Yike and Sony have always had competition and cooperation, but their relationship has always been good.

When they were most intimate, the heads of the two companies were members of each other's boards of directors. Even if Stringer resigned from the board of directors of Yike, Fang Zhuo was still re-elected as Sony's outside director.

In the past few years, the companies have cooperated in business, patent licensing, technology complementation, and joint investment...

Together these create a "model".

When Yike was born, it was at the tail end of Sony's peak. At that time, Sony's market value was close to US$140 billion. Now, Yike's market value has exceeded US$170 billion, and Sony still has nearly US$30 billion. The two combined are about to surpass the US$200 billion major market.

close.

From 1400 to 2000, the overall scale has increased and the products are spread all over the world. It can be called a win-win situation.

Therefore, Yi Suo's changes are quite surprising.

Moreover, as soon as the incident came to light, Mr. Fang resigned as director, and Yoshihisa Ishida publicly criticized the situation, saying that the contradiction was too prominent.

It involves two world-famous companies, and it was triggered directly from the top. The fierce attitude of Sony's new head has attracted widespread public attention, including Apple and Samsung, which are paying attention to the situation.

Because this year's Sony sensors are supplied to three companies.

There are less than two months left before Yusanjia’s October press conference. At this juncture, a battle for control breaks out. What exactly do you want to do? Can you ensure stable production capacity?

The parties' response did not keep public opinion waiting for too long.

Fang Zhuo, the head of Yike, accepted a phone interview with the Wall Street Journal, denying Yoshihisa Ishida's criticism, and asked from afar, "Sony is the major shareholder of the sensor company, and Yike only holds 7% of the shares, so how can we seek control?"

At the same time, he revealed the matter from his own perspective, "Sony Sensor Company is developing rapidly and well. Sony Group intends to buy back its shares, but Yike rejects it, which creates a conflict."

Finally, Fang Zhuo talked about his expectations, "I hope the Sony Group will respect the independent operations of the sensor company. I made it clear that I do not want or accept Sony's share buyback. The biggest reason is that I have lost confidence in the Sony Group's operations."

He ended the interview with his final emotion, "Sony is no longer the same Sony."

Only half a day later, the domestic media reprinted the report from Wall Street, and Sina even used the indignant headline "If you want to accuse me, there is no excuse"!

If you want to incriminate yourself, why bother?

No major shareholder would accuse a small shareholder of seeking control!

Is it common sense?

As soon as Mr. Fang’s response came out, TH, a well-known Wall Street hedge fund, immediately spoke out and wrote an open letter to Sony. He believed that the divestiture of Sony sensors was an extremely successful decision and should not hinder its independent operation and development. It should continue

Promote its launch.

What are the virtues of Sony Group?

What do Sony sensors look like now?

Still don’t know how to choose?

Of course, although TH expressed his views, his words were more euphemistic.

However, Sony heard it very clearly. This advice was quickly rejected by another vice president of Sony, saying that it would make decisions based on principles more suitable for the development of the sensor business and would never succumb to any external pressure.

The attitude of the major shareholders is very tough. Although it is not completely clear that they want to take back the sensor business to the group, this "unyielding" still makes people slightly worried about the fate of Sony Sensor Company.

Some media have sorted out the ownership structure of the sensor company. In addition to Sony's major shareholder holding 9% and Yike's second shareholder holding 7%, there are also six scattered European, American and Japanese investment institutions.

On the surface, it would be difficult for Yike to pursue control, but...

If this company continues to raise capital, or even waits until it goes public, considering the status of Yike and Mr. Fang's influence, the current 7% stake is indeed a lot.

After the public opinion was exposed, neither Yike nor Sony made any further comments. The matter seemed to have eased with the statement of Hiroshi Yoshioka, another executive vice president of Sony.

"Sony does not necessarily want to take the sensor business back to the group, it is just exploring a more appropriate development direction."

"There are some misunderstandings between us and Mr. Fang."

"Mr. Fang is a visionary business leader, and Sony has always been grateful for his cooperation over the years. I must emphasize that what we are facing now is a solvable problem, and the supply of Sony sensors will never be affected.

Influence."

Hiroshi Yoshioka has high qualifications and status, and has now been elected to Sony's board of directors. His speaking out and the silence of head Yoshihisa Ishida are considered a compromise.

More current status of Sony Sensor Company has also been revealed. The CMOS sensors now supplied to smartphones all come from Bingxin International’s Shanghai factory. However, this factory in which Sony Sensors once held 50% of the shares has long been taken over by Bingxin.

International holds control and operational rights.

In other words, Sony’s CMOS sensors, which are currently the world’s signature sensor, are controlled by Mr. Fang.

Hiroshi Yoshioka's statement did not receive a response from Yike and Mr. Fang, but this is normal. Such business conflicts usually take a long time to communicate and ease.

One side is the major shareholder with continuous research and development capabilities, and the other side is the secondary shareholder who owns a lot of shares and controls manufacturing capabilities. Even if there is really no relaxation, we must discuss the disposal of the shares.

Two days later, just as media attention was diverted from this matter, new news was angrily exposed by Sony.

——Yike established a wholly-owned subsidiary "Yike Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd."

——The team from Sony Shanghai R&D Laboratory switched jobs to Yike Optoelectronics.

——Bingxin International requested to repurchase the 9% shares of the second factory still held by Sony.

The expected relaxation did not occur. Instead, the conflict between the two parties directly broke through in an unexpectedly violent way.

Yike chose to abandon Sony and directly make CMOS sensors by itself!

How to calculate the patent? How to say the order? What to do with the production capacity supply?

Yike has transformed from a collaborator to a direct competitor. Sony Sensor Company's factory in Japan has not yet been delivered. How to solve the current situation?

A series of issues were put on the table and once again attracted media attention.

In just two days, Sony suppressed its anger after the news was exposed. Yike and Bingxin also remained silent, but new information was revealed one after another.

It is said that Sony did not expect that Yi Ke would be so tough. CEO Yoshihisa Ishida, Executive Vice President Hiroshi Yoshioka and other senior executives flew to Shanghai. However, they did not meet Mr. Fang himself.

Also, Sony executives visited Shanghai Factory No. 2 on-site, but they didn't even get in.

On September 29, Sony head Yoshihisa Ishida, who returned to Tokyo, held a press conference and faced various media outlets, angrily stating that "this is a shameful robbery."

At the same time, lawsuits will be filed against Yike and the resigned employees.

This time, Yike finally gave a public response.

"Yike is deeply concerned about the future of Sony Sensor Company and is not sure whether Sony Group's decision-making is based on the interests of the group or the interests of the sensor company."

"Based on the control of a stable supply chain, Yike has established a subsidiary dedicated to imaging and sensing solutions."

"The research and development of Sony's CMOS is a joint effort between Yike, Bingxin, and Sony. It has also carried out mutual patent licensing. Yike Optoelectronics has not committed any infringement, and everything is within the framework of mutual patent licensing."

"The employees who were recently hired by Yike Optoelectronics belong to the R&D laboratory of Ice Core International Shencheng No. 2 Factory. Sony Group's remarks are untrue and have misled public opinion. Yike reserves the right to pursue legal responsibility."

Yike's status quo statements and Yike Optoelectronics' quick contact with customers thoroughly angered Sony.

Patents are indeed... mutually granted, not only CMOS patents, but also process patents for ice cores. Yike has also worked hard on R&D, but Sony is still the largest R&D party!

The changes to the laboratory team were carried out last year, with the ice core department paying high salaries and bonuses. Now it seems that all this was premeditated, premeditated!

Can the situation be undone?

Yike Optoelectronics is about to start taking orders!

Ryoji Nakahata, a senior advisor to the Sony Group and the man who twice missed out on becoming the head of Sony, saw this situation and his resentment over the years was finally stimulated to burst out. He faced the media directly and exposed Fang Zhuo's true story.

face.

"Fang Zhuo has already planned for Sony sensors!"

"It was he who lobbied Stringer in Tokyo to divest the business!"

"Not only sensors, Sony's current decline is inseparable from Fang Zhuo's contribution. Stringer's whitewashing of financial reports during his tenure was aided by Fang Zhuo's funds!"

"No, no, no, when Stringer became CEO of Sony, Fang Zhuo also came to join the board of directors!"

"Fang Zhuo tried his best to persuade the directors to vote for Stringer on Sony's board of directors, which ultimately led to a British man who had no idea how the group's overall business should develop to become the leader of Sony, which indirectly led to Sony's years of decline!

"

"That was 2005! Stringer's election as CEO of Sony was a mistake, and his mistake coupled with Fang Zhuo's election as an outside director was even more wrong! Mistakes were compounded, which resulted in Sony's strategic confusion!"

Ryoji Nakabachi's resentment for many years was extremely violent when it broke out. He even traced back to past events that had nothing to do with the sensor business, and implicated the former head, Stringer.

He mentioned "whitewashing of financial reports", mentioned "financial assistance", and also mentioned a critical board meeting in 2005!

Ryoharu Nakahachi is now marginalized at Sony, but he was once the absolute top executive, and even personally participated in the board of directors and competed for the position of CEO. This revelation...

Media that were originally not interested in the sensor business were attracted.

This is the secret history!

Without the parties involved to come forward, these will be buried in history!

Judging from this revelation, it seems that Sony and Yike became a "model" of cooperation during the period when Stringer was in charge of the group. However, with Stringer's resignation, the contradiction between the two parties immediately became acute.

Right! Totally right!

How did Fang Zhuo suddenly become an outside director of Sony?

It turned out to be Stringer’s support!

How did Stringer become the head of Sony?

It turns out that Fang Zhuo was the one making the plans behind the scenes, and even attended the board of directors in person?
To be continued...