"I didn't expect Samsung to return this fast."
Lu Haifeng's eyes narrowed as he read the headline: Samsung was set to unveil the S6 Pro this March.
The timing wasn't random.
It was a strategic play—striking during the slowest season of China's smartphone market, when no major domestic brands had launches scheduled. Samsung wanted back in, and they were aiming straight at the gap.
Even the event announcement avoided calling it a new model like "S7." Instead, it was just the S6 Pro—a not-so-subtle statement that they weren't innovating, just refining. But that refinement was laced with intent.
"They're out to erase the shame of their earlier defeat," Haifeng murmured.
And Liu Jianyu, VP and head of the smartphone division at China Star, took it seriously.
After two generations, the Harmony X series had clawed its way into the high-end market. Now, only Samsung and Apple pose serious threats in that space. But the X series' standing was still precarious. China Star was young. Its brand equity was fragile. Its high-end components might impress on paper, but legacy giants had the trust—and the muscle.
And the domestic front? No easier.
Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo are gearing up to storm the flagship segment. They'd already started. At the tail end of last year, the Huawei P8, Xiaomi Note, Vivo X5 Commemorative Edition, and this year's Meizu MX4 had each made bold plays. In specific specs, some even outperformed the Harmony X2.
Liu Jianyu saw what was coming. Last year had been a warm-up. This year? It was war.
China Star was flanked—Samsung and Apple ahead, ambitious domestic challengers behind.
Design for the Harmony X3 was already underway, but Liu's confidence wavered. The processor chip was Haifeng's domain, so there was no problem, but everything else—camera, display, build quality—needed to level up.
"We need breakthroughs," Liu said. "A good chip alone won't carry us this time."
Haifeng saw his unease and replied calmly, "We've got six, seven months. That's enough to get the X3 right."
Samsung's comeback was both a challenge and a gift. Their new hardware could serve as design inspiration, helping China Star refine the Harmony X3.
Just then, his assistant Xiao Ai entered the room with a file.
"President Lu, urgent update—Duowei is packaging and selling its mobile phone division."
Haifeng's eyes lit up.
The New Year had barely passed, and this news was gold.
Back in 2014–2015, China's mobile market was a battlefield. Hundreds of phone brands had fought, and many had fallen. Duowei was one of them—a niche player known for its sleek, camera-focused phones for women.
But that niche had dried up.
Offline? They couldn't match the presence of OPPO, Vivo, or China Star.
Online? They didn't appeal to the performance-hungry male demographic.
And their bloated ad budgets and pricey celebrity endorsements? A sinkhole.
Now, Duowei was hemorrhaging money and scrambling to sell off what remained of its phone business.
"Check their IP," Haifeng ordered. "See if they've got anything valuable."
Xiao Ai quickly pulled the files.
Duowei Highlights:
AI-based beauty algorithm patent
Soft-light portrait recognition tech
As Haifeng scanned the specs, a picture formed.
Duowei's front-facing camera software was among the best in China. Their selfie optimization tech was second to none.
Sure, China Star had its image-processing algorithms. But clarity alone didn't define mobile photography. And Duowei's innovations could take their front camera game to the next level.
Haifeng smiled. This might be the missing piece.