The product that will change the world II

Shinichi, who had just stepped out of the school with his friends, listened as Arnold burst out with excitement.

"I heard KiShin is about to unveil a new product at their press conference. I wonder what it could be..." Arnold mused aloud.

Arnold's words sparked a lively discussion among Shinichi's friends. Ryo, unable to contain his excitement, speculated, "I bet it's a new video game!"

"Video game?" Satoshi scoffed. "Do you really think they would make such a big deal over a video game? I'm betting on a new home console!"

Hearing this, Ryo nodded in agreement and replied, "You're right. There's a good chance it might indeed be a console."

"I think it's going to be another handheld console!" Takeshi exclaimed. As the group continued their debate, they noticed Shinichi walking alongside them, lost in his own thoughts and remaining silent.

"Hey Shinichi, what's your take? What do you think KiShin will unveil?" Arnold asked, drawing Shinichi out of his reverie.

Shinichi, snapped back to the present, looked at his friends and asked, "What?"

With a wry smile, Arnold repeated, "What do you think KiShin is going to announce?"

After a moment of thoughtful chin-stroking, Shinichi ventured, "Maybe a phone?"

At Shinichi's suggestion, the group couldn't help but laugh.

"Hahaha, that's quite the wild guess, Shinichi," Ryo said, chuckling.

A look of confusion spread across Shinichi's face as he asked, "What's so funny about that?"

Arnold and the others exchanged knowing looks and shook their heads. Arnold explained, "KiShin hasn't really been a major player in the phone market lately. I doubt they'd use a big press conference just to announce another phone. It would be a waste."

"Yeah, you're right," one of the friends chimed in.

"KiShin has been losing ground to other companies in the phone industry for years..."

"KiShin has really fallen off in the mobile sector; that's what my dad mentioned. So, I highly doubt they're focusing on phones for this announcement," another added.

Shinichi's friends—Ryo, Satoshi, and Takeshi—shared their thoughts, providing their own insights into the situation.

Arnold then suggested, "How about we all watch the KiShin press conference on my home TV? Then we can see what they're actually announcing."

Ryo nodded in agreement, "That's a great idea!"

"Let's go!" the others echoed.

Shinichi decided to tag along, especially since it was Friday and there was no school the next day, making it the perfect opportunity to spend time with his friends.

Little did they know, security guards tasked with Shinichi's protection were discreetly keeping an eye on him from a distance, tailing them in unmarked black cars.

***

Upon arriving at Arnold's house, which was notably larger than Shinichi's, they all made their way into the spacious living room.

Arnold powered up the large, impressive television and tuned into the channel broadcasting the KiShin press conference.

As they watched, the host discussed the collaboration between KiShin and Apple, eventually introducing Shinro Suzuki and Steve Jobs to the stage.

As the camera zoomed in on Shinro's face, Shinichi felt the gaze of his friends shift towards him. Puzzled, he asked, "What's up?"

There was a brief silence before Arnold finally spoke up, "Doesn't Shinro Suzuki look a lot like your dad, the one we met two years ago?"

"Yeah, the resemblance is uncanny!" Satoshi blurted out in agreement.

Shinichi remained quiet for a moment before responding, "You might be mixing things up. He just bears a resemblance to my dad."

He was hesitant to disclose that his father was the chairman of KiShin. The last thing Shinichi wanted was to become the center of attention among his friends for the sole reason that his father held such a high position in the company.

His friends seemed to accept his explanation, though a hint of skepticism lingered in their eyes.

As they continued to watch the press conference, the anticipation built up to the moment KiShin would reveal their new product.

Steve Jobs took the stage, his words translated into Japanese, "KiShin's innovation astounded me. Honestly, my company and I were privileged to assist KiShin in developing software and an operating system for this groundbreaking product."

Arnold, intrigued, rubbed his chin and remarked, "A product that necessitates its own software and operating system? And with Apple's involvement in the development? This makes me even more curious about what it could be..."

Then, the moment of revelation arrived. Shinro Suzuki announced, "We're here to introduce a product that will change the world." The LED screen behind him displayed the image of the iPhone 1, as he proudly announced, "The iPhone."

As the hall dimmed, the spotlight focused on a table on stage, where something lay concealed under a cloth. With dramatic flair, the cloth was removed, revealing the physical iPhone next to the LED display of the iPhone 1, captivating everyone's attention.