When Lin Qingya met with Tim Cook, Apple's top management had already set a reserve price for selling Apple.

Given that they can't cash out on a large scale of stock market holdings, let alone solve the huge dilemma faced by the iPod business, and Apple itself can't find any way to break through, they can't help but have a lot of dreams, and they have greatly lowered their quotations and reserve prices.

If the market value of Apple is $3 billion on the day the agreement is signed, then Makino Technology will use this market value as a benchmark to pay the corresponding funds to Apple shareholders.

The reserve price is to sign an agreement of intent according to 80% of the current market value, which is also the actual market value of 3 billion, and Makino Technology only needs to pay according to the benchmark of 2.4 billion.

Whether it is the quotation or the reserve price of the transaction, Makino Technology must complete the privatization of Apple while acquiring the shares in the hands of Apple's major shareholders, in other words, it must help Apple solve the mess of shareholders.

Previously, Microsoft wanted to use $1.5 billion to buy the two big plates of macOS and computers, and then leave the iPod business to Apple, so that they could wipe their butts themselves, which means that after Apple shareholders get the 1.5 billion, they will have to take out some of it to solve the iPod business.

If they want to finally settle in their pockets, they have to realize the privatization of the company, so they must give the current shareholders and investors a generally satisfactory explanation, which is equivalent to taking out a part of the subsidy shareholders from the 1.5 billion, and the last little money is not enough to plug the gaps.

If Makino Technology can help Apple solve the problems of shareholders and complete Apple's delisting, then these shareholders will be able to cash out and leave safely.

Lin Qingya was originally ready to have a tug-of-war with Tim Cook, but what she didn't expect was that the offer made by Tim Cook on behalf of Apple was even lower than the reserve price expected by Li Mu.

Li Mu originally thought that the ideal price was to sign an agreement with Apple's shareholders at a price of about 120% of the market value, and then subsidize shareholders at a price of about 150% of the market value to force Apple to complete the delisting, but he didn't expect the price of the other party to be lower than the reserve price he expected.

Li Mu failed to fully grasp the current anxiety of Apple shareholders, and Apple failed to fully control Li Mu's true intentions towards Apple.

For Apple, they really don't dare to scare Li Mu away as a potential buyer, this is no longer the time for Apple to live as a strange product, and now Apple has become a mess that no one wants to take over, and it is already very rare for Apple to meet an active inquiry.

Apple's offer was a bit unexpected for Lin Qingya, but she still gave full play to her professional qualities and represented Li Mu to Tim Mu. Cook said: Makino Technology's desire to buy Apple is not high, the reason why it intends to acquire Apple, there are two main reasons, one is interested in Apple's computer operating system and the design and manufacturing of the whole machine, and Makino Technology shares in Shenzhou to make a combination, in the future can fight with Microsoft;

Lin Qingya even told Tim Cook that according to Li Mu's intentions, if Makino Technology really buys Apple in the end, he will directly abolish the iPod product line, including but not limited to terminating R&D and production, terminating sales through various channels, and even destroying or dismantling all iPod inventory.

In this way, it means that Makino Technology has to bear all the costs of the abolition of the iPod business, but now it seems that the iPod business is on the verge of death, and Makino Technology can not abolish this business in person, and let it die in the hands of Apple, which is no different from Microsoft's current attitude.

After saying this, Lin Qingya changed her words and said to Tim Cook: "However, our Mr. Li respects Apple very much, and he feels that if some preconditions are true, Makino Technology can help Apple to bear all the costs brought by the iPod business." ”

Tim Cook nodded and asked her, "I don't know what are the prerequisites for Mr. Li?"

Lin Qingya said: "The first prerequisite is that Apple must ensure that more than 90% of the core team will not move for three years, that is, Apple's senior management, core leaders, including Mr. Cook, In order to increase the binding force, you must sign separate agreements with Makino Technology, and if you want to leave in the next three years, you must pay at least three times the salary of your three-year contract as compensation, plus sign a three-year non-compete agreement. ”

The core team has not moved for three years, and has withdrawn from the three-fold compensation and three-year non-compete agreement in advance, which is the "333" plan formulated by Li Mu for Apple's core team.

Take Cook as an example, if he is now paid $5 million a year, Makino Technology will sign a three-year agreement with a total price of $15 million, if he has worked for three years, at least $15 million will be fine, but if he wants to exit early, even if it is a day earlier, he must compensate Makino Technology $45 million, and promise not to engage in any industry that overlaps with Makino Technology's business for three years after exiting.

Such an agreement seems to be harsh and a little unfair to the individual, but in fact, as long as both parties agree to it, it has legal effect, which is the same as the brokerage contract signed by the brokerage company and the star, be honest and obedient to ensure that you make a fortune obediently, but if you dare to have two hearts, let you compensate a large sum of money first, and then restrict you from developing in other companies, dare to play hooligan and play single, and you will definitely be able to sue you for bankruptcy.

Tim Cook felt that Li Mu's condition was really too strict, three years is not a long time, not a short time, if something happens in the middle, wouldn't he face a huge responsibility? Even if he agrees, others may not agree.

At this time, Lin Qingya added: "Of course, we are not blindly restricting you, as long as you comply with our requirements, Makino Technology will also give you sufficient financial compensation, for example, we will give all Apple core team members 150% of the salary, and at the same time promise to give you a considerable number of original options of Makino Technology, at the end of this year or next year, Makino Technology IPO is a good opportunity for you." ”

Cook nodded slightly, in this way, I feel much better, blindly restricting will give people a huge sense of oppression, but if you give other relaxation at the same time as the restriction, you can neutralize this sense of oppression, 150% of the salary, plus the options of Makino Technology, such a good income condition, presumably most people will not refuse.

So Cook asked her, "Is there any other prerequisites for Mr. Lin?"

"Yes. Lin Qingya said: "What I just said is that you must ensure that more than 90% of the personnel of the core team do not change, and more than 80% of the personnel of the basic team do not change, so the second prerequisite is that the other 10%-20% of the team members who may have changes, if they decide to leave Apple, must sign a three-year non-compete agreement, which shall not engage in any occupation that overlaps with the business of Makino Technology in these three years, and in exchange, Makino Technology will also pay them an additional year's salary as compensation for the non-compete agreement." ”

Cook was a little confused.

Why does Li Mu impose so many restrictions on Apple's core team? The more such restrictions in business, the more it shows that the other party is afraid of Apple, but what is Li Mu afraid of Apple?

Lin Qingya saw Cook's slight doubts, and said indifferently: "Mr. Cook, don't think too much, our Mr. Li likes to cut the grass and eradicate the roots in terms of personality, even if the risk of one ten-thousandth is eliminated as far as possible, and you have to be clear, we ask you to ensure that the team remains unchanged as much as possible, which is far stronger than asking you to carry out large-scale layoffs, if it is the latter, you will have to pay an astronomical amount of compensation alone." ”

Cook suddenly felt a chill run down his back.

Cook has studied the development history of Li Mu, and a large number of companies and products have died in Li Mu's hands, but none of them can insist on resisting under Li Mu's formation, Tengxun has become history, and Ali Bar has also become history, and at the same time, a bunch of people have entered the detention center, waiting for criminal trial, it can be said that these two opponents have been cut and eradicated by Li Mu.

And now, Li Mu's goal is apple.

Cook suddenly thought of what Lin Qingya talked about just now, Li Mu's general idea of the iPod business, under normal circumstances, since Makino Technology acquired Apple, it is completely possible to dump the inventory of iPods at a low price to recover part of the loss, if the inventory iPod with a market value of 100 million US dollars and a cost of 60 million US dollars is sold at a price of 40 million US dollars, then the overall actual loss is about 20 million US dollars, saving 66.6% This is also the way that the vast majority of businesses and entrepreneurs will choose to operate.

But what Li Mu wants is not to sell the inventory at a low price to reduce losses, but to destroy all the inventory iPods, so that the iPods can completely disappear from the market as soon as possible, which also reflects Li Mu's character characteristics of cutting grass and eradicating roots from a certain aspect.

Cook felt a chill at Li Mu's skill, but he still tried his best to make himself not so obvious, and then asked Lin Qingya: "Mr. Lin, is there anything else?"

Lin Qingya nodded and said, "The third and last prerequisite: Mr. Jobs must rejoin Apple, and then apply to the 333 plan; if he does not rejoin Apple, he must sign a six-year non-compete agreement with Makino Technology." ”

Li Mu was reluctant to acquire Apple but let Jobs toss outside, Jobs' ability, creativity, and foresight, Li Mu is 10,000 dare not doubt, he respects and admires Jobs, but now he must lock him in his own system, otherwise Jobs is likely to become a huge hidden danger on the road to the development of Muye's science and technology in the future.

Cook subconsciously said: "Mr. Lin, Mr. Steven Jobs has left Apple, strictly speaking, he is not an Apple employee now, and Apple has no binding force on him." ”

Lin Qingya said: "Mr. Cook, this is one of the conditions for Makino Technology to acquire Apple, if Apple wants to promote this acquisition cooperation, please work hard to implement these things, and similarly, we will also work hard to implement our commitments, so that your shareholders do not have to pay extra money to subsidize shareholders, nor do you need to pay extra money to pay compensation to Apple employees, so you still try to persuade Mr. Jobs to accept this offer." ”