It is quite evident that the tech industry is going through some major shake-ups. Byte’s cancellation of the PICO 5 project has sent shockwaves through the virtual reality headset community. The company, owned by ByteDance, is reportedly shifting its focus to a new project codenamed “Swan”, which will be a high-end MR headset aimed at benchmarking against Apple’s Vision Pro. This sudden change in direction has also led to a significant reduction in the company’s workforce, with over 400 employees being laid off and more than 600 being reassigned within ByteDance.
In other news, New Oriental founder Yu Minhong has addressed recent controversies within the company, stemming from the criticism of Oriental Selection’s CEO for raising Dong Yuhui’s salary. It was revealed that there is internal discord within the company, and the situation has prompted public apologies from both Yu Minhong and CEO Sun Dongxu. Dong Yuhui, who is at the center of this issue, has been noticeably absent from recent live broadcasts at Oriental Selection, adding fuel to the fire.
Elsewhere in the tech world, NIO Chairman Li Bin has shared his thoughts on the company’s mobile phones, stating that while they are easy to use, he still prefers using his iPhone due to the hassle of migrating WeChat data. Despite this, he believes that NIO phones will become more popular in the future.
Bilibili has also had to address rumors of layoffs within its game development division. The company has refuted these claims, stating that only some projects have been adjusted, potentially due to a decrease in revenue from the gaming business over the past few quarters.
Additionally, OPPO has been ordered to pay Nokia patent license fees after a court ruling related to standard essential patent royalties. This has become a landmark case, as it is the first time a Chinese court has issued a judgment on global royalty rates for standard essential patents.
Lastly, NIO came under scrutiny for hosting a tasting event that combined liquor tasting with test driving. The company has since cancelled the wine tasting activities following public backlash.
In a separate incident, Xiaomi’s ThePaper OS update log was allegedly used to spread false information about the software automatically blocking pornographic apps. Xiaomi’s public relations department has refuted these claims, highlighting the prevalence of misinformation on social media.
Finally, Li Auto has undergone a rank system reform which will divide the company into 6 categories and 23 levels, a significant move that showcases the company’s commitment to internal restructuring and growth.