Chapter 873 : Permanently Free

As ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍it turned out, Chen Fan's thoughts were still too optimistic.

During ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the afternoon meeting, almost all company executives were shocked by this news.

This ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was followed by fierce opposition and strong attempts to persuade Chen Fan to withdraw this decision.

Although ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the company belonged to Chen Fan, as company management, everyone had the right to give advice, and they couldn't bear to see the boss suddenly make such a puzzling decision.

For ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a moment, the conference room was noisy with everyone expressing their opinions.

Liang ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Shichu knocked on the table several times before finally getting everyone to quiet down.

Liang Shichu looked at Chen Fan with a bitter smile.

He knew that at this moment, anything he said would be useless; only Chen Fan, the big boss, could possibly control the situation.

Chen Fan slowly put down his teacup and gave a light cough.

"Everyone just said many things, one after another, and some of the reasons given were quite reasonable."

"But I still want to share my perspective. Please listen carefully."

Just now, these company executives had given many reasons, among which the most important one was that Feifan Antivirus was still very profitable.

It generated at least 10 million in profit every month, and since Feifan Video and Starry Sky Games had split from Feifan Technology, Feifan Antivirus's profits currently accounted for more than 80% of the company's profits.

Besides this, another company product, Feifan Mobile Browser, was still in a stage of low-key development.

The monthly advertising revenue was pitiful, and the company still had to spend large amounts of funds on operations and promotion.

In fact, many employees within the company had privately discussed that they believed Feifan Mobile Browser's current lackluster development might be due to Mr. Chen's decision-making error.

Of course, this view was only whispered privately among a few employees.

Most employees still had blind faith in Chen Fan.

Now suddenly cutting off Feifan Antivirus's profits and launching a permanent free strategy.

Without a profit point, how would the company maintain the mobile browser, and how would it develop in the future? These were all major issues.

When Chen Fan began speaking, the conference room fell silent.

First, Chen Fan acknowledged everyone's concerns and the reasons they raised.

Second, Chen Fan refuted the claim that the company would have no profit points.

Although Feifan Antivirus was implementing a free strategy, it didn't mean it wouldn't make money.

In the future, Feifan Antivirus and Security Guard could introduce placement fees, earning money through advertising and promoting mini-games or other software.

Furthermore, Chen Fan made a suggestion on the spot, asking the company's computer engineers to launch a new section on Security Guard specifically for promoting mini-games.

Cooperating with game companies, we would handle promotion, and they would only need to pay corresponding placement fees and promotional fees.

At this point, Chen Fan knocked on the table.

"Don't underestimate these advertising placement fees. If utilized well, the monthly revenue won't be less than what Feifan Antivirus earned through charges."

"With our current installation base for Feifan Antivirus and Security Guard, we should have some confidence in promoting games."

"Moreover, after Feifan Antivirus implements the free strategy, downloads and user numbers will certainly experience a new surge. That will be the best time for us to negotiate cooperation with other game companies."

"Of course, besides this profit point, we will continue to develop new products and launch more products that lead the industry."

Chen Fan's tone became more serious.

"I want everyone to remember one thing clearly. That is, Feifan Technology is an internet technology company, not an antivirus developer."

"If you're thinking about forever relying on Feifan Antivirus as a single product to coast through life, that absolutely won't work."

After Chen Fan finished speaking, many people's expressions became more animated.

Some felt the boss's proposal was really good, and with Security Guard's installation base, if they really launched a dedicated game section, it might actually succeed!

Then Chen Fan said some more encouraging words, basically meaning that everyone shouldn't just focus on immediate benefits but should look at future development.

Once the company grows stronger, won't there be plenty of money to be made in the future?

Seeing that the boss had said this much, no management personnel stood up to oppose anymore.

After all, Feifan Technology wasn't publicly listed, and nominally it was Chen Fan's one-man show.

Next, Chen Fan announced two things.

First, Feifan Mobile Browser would continue to be maintained and promoted vigorously.

He set a small goal for the company: strive to capture more than 70% of the domestic mobile market share within one year.

Many people couldn't understand why Chen Fan placed such importance on this currently somewhat awkward product.

Chen Fan couldn't explain much to everyone for now.

Wait another year.

Wait until next year, when Jobs from across the ocean releases that magical phone, pushing open the door to smartphones.

At that time, Feifan Mobile Browser will face its moment to shine.

The second thing Chen Fan announced.

Feifan Antivirus would officially launch its permanent free slogan in a few days, on June 1.

The entire company only needed to work around this one task going forward.

......

On the 26th, Liang Shichu's information source was confirmed.

Several antivirus developers almost simultaneously released announcements in the morning, declaring promotional discounts for their antivirus software, with discounts reaching 70% off.

Once the news came out, these developers' products immediately experienced a sales peak.

Online, media outlets summarized these developers' actions as six major sects besieging Bright Peak.

As for who was the villain Ming Cult, naturally it was Feifan Technology.

Experts analyzed in the media that these developers were forced into a corner by Feifan Antivirus, otherwise they wouldn't have used such a tactic that hurt themselves while attacking the enemy.

Some experts called this promotional announcement the "showdown action."

However, now the pressure came to Feifan Technology's side.

Although Feifan Antivirus currently firmly held the number one position in market share.

But if Feifan Antivirus didn't follow suit, it would inevitably lose some market share.

As for how much would be lost, it was hard to estimate currently.

Some said 10%, others said 20%.

If Feifan Antivirus also followed competitors with promotions.

They might maintain market share, but would similarly lose huge profits due to promotional discounts.

In short, no matter how Feifan Antivirus played their cards next, suffering losses was certain.

Now it just depended on how much courage Feifan Technology's boss Chen Fan had.

On the 27th, Feifan Technology showed no movement.

On the 28th, still no movement.

Meanwhile, several developers' antivirus software sales data continued to climb.

29th, 30th, 31st, Feifan Technology still showed no response.

At this point, some people made the judgment that Feifan Antivirus had chickened out. ℴℴ𝘮

They couldn't give up such large profits and would probably lose some market share.

However, when time came to June 1, Children's Day.

Feifan Technology, which had been silent for several days, suddenly released bombshell news on their official website.

Like a stone thrown into a calm lake.

It directly exploded across the entire internet.