3 6 Ke·2025-09-26 08:55Core Insights - The core theme of the annual speech by Lei Jun was "change," highlighting Xiaomi's long and challenging journey in chip development, a topic that has been sensitive and rarely discussed in detail before [1][3] Group 1: Chip Development Journey - Xiaomi's chip development began 11 years ago with the establishment of Pinecone Electronics, leading to the release of the first self-developed chip, Surge S1, which sold 600,000 units [3][23] - The company faced significant challenges, including a decision in 2018 to halt SoC chip development due to strategic misalignment and the need for cohesive goals between chip and mobile teams [3][25] - After a five-year reflection period, Xiaomi committed to investing at least 100 billion yuan in core technology over the next five years, marking a shift from an internet company to a "hardcore technology company" [15][16] Group 2: Strategic Decisions and Challenges - Lei Jun emphasized the importance of high-end chip development, stating that entering the mid-to-low-end market would not provide opportunities for success [25] - The company experienced a significant revenue drop of 15% in 2022 due to international political influences, leading to doubts about continuing heavy investments in chip development [30] - Despite internal doubts, the leadership decided to persist with chip development, viewing it as essential for Xiaomi's future success [32] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Xiaomi's competition with Apple is characterized as a long and painful process, with a strategic shift towards improving user experience rather than just specifications [5] - The Chinese smartphone market is described as highly competitive, with market shares fluctuating around 15% among major players [8] - Xiaomi has adjusted its growth strategy to aim for a steady annual growth of 1% over five years, targeting a 20% market share in China [9] Group 4: Recent Achievements - The successful development of the 3nm process chip, named "Xuanjie O1," was a significant milestone, with the first batch successfully tested after a substantial investment [4][34] - The company plans to continue its commitment to chip development, viewing it as a critical path to success and a means to reshape its corporate identity [4][37]