On May 8, Zhinar learned from relevant channels that Xiaodu will release its first smartphone product in late May. Xiaodu Technology confirmed the above information through public channels and revealed that it will disclose more detailed product information next week. According to the latest report released by the market research organization Counterpoint Research, the global smartphone market shipments in the first quarter of 2023 will be 280.2 million units, a year-on-year decrease of 14% and a quarter-on-quarter decrease of 7%. The global smartphone market is shrinking, and the smartphone market is already very crowded. In the domestic market, Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, VIVO, Honor and other brands have occupied most of the market share . What is the intention of the Red Sea market?
According to Zhinar, the predecessor of Xiaodu Technology is Baidu's smart life business group, which is a domestic conversational artificial intelligence operating system and a leading player in smart screens. It is also one of the important businesses of Baidu's AI strategy. It also has smart hardware and Whole house smart business. From the perspective of financing history, in September 2020, Xiaodu Technology announced the completion of the signing of an independent financing agreement, led by Baidu Capital and CPE Strategy, followed by IDG Capital, with a post-investment valuation of about 20 billion yuan; August 2021 , Xiaodu completed the B round of financing, with a post-investment valuation of 33 billion yuan, and Huaxing Capital acted as the exclusive financial advisor; in January 2023, Xiaodu Technology completed the B+ round of financing, which introduced the National Research Fund, and the post-investment valuation reached 35.5 billion yuan.
The AIoT ecosystem is only short of mobile phones
As one of the main entry-level products of AIoT, Xiaodu speakers are in the top position in the industry. In November 2021, Baidu's 2021 Q3 financial report will be released. In the first half of 2021, Xiaodu will continue to maintain its leading position in global smart screen shipments and China's smart speaker shipments. In March 2022, Baidu’s 2021 Q4 financial report was released. According to the latest reports from authoritative data organizations Strategy Analytics, IDC and Canalys, in the first three quarters of 2021, Xiaodu ranked first in global smart screen shipments and China’s smart speaker shipments. . According to data agency IDC in October 2022, from the fourth quarter of 2021 to the second quarter of 2022, the cumulative shipments of China's learning tablet market will reach nearly 4 million units, an increase of 18% over the same period last year. Among them, the small learning machine market share ranks first in the Chinese learning machine tablet market.
In the AIoT track, rivals such as Apple, Huawei, Ali, Xiaomi, OPPO, VIVO, and Honor have already entered the game. For Baidu, which has a smart speaker brother, it is logical to link the AIoT ecology through smart speakers. Zhinhe learned that in the field of AIoT, Xiaodu has successively launched smart speakers, smart screens, smart headphones, smart learning machines, smart fitness mirrors, smart dictionary pens, smart alarm clocks, smart TVs, smart door locks, smart whole houses, etc. A series of AIoT products.
For AIoT products, in addition to speakers, mobile phones are the most important control terminals . Major competitors such as Apple, Huawei, and Xiaomi all have mobile phone products. For Baidu, the lack of mobile terminals means handing over the "remote control" and "key" to competitors. Jing Kun, CEO of Xiaodu Technology, also said in an interview with the media that mobile phones have occupied the focus of people's lives for many years, and there should be a new species to challenge the status of mobile phones, so that the needs of mobile phones can be better served by new species. In fact, as early as 2020, Baidu tried the smart cloud mobile phone, but it did not cause much response. In the era of AIGC where ChatGPT is popular, it seems logical that Xiaodu Technology, which has an AIoT ecology, has entered the smartphone track again.
Intelligent control of the whole house, mobile phone is indispensable
With the heating up of AIoT, the whole house intelligence has received more and more attention. Major rivals such as Huawei and Xiaomi have entered the whole-house smart track, through which AIoT pearls can be strung into necklaces. For Xiaodu Technology, which has an AIoT ecology, whole-house intelligence is a hurdle that must be overcome .
In March 2021, Xiaodu Technology released the whole house smart solution, officially entering the whole house smart track. So far, in the whole house smart track, in addition to Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi, Ali and other technology giants entering the market through various forms, there are also Oribo, Aqara, EZVIZ, Tuya, Hongyan, Bolian, LifeSmart, Ronin, HDL , Control customers and other professional players. Mr. Wang Micheng, president of Hongyan Electric, a professional brand of whole-house intelligence, once proposed that the whole-house intelligent control can be divided into short-range, medium-range and long-range. Through the mobile APP. For the whole house intelligence, smart panels, smart speakers (or smart terminals implanted with voice modules), and smart phones constitute the control entrance of the whole house intelligence. As one of the main players of Whole House Smart, it seems to be expected that Xiaodu Technology will make up for the shortcomings of Whole House Smart's control access through entering mobile phones.
As an important entry terminal, mobile phones are not only important in the field of whole-house intelligence, but also an important interactive terminal for other AIoT products. Gree, which makes air conditioners, has also made mobile phones, and car companies have also entered mobile phones. On July 4, 2022, Geely Entered the mobile phone track through the acquisition of Meizu; one month later, on August 4, "Nio Mobile Technology Co., Ltd." Making mobile phones is advancing.” Musk announced that Tesla will also make mobile phones.
AI mobile phone, the next track in the mobile phone industry?
At present, in the field of mobile phone consumption, the replacement cycle of consumers has been extended to 2-3 years, or even more than 3-4 years. This has a lot to do with the situation of weak mobile phone product innovation, excess performance, and one-size-fits-all in recent years. . To make a breakthrough in the mobile phone industry, disruptive innovations may be required. So, when the hardware is not rolling, can smartphone products burst into new vitality through the blessing of AI technology, which is currently booming?
In 2023, the explosion of ChatGPT will make China enter the Spring and Autumn and Warring States era of large models. As a Baidu with Wenxin Yiyan, if AI capabilities are combined with mobile phones, the mobile phone industry may face a new round of reshuffle. Zhinar foresees that the next round of competition in the mobile phone industry may be AI mobile phones. However, this also requires that on the one hand, when the large-scale model technology is mature and the relevant domestic laws and regulations are perfected, and the large-scale model can be opened to more ordinary people, it will usher in a new growth point for the mobile phone industry.
Whether AI mobile phones are the next track of the mobile phone industry, we will wait and see.