford Hospital...

Ho!

Jobs actually put on a suit. The layout of the conference room seemed to be exactly the same as that at Apple's headquarters. Four Apple executives, including Cook, accompanied him.

Maybe it's because time is running out, but Jobs's style is vigorous and resolute.

A simple three-sentence intro and you get straight to the point.

Jobs's face was a little pale, his voice was hoarse and vicissitudes of life, but his will was firm, and his posture was as straight as possible, "I don't want you to cooperate with Microsoft to launch smartphones based on Microsoft systems."

Zhou Buqi smiled and was unambiguous, "The project commission for the App User Guide must be reduced. I think 15% is a good number."

"This is impossible. The core resources for this project come from Apple..." Jobs said unceremoniously, with a hint of threat in his tone, "Frankly speaking, Apple can do this project on its own without having to cooperate with you."

Zhou Buqi sympathized with his condition, but there was no sympathy in the mall. He said lightly: "Several major mainstream operators have signed exclusive cooperation contracts with us."

Steve Jobs actually had reasons to argue. Negotiations were originally a tug-of-war.

But when the words came to his lips, he couldn't speak anymore.

I feel like it's really not worth wasting time on trivial things.

Apple has no intention of doing the "instructions manual" project independently, and its vague quibbling here... is really meaningless. The other party is not a fool, and it would be better to be more sincere and frank.

Jobs took a deep breath and said, "30% is a fair ratio. This is Apple's practice and the bottom line for both parties to maintain cooperation."

Cook added and said with a smile: "The commission from the Apple Store is 30%. In a certain form, your project is similar to the projects developed on the Apple retail platform, just like the ones in the Apple Store." It’s the same with the App. The 30% commission is a fair and just figure.”

"Can!"

Zhou Buqi readily accepted this plan.

In order for the "Manual" project to be operational, it must rely on grassroots workers, who are all labor. In order to run this project better and sign exclusive cooperation agreements more smoothly, Ziweixing also added a 10% revenue sharing clause to all operators who signed exclusive agreements.

Only with a correlation of interests can cooperation be better promoted.

For example, in the UK.

If a consumer goes to the operator O2 to buy an iPhone, he will receive a "manual" as a gift. 10% of the advertising revenue from this "instruction manual" will be distributed to O2.

If a consumer goes to an Apple retail store or Apple's official website to buy an iPhone, or a "manual". 30% of the advertising revenue from this "instruction manual" will be shared with Apple.

Terms are okay.

The Apple system is a highly monopolized platform that only sells Apple products. The greater the monopoly, the greater the voice and the higher the profits, which is normal.

this point is very important.

In many countries, mobile phones are not sold through operators, but through mobile phone stores or mobile phone retail stores. Even in countries such as Britain, the United States, South Korea and Japan, it would be considered good if the coverage rate of "instructions" reaches 50%...

But there is only one platform for selling Apple mobile phones, and that is Apple's sales system. In other words, working with Apple can cover almost 100% of all iPhones.

In Zhou Buqi's view, although cooperation with Apple requires a 30% commission, it has huge potential value. It’s even better than the 10% exclusive contract signed with mainstream European and American operators.

Next, Jobs came up with an incredible surprise plan: "We can even package your App usage guide in the iPhone box."

Fortunately, Zhou Buqi is very calm. There is no free lunch in the world. "What are the conditions?"

Jobs glanced at him and said solemnly: "Helo is an excellent product. Microsoft will soon launch a new smartphone platform, and I don't want you to develop an adapted version for Microsoft's new system."