The Open Android Declaration
"With the Big Little architecture, the M4 will deliver a mobile experience unlike anything before," Dr. Lisa Su declared on the main stage, captivating the audience with her clear and engaging explanation of the M4 processor's overview, potential, and possibilities. Viewers watching the IDDC live stream worldwide felt the same excitement. Her presentation flowed without a hint of boredom, and applause echoed continuously across the main stage as anticipation for the M4 built.
"Chairman, ten seconds to standby!"
"Haha, thank you. It feels as if I'm the star here. But the M4 is only one part of the innovations packed into Android S2. Curious? Let's bring back Chairman Yoo Jae-won to hear the rest of the story! Chairman Yoo Jae-won!"
Lisa Su called for Yoo Jae-won from the stage. While monitoring the main stage, the staff member in charge of IDDC operations spoke, and only then did Yoo Jae-won set down the Android smartphone he had been staring at.
Smile!
Yoo Jae-won, whose face had been stiff until that moment, repeated the word to himself and focused on managing his expression. It was understandable—Choi Kang-wook's ID Talk message contained only a preliminary report from the initial investigation, yet it had stirred in him an irritation he had never felt since his regression. Still, what mattered now was the Android S2 announcement. Letting these people ruin it would be the worst possible outcome. After all, the next Android project had been a massive undertaking that took two full years.
The moment Yoo Jae-won reappeared on stage, his expression was nothing but bright. It was an unparalleled display of mental fortitude. The revolutionary features and items within Android S2 were presented through Yoo Jae-won, the world's foremost authority and icon in the IT field. Beyond the HD display and M4, Android S2 held other remarkable innovations. The capacitive touchscreen offered a responsive feel that clung to the hand, the improved GPS module located the user's position faster, and a navigation app supporting most major cities came pre-installed. The fingerprint recognition button addressed both the security and convenience that were currently in the spotlight. However, because it integrated every cutting-edge technology ahead of its time, the price had risen accordingly. Even the base model with 8GB of storage started at 800,000 won, while the top 32GB model reached 1.6 million won. The mainstream 16GB model at 980,000 won at least avoided the worst of it. This was the Korean list price; in the United States, where incomes were higher, the same figures felt different.
Yet what the media focused on was not the higher device price, but Yoo Jae-won's shocking final announcement.
"One last thing!"
Though he was now at odds with Apple's Steve Jobs, Yoo Jae-won's respect for him remained unchanged as he made the declaration.
"Effective immediately, we will open the mobile Android operating system to the public. The smartphone industry is currently led solely by ID and Company A, and I do not believe that is desirable. Android became the dominant platform so quickly because the PC ecosystem was already so broad. Consumers need more diverse choices, and two companies alone are not enough."
The decision to open the mobile Android OS had been in his plans for some time. A rich mobile ecosystem was necessary not only in software but in hardware as well. If the newly announced Android S2 represented the extreme high end, then third-party devices with moderate performance could serve as options for consumers seeking mid-to-low prices. In return, third-party manufacturers would be strictly prohibited from removing the Android App Store or blocking AdSense from their products. Those were the core businesses of the smartphone industry, and the very reason Yoo Jae-won felt confident enough to open the mobile Android OS.
"Excellent work today!"
After deeply bowing to the remaining staff at the venue, Yoo Jae-won got into his car. One of the privileges of his position was the freedom to leave whenever he wished. The IDDC on-site staff still had work ahead even after the second day's schedule ended, but Yoo Jae-won could depart first. Yet his day was not over. There was still unfinished business.
Yoo Jae-won picked up his Android phone again and made a call.
"Yes, Chairman!"
It was Vice Chairman Choi Kang-wook.
"Vice Chairman Choi, I saw the preliminary report, but there are parts I don't understand. Could you explain?"
It concerned the full story behind the donated appliances listed on the used-goods marketplace.
"Understood!"
Choi Kang-wook immediately began a detailed explanation. Because Yoo Jae-won had been receiving real-time updates on all related information, the events replayed vividly in his mind like a DVD.
A few weeks earlier.
After the World Cup—the greatest festival on the Korean Peninsula—ended and everyone returned to daily life, the military was no exception. The World Cup period did not change the army's operations. Its policies had long been set, and if anything, heightened alert status was required due to threats like terrorism. When Chinese fighter jets violated Korean airspace, frontline units had gone on full alert. Still, on days when the Korea team played, soldiers were shown the matches however possible. In the worst cases, over a hundred men from a single company crowded around a small CRT television for a group viewing. Only some units, such as military headquarters, enjoyed the luxury of watching on large HDTVs with snacks and frozen foods gathered by platoon members.
Even so, whenever the Korea team advanced, the mood in the military improved noticeably. Statistics showed that incidents and accidents during the World Cup period were extremely rare. Another legacy the World Cup left in the military was Chairman Yoo Jae-won's generous donation from ID Group: televisions, washing machines, dryers, and Xbox game consoles distributed by platoon. This was no empty promise—the Ministry of National Defense had issued official notices to all units to prepare installation spaces and water facilities, and within days, tens of thousands of appliances had been delivered to the front lines, including an independent company of the 230th Regiment in Cheorwon, Gyeonggi Province.
The 230th Regiment guarded the DMZ fence in rugged mountainous terrain. Some companies were stationed directly beneath the fence line, rotating duties quarterly.
"Honestly, there's no running water in spring or fall. What good is a washing machine?"
Lieutenant Jang Taek-su grumbled after hanging up a call from headquarters. He had been informed that the donated TVs, washing machines, dryers, and game consoles from Chairman Yoo Jae-won had arrived and that he should collect them at battalion headquarters. His independent company was deep in the mountains, and his platoon was even more remote, making running water unimaginable. They drew groundwater for drinking and daily use, and without rain the supply was unreliable.
"Well, the TV is at least usable. But if they expect us to install everything too, that's asking too much."
Jang Taek-su's grumbling came naturally amid endless paperwork—updating the unit log and operational plans. Yet ID Electronics had its own constraints. Switching entirely to the Classe brand had left them overwhelmed with production. Existing inventory had been dumped at rock-bottom prices to third-world countries like China and India, while Classe products were now made on a JIT basis. Yoo Jae-won had purchased the donation items at full retail price, so there was no financial strain on the company. If anything, the unexpected large-scale sales had energized the employees. They worked with extra care knowing the appliances were for soldiers defending the nation. The logistics team, however, was overwhelmed. The volume was so massive it nearly paralyzed the delivery network. Normally ID Electronics' delivery teams installed appliances directly in homes, but military bases had security restrictions and insufficient manpower. The solution was to deliver bulk shipments to division or regiment headquarters for redistribution.
That was the call Lieutenant Jang Taek-su had received.
"Private Kim! Bring the two-and-a-half-ton truck. The goods have arrived!"
Lieutenant Jang immediately summoned his driver, Private Kim, and prepared the truck—officially the K511, but known throughout the military simply as the "two-and-a-half-ton." Its cargo capacity was roughly 2.5 tons, hence the nickname.
"Whoa! Does this mean we'll finally watch HDTV and stop hand-washing clothes?"
Quick-witted Private Kim immediately grasped the situation. Even in the isolated frontline, rumors had spread, and the recent flood of official notices had made the soldiers anticipate this moment.
One hour later.
After speeding along the winding mountain road, the two arrived at battalion headquarters and witnessed an astonishing sight.
"Whoa!"
Brand-new appliances were piled like mountains on the parade ground. Several large trailers stood to one side—ID Electronics logistics vehicles with the ID logo clearly visible. Their wing doors were open, and more products remained inside. ID Electronics workers in uniform unloaded cargo while far more battalion soldiers helped. Amid the commotion, Jang Taek-su greeted the battalion commander, signed the handover documents, and received the appliances allocated to his company: four sets each of the Bordeaux TV, Classe appliances, Xbox consoles, and wholesome game titles. He wondered how it would all fit in the two-and-a-half-ton truck, but the military made the impossible possible. Stacking the items like Lego blocks to minimize empty space, Jang Taek-su and Private Kim forgot about eating until they were ready to depart.
Though Lieutenant Jang had been annoyed when first contacted, receiving brand-new factory-fresh products lifted his spirits completely. Just before leaving for his company with the soldiers' help, he called his direct superior, the company commander.
"Company Commander, this is Lieutenant Jang Taek-su. We've collected all the appliances allocated to our company. We're departing now."
"Good. Then come to the battalion commander's residence."
"Excuse me? The residence? But—"
"Why so many questions? Just come when you're told. Over!"
"Ah, yes… Loyalty."
Jang Taek-su's mood sank with every exchange. It was so extreme that even Private Kim, who had been listening while driving, noticed.
"Private Kim, let's go."
"Yes, sir! Returning to the unit!"
"No. Head to the battalion commander's residence."
"Ah, yes. Proceeding to the residence."
A private first class with three stripes understood exactly what "residence" implied. The two had chatted freely on the way down from the regiment, but the drive to the battalion commander's residence was silent. Neither needed to say it aloud—they both knew the company commander, desperate for promotion to major, had diverted the company's share to the battalion commander, who had accepted it.
When the two-and-a-half-ton truck arrived at the company commander's residence, one of each appliance was unloaded. The empty space was filled with the commander's old television and used washing machine. When those worn-out items were later delivered to the 2nd Company—the platoon with the least seniority—Jang Taek-su felt deeply ashamed.
His breaking point came when he visited the used-goods marketplace to buy secondhand Xbox games for his soldiers and saw a washing machine bearing the clear Ministry of National Defense mark. The post contained only a photo, contact information, and address, but it told him the same thing was happening elsewhere. Unable to stay silent, Lieutenant Jang Taek-su borrowed his civilian friend's TokTok account and sent a direct message to Chairman Yoo Jae-won. A mix of frustration, the desire to inform the generous donor, and fear of repercussions had driven him. At the time, he had not expected much. After sending the message his heart raced, but days passed without incident. He was wrong.
While Lieutenant Jang was on fence-clearing duty, his unit was thrown into chaos by a surprise inspection from higher command.
"That was the situation of Lieutenant Jang Taek-su, who sent the direct TokTok message to the Chairman."
"So the donated items listed on the used-goods site were taken by someone else."
"Yes. And this case is more serious than Lieutenant Jang's unit. The division commander is clearly involved."
Yoo Jae-won let out a hollow laugh. A company commander boldly diverting donation items was already outrageous, but a division commander? The deeper he learned, the more absurd it became. He deeply regretted having held such a romantic view of the military. This matter could not be overlooked. However, with IDDC 2002 underway, he could not leave. For now, it was best to entrust it to Tiffany. This was the first time she had shown such enthusiasm to help him. Still, Yoo Jae-won did not hold high expectations—after all, it was a Korean affair. Yet Tiffany's capabilities proved far stronger than he had imagined. The approach she had prepared exceeded expectations and was highly effective.