Chapter 154: Earth Phone Launch
Chapter 154: Earth Phone Launch
Isung Group's Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong.
He had been good to me, but I didn't take him lightly or let my guard down.
'He's someone who's run a company for a long time in fiercely competitive Korea. He must have learned plenty from his father, who was the group chairman for ages.'
Just because someone is kind to me doesn't mean they're kind to others.
My relationship with Isung Group was tied more by business than friendship or loyalty.
'The future I'm preparing for...'
I was curious how far Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong had thought ahead.
―Kim Shin: What future do you mean?
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: Seeing you release Hunminjeongeum for free made me think you're planning your own independent app store.
―Kim Shin: Yes, that's right.
It was probably such an obvious next step that I admitted it right away.
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: And you took the smartphone OS Sea. Honestly, that part confused me as to why.
* * *
Seon Jae-yong had come to America and handled a lot of business.
Scouting sites for the semiconductor factory to build in the US was critically important for Isung Electronics' future.
"Vice Chairman, think completely flat plains with an area of over 1.5 million pyeong."
"What about nearby cities?"
"They're close. The state government has agreed to provide education and cultural facilities."
It was a massive project: investing tens of billions of dollars, building the factory, and linking it to development in the surrounding area.
Even as he met with Washington senators and representatives, and business leaders in New York, Kim Shin kept coming to mind.
'Why did Isung Group specifically take Hunminjeongeum and Sea?'
Asking the man himself felt like it would bruise his pride a bit.
So he brought it up at Isung Group's executive meeting, where a surprising opinion emerged.
"Isn't it simple if you look at it straightforwardly?"
A genius semiconductor designer who went to the US for college in his teens and earned a PhD.
It was Kane, whom Isung Group had recruited through their S-grade talent project.
"You mean think of it simply?"
"Yes. Taking the operating system means there must be some intention behind developing it, right?"
"Is that interpretation too simplistic?"
Seon Jae-yong couldn't understand.
MS's Windows dominating desktops, Google's Android and Apple's iOS ruling smartphones.
Isung Group shared the preconception that realistically, it was impossible—after all, hadn't they failed themselves?
In the early days of smartphones, they tried developing their own OS without relying on others and completely flopped.
"OTT is booming thanks to COVID. It was a good time to start a company. CEO Kim Shin showed great management skills and grew the business splendidly. But the OS market has completely solidified entry barriers—no room for new ventures."
Kane tilted his head as he spoke.
"No room for new ventures?"
"Yes. Even when Isung Group poured everything into it, they failed."
He wanted to make this S-grade talent face reality.
"But Isung Group couldn't make a popular platform like Earth Channel even with full effort."
"Ah."
He got hit right in the bones.
"Just because Isung Group couldn't do it doesn't mean Earth Resource can't."
"Developing an OS as a latecomer isn't easy. I'd say it's impossible."
Seon Jae-yong tried countering with his knowledge and experience.
But Kane, Isung Group's key talent, looked at him with pity.
S-grade talents didn't know when to hold back.
"Didn't the person who rejected the Android acquisition say something similar to you, Vice Chairman?"
"......"
Seon Jae-yong felt his joints ache from the blunt fact-bombing.
Isung Group used to rely on seniority-based Korean corporate culture.
But adapting to the times, they strengthened talents' voices, encouraging free and active debate—anything goes.
Of course, under the premise that they were performing properly at Isung Group.
Kane was a genius in semiconductor design.
"Why do people think they're so smart, pretend to be logical, and make mistakes anyway?"
"......"
Seon Jae-yong and the Isung Group executives couldn't say a word.
It was baseless talk. They should dismiss it, but then they couldn't understand Kim Shin's moves.
"Kane, do you really think Kim Shin is challenging the OS market?"
"Isn't that the most rational reason?"
"But......"
Seon Jae-yong started to say it couldn't be done but stopped. He felt something too.
They had the preconception that challenging an OS given market conditions was doomed to fail.
If that preconception itself was wrong, the answer became simple.
"So Earth Resource really has confidence to bet on an OS?"
"I don't know that far, but they must have felt it was worth trying. Earth Resource has one real genius that I know of."
"A genius?"
"Eddie Brock. No joke—he's the kind that comes once every ten years, maybe.
The code he writes for fun beats what Isung Group's core developers research for five years."
Seon Jae-yong's thoughts deepened.
Isung Group hadn't lasted a century, but from the 1990s he knew, there'd been no easy times.
The world changed drastically every decade or so.
The Google era had given way to the smartphone era.
Every change and innovation happened when existing market leaders crumbled.
'What if Earth Resource creates that change?'
Seon Jae-yong suddenly wanted insurance.
* * *
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: Earth Phone development is going smoothly. When it launches, Isung Electronics will market it aggressively worldwide.
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: We've budgeted 200 million dollars for marketing.
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: It'll be deleted from the Google app store, but Isung Electronics phones come pre-installed with the Isung Store.
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: The Isung Store will continue supporting Earth Channel downloads.
'What the heck. This guy.'
Seon Jae-yong comes to America and it's like he's showering me with gifts. Of course, nothing's free in business.
Honestly, Isung Store's usage rate was abysmal, so I appreciated the gesture even though it offered little practical help.
Even if Google squeezes us, it means Isung Group is favorable toward us.
―Kim Shin: Thank you for the consideration.
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: I have to meet Democratic Party whip Klavson soon. I'll contact you again.
―Kim Shin: Okay.
After finishing the KakaoTalk with Seon Jae-yong, I said to Oh Myeong-woo.
"Let's go with Plan L. You ready?"
"Of course. More than enough."
Plan B was originally made to counter Google deleting Earth Channel over in-app payments.
As subscribers grew and services expanded, it became C, D, E, and so on.
Not much actually changed, but renaming it made it feel cooler.
* * *
〈Earth Channel Deleted from Google Official App Store〉
〈Earth Resource CEO Kim Shin: "Mobile users, request direct app downloads from the homepage."〉
〈Earth Channel Decides to Open Its Own App Store〉
Plan L wasn't anything special.
They'd contacted various PC software companies so far, and now opening Earth Channel's own app store.
―Earth Channel isn't backing down.
―Seriously going up against Google? Scary ㄷㄷㄷ
―Doesn't seem like they'll lose. Not that many watch Earth Channel on mobile anyway.
―But mobile is the trend. Can't watch Earth Channel in the bathroom? Just watch YouTube.
―Why can't you watch on mobile? Install the app and you can.
―Downloading the app once from the homepage—what's so hard?
Even if deleted from Google Play, mobile users just visit the homepage and download the app once.
It was a minor inconvenience for customers.
That's why companies scared of losing them quietly pay 30% of revenue.
The internet buzzed for a month in various ways.
"How are Earth Channel subscribers?"
"Holding steady above 5 million from 3.5 million."
Subscriber growth unchanged.
They even hit 600 million subscribers a week ago.
The United States, Canada, and Mexico alone accounted for 180 million subscribers.
"Guess our internet-based business isn't hit much."
"Yeah. But if we don't conquer mobile, growth limits will come."
"We'll take it step by step."
If they can't gain ground on mobile, the subscriber peak will arrive early.
OTT market is cutthroat—any competitor can surge anytime.
Still, 600 million subscribers was impressive in itself.
―Diane: Still meeting with film companies. Looks like we can snag a few movies with production plans this year.
―Kim Shin: Thanks for the hard work, Diane.
I kept in regular contact with the Earth Channel content division in Los Angeles.
I remained interested in games and video, while the cloud division continued to post remarkable growth.
Lee Jong-yeop looked over the accounting reports and said.
"Revenue-wise, Google's nothing to envy."
Cloud division fully established in a year, expanding aggressively; coin exchange mining gold.
―Coins are the future. Let's gooooo!
―Doge! Only Doge!
―Coin revolution from Earth Resource!
The world was coin-crazy.
Customers flowed to Earth Resource's coin exchange, smashing revenue records daily.
I was worried about Earth Channel, but most of our other businesses reinvested their profits as well. Earth Channel was simply the one that was not yet making money.
There was no need to fear bankruptcy merely because we were competing with Google.
"Jong-yeop. My company makes good money."
"Kuh. Feels like real strength in your shoulders when you say 'my company,' CEO."
"It's just my company, what."
Then Isung Electronics announced.
〈Isung Electronics: Earth Phone Launch Imminent〉
〈Isung Electronics Collaborates with Earth Channel〉
〈Isung Electronics Changes Launch Strategy: Smartphone Optimized for Earth Channel〉
〈Earth Phone: 3 Months Free Earth Channel Use〉
They signed a deal for Earth Phone, thinking it'd help with customers and revenue. Still, no big expectations for the phone itself.
'Pre-install Earth Channel app, varied designs—that's it.'
I thought modern smartphones were not all that different from one another.
〈Earth Phone Appeal: Massive Battery for Long Earth Channel Sessions〉
They jacked up the battery insanely.
Its 7,000 mAh battery had roughly twice the capacity of most phones.
〈Earth Phone: Perfect Integration with Earth Channel〉
Camera shoots straight to live broadcast; gallery saves as channel videos.
〈Isung Electronics Emphasizes Earth Phone's Crisp Display: "Best Phone for Earth Channel."〉
Despite its premium display, the phone had been developed to retail for only five hundred dollars.
And on Earth Phone launch day.
〈Earth Phone: Sold Out Completely〉
〈Isung Electronics North America Pre-Orders Sell Out in 4 Minutes〉
〈Earth Phone: US and UK Only Due to Supply Shortage〉