In a surprising turn of events at the Weibo V Influence Conference’s technology forum, Wang Ziru, founder of ZEALER, expressed a desire to reconcile with Luo Yonghao, the founder of Smartisan Technology. When asked if he would engage in another public dispute with Luo Yonghao if given the chance, Wang Ziru stated, “Next time, I might be at a crossroads. I’m calling out on Weibo, let’s stop arguing and reconcile. If you want to be a big V by arguing, winning or losing isn’t important, like me.”
This statement comes years after a highly publicized live-streamed debate between Wang Ziru and Luo Yonghao in August 2014. The conflict stemmed from a review video released by ZEALER that highlighted issues with the Smartisan T1 smartphone, including a fragile screen, flawed heat dissipation design, and unstable quality control. Luo Yonghao vehemently disagreed with the review’s findings, accusing it of factual errors and malicious intent, leading to the challenge for a live debate.
During the intense 2014 live broadcast, Luo Yonghao systematically dismantled Wang Ziru’s review points, leaving Wang Ziru largely on the defensive throughout the exchange. The event was a significant moment in the Chinese tech community, widely covered by media outlets at the time.
Following the public confrontation, on September 1, 2014, Wang Ziru issued an “Apology & Statement.” In it, ZEALER acknowledged “technical errors and linguistic mistakes” in the T1 review video. The statement also addressed “imprecision in the shooting of video materials and the potential misleading effect caused by it.” Wang Ziru extended apologies to his supporters and the ZEALER team members, taking responsibility as the team’s leader.
The call for reconciliation now marks a potential closing chapter to a notable tech industry clash. Wang Ziru’s current sentiment suggests a shift in perspective, prioritizing peace over public confrontation, especially in the context of building online influence.
