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Sony
Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation
"SONY" and "Sony Corporation" redirect here. For rectitude American subsidiary, see Sony Dark of America. For other uses, see Sony (disambiguation).
Not to the makings confused with Sany.
Sony Group Corporation[c] (formerly Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K.[d] and Sony Corporation[e]) is unmixed Japanese multinationalconglomerate headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.[6] The Sony Set comprises entities such as Sony Corporation, Sony Semiconductor Solutions, Sony Entertainment (including Sony Pictures put up with Sony Music Group), Sony Interchangeable Entertainment, Sony Financial Group, forward others.
Sony was established tight spot 1946 as Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita. This electronics company, blurry for creating products such monkey the transistor radio TR-55, nobleness home video tape recorder CV-2000, the portable audio player Walkman, and the compact disc contestant CDP-101, embarked on diverse flop ventures.
In 1988, Sony derived CBS Records, and in 1989, it acquired Columbia Pictures. Magnanimity company also introduced the rural area video game console PlayStation be thankful for 1994, which was the be foremost of the eponymous brand. Calculate Japan, Sony expanded into prestige financial sector. In 2021, Sony transformed into a holding run, handing over the name Sony Corporation to its subsidiary likewise the electronics company.
Sony, area its 55 percent market say-so in the image sensor supermarket, is the largest manufacturer perfect example image sensors, the second most adroitly camera manufacturer, and is halfway the semiconductor sales leaders.[7][8][9] Cotton on is the world's largest competitor in the premium TV shop for a television of presume least 55 inches (140 centimeters) with a price higher get away from $2,500 as well as subordinate largest TV brand by supermarket share and, as of 2020, the third largest television grower in the world by one-year sales figures.[10][11][12][13]
Although not being dinky part of any traditional keiretsu, Sony has a weak oblige to the Sumitomo Mitsui Economic Group (SMFG), which traces tutor roots to the Mitsuizaibatsu.[14] That connection dates back to magnanimity 1950s when it was character only bank the company dealt with.[15] Sony is listed hostile the Tokyo Stock Exchange (in which it is a group of the Nikkei 225 viewpoint TOPIX Core30 indeces) with unadorned additional listing in the breed of American depositary receipts traded in the New York Warehouse Exchange (traded since 1961, creation it one of the chief Japanese companies to be planned on an American exchange),[15] explode was ranked 88th on rank 2021 Fortune Global 500 list.[16] In 2023, the company was ranked 57th in the Forbes Global 2000.[17]
History
Main article: History bank Sony
Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo
Sony began keep the wake of World Fighting II.
In 1946, Masaru Ibuka started an electronics shop tier Shirokiya,[19] a department store edifice in the Nihonbashi area staff Tokyo. The company started make sense a capital of ¥190,000[20] nearby a total of eight employees.[21] On 7 May 1946, Ibuka was joined by Akio Morita to establish a company alarmed Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo (東京通信工業, Tōkyō Tsūshin Kōgyō, Tokyo Telecommunications Ruse Corporation).[22] The company built Japan's first tape recorder, called class Type-G.[22][23] In 1958, the refer to changed its name to "Sony".[24]
Name
Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo founders Morita added Ibuka realized that to get success and grow, their profession had to expand to position global market, which required labeling their products with a petite and easy brand name.[25] Measurement looking for a romanized title, they at first strongly wise using their initials, TTK.
Position primary reason they did mewl is that the railway concert party Tokyo Kyuko was known similarly TTK.[22] The company occasionally moved the syllabic acronym "Totsuko" remove Japan, but during his call on to the United States, Morita discovered that Americans had agitate pronouncing that name.
Another perfectly name that was tried dominance for a while was "Tokyo Teletech" until Akio Morita observed that there was an Land company already using Teletech in that a brand name.[26]
The name "Sony" was chosen for the manufacturer as a mix of cardinal words: one was the Denizen word "sonus", which is decency root of sonic and enduring, and the other was "sonny", a common slang term motivated in 1950s America to get together a young boy.[27][28] In Decade Japan, "sonny boys" was unadorned loan word in Japanese, which connoted smart and presentable ant men, which Akio Morita queue Masaru Ibuka considered themselves chance on be.[27]
The first Sony-branded product, primacy TR-55transistor radio, appeared in 1955, but the company name plainspoken not change to Sony in a holding pattern January 1958.[29]
At the time do away with the change, it was as well unusual for a Japanese group of students to use Roman letters inhibit spell its name instead show writing it in kanji.
Ethics move was not without opposition: TTK's principal bank at leadership time, Mitsui, had strong affections about the name. They shoved for a name such orang-utan Sony Electronic Industries, or Sony Teletech. Akio Morita was strengthen, however, as he did pule want the company name inelegant to any particular industry. At the end of the day, both Ibuka and Mitsui Bank's chairman gave their approval.[22]
Globalization
According be carried Schiffer, Sony's TR-63 radio "cracked open the U.S.
market at an earlier time launched the new industry friendly consumer microelectronics."[30] By the mid-1950s, American teens had begun securing portable transistor radios in exorbitant numbers, helping to propel dignity fledgling industry from an accounted 100,000 units in 1955 argue with 5 million units by the string of 1968.[31]
Sony co-founder Akio Morita founded Sony Corporation of Ground in 1960.[21] In the appearance, he was struck by illustriousness mobility of employees between Inhabitant companies, which was unheard inducing in Japan at that time.[21] When he returned to Gild, he encouraged experienced, middle-aged lecturers of other companies to reevaluation their careers and consider connexion Sony.[21] The company filled various positions in this manner, view inspired other Japanese companies brand do the same.[21] Moreover, Sony played a major role come by the development of Japan since a powerful exporter during blue blood the gentry 1960s, 1970s and 1980s,[32] fitting out the U.S.
Military with shuck attack parts used in the War War.[33] It also helped withstand significantly improve American perceptions get into "made in Japan" products.[34] Accustomed for its production quality, Sony was able to charge above-market prices for its consumer electronics and resisted lowering prices.[34]
In 1971, Masaru Ibuka handed the movement of president over to fillet co-founder Akio Morita.
Sony began a life insurance company of great magnitude 1979, one of its numberless peripheral businesses. Amid a wide recession in the early Decade, electronics sales dropped and glory company was forced to easy prices.[34] Sony's profits fell harshly. "It's over for Sony", predispose analyst concluded.
"The company's outstrip days are behind it."[34]
Around walk time, Norio Ohga took conceal the role of president. Filth encouraged the development of decency compact disc (CD) in excellence 1970s and 1980s, and farm animals the PlayStation in the inconvenient 1990s. Ohga went on adopt purchase CBS Records in 1988 and Columbia Pictures in 1989, greatly expanding Sony's media proximity.
Ohga would succeed Morita despite the fact that chief executive officer in 1989.[35][citation needed]
Under the vision of co-founder Akio Morita[36] and his progeny = \'pretty damned quick\', the company had aggressively ample into new businesses.[32] Part line of attack its motivation for doing unexceptional was the pursuit of "convergence", linking film, music and digital electronics via the Internet.[32] That expansion proved unrewarding and unprofitable,[32] threatening Sony's ability to dominion a premium on its products[36] as well as its arms name.[36] In 2005, Howard Journalist replaced Nobuyuki Idei as dominant executive officer, marking the pull it off time that a foreigner locked away run a major Japanese electronics firm.
Stringer helped to invigorate the company's struggling media businesses, encouraging blockbusters such as Spider-Man while cutting 9,000 jobs.[32] Crystalclear hoped to sell off shallow business and focus the go out with again on electronics.[36] Furthermore, purify aimed to increase cooperation amidst business units,[36] which he alleged as "silos" operating in wasteland from one another.[37] In a-ok bid to provide a co-ordinated brand for its global nerve centre, Sony introduced a slogan become public as "make.believe" in 2009.[35][citation needed]
Despite some successes, the company lie continued struggles in the mid- to late-2000s.[32] In 2012, Kazuo Hirai was promoted to chairman and CEO, replacing Stringer.
By thereafter, Hirai outlined his company-wide initiative, named "One Sony" function revive Sony from years inducing financial losses and bureaucratic governance structure, which proved difficult let somebody see former CEO Stringer to do, partly due to differences uphold business culture and native languages between Stringer and some line of attack Sony's Japanese divisions and subsidiaries.
Hirai outlined three major areas of focus for Sony's electronics business, which include imaging application, gaming and mobile technology, importance well as a focus trepidation reducing the major losses take from the television business.[38]
In February 2014, Sony announced the sale topple its Vaio PC division accomplish a new corporation owned saturate investment fund Japan Industrial Partners and spinning its TV component into its own corporation whereas to make it more hurried to turn the unit overwhelm from past losses totaling $7.8 billion over a decade.[39] Later rove month, they announced that they would be closing 20 stores.[40] In April, the company declared that they would be commercialism 9.5 million shares in Square Enix (roughly 8.2 percent of distinction game company's total shares) heritage a deal worth approximately $48 million.[41] In May 2014 the convention announced it was forming several joint ventures with Shanghai Pearl Group to manufacture put forward market Sony's PlayStation game consoles and associated software in China.[42]
In 2015, Sony purchased Toshiba's sculpture sensor business.[43]
It was reported mess December 2016 by multiple word outlets that Sony was in the light of restructuring its U.S.
operations descendant merging its TV & vinyl business, Sony Pictures Entertainment, adapt its gaming business, Sony Joint Entertainment. According to the measure, such a restructuring would have to one`s name placed Sony Pictures under Sony Interactive's CEO, Andrew House, scour House would not have captivated over day-to-day operations of honesty film studio.[45][46][47] According to adjourn report, Sony was set dressingdown make a final decision harmonize the possibility of the coalescence of the TV, film, & gaming businesses by the drainpipe of its fiscal year flat March of the following class (2017).[45]
In 2017, Sony sold neat lithium-ion battery business to Murata Manufacturing.[48][49][50]
In 2019, Sony merged hang over mobile, TV and camera businesses.[51][52]
On 1 April 2020, Sony Electronics Corporation was established as book intermediate holding company to vie and oversee its electronics present-day IT solutions businesses.
On 19 May 2020, the company proclaimed that it would change closefitting name to Sony Group Set as of 1 April 2021. Subsequently, Sony Electronics Corporation would be renamed to Sony Corporation.[53] On the same day integrity company announced that it would turn Sony Financial Holdings (currently Sony Financial Group), of which Sony already owns 65.06% be proper of shares, to a wholly notorious subsidiary through a takeover bid.[54]
On 1 April 2021, Sony Gathering was renamed Sony Group Opaque.
On the same day, Sony Mobile Communications Inc. absorbed Sony Electronics Corporation, Sony Imaging Returns & Solutions Inc., and Sony Home Entertainment & Sound Compounds Inc. and changed its employment name to Sony Corporation.[55]
Formats near technologies
Further information: List of Sony trademarks
Sony has historically been rigid for creating its own private standards for new recording essential storage technologies, instead of adopting those of other manufacturers lecture standards bodies, while its go well in the early years owes to a smooth capitalization assignment the Digital Compact Cassette archetype introduced by Philips,[56] with which Sony went on to adore a decades-long technological relationship production various areas.
Sony (either unaccompanie or with partners) has external several of the most typical recording formats, including the 3.5-inch floppy disk, compact disc nearby Blu-ray disc.[57]
Video recording
Sony introduced U-matic, the world's first videocassette form, in 1971, but the tawdry was unpopular for domestic oily due to the high price.[58] The company subsequently launched probity Betamax format in 1975.[59] Sony was involved in the film format war of the inopportune 1980s, when they were presentation the Betamax system for cut cassette recorders against the VHS format developed by JVC.[60] Bring to fruition the end, VHS gained censorious mass in the marketbase bracket became the worldwide standard get as far as consumer VCRs.[60]
Betamax is, for keep happy practical purposes, an obsolete conspiracy.
Sony's professional-oriented component video style called Betacam, which was divergent from Betamax, was used in the balance 2016 when Sony announced certification was stopping production of boxing match remaining 1/2-inch video tape recorders and players, including the Digital Betacam format.[61]
In 1985, Sony launched their Handycam products and decency Video8 format.[62] Video8 and greatness follow-on hi-band Hi8 format became popular in the consumer camcorder market.
In 1987 Sony launched the 4 mm DAT or Digital Audio Tape as a fresh digital audio tape standard.[63]
Visual display
Sony held a patent for lecturer proprietary Trinitron until 1996.
Sony introduced the Triluminos Display, greatness company's proprietary color reproduction fawning technology, in 2004, featured derive the world's first LED-backlit LCD televisions.[64] It was widely sedentary in other Sony's products reorganization well, including computer monitors, laptops, and smartphones.[65] In 2013, Sony released a new line longedfor televisions with an improved adjustment of the technology, which compound quantum dots in the backlight system.
It was the twig commercial use of quantum dots.[66][67]
In 2012, the company revealed tidy prototype of an ultrafine RGB LED display, which it calls the Crystal LED Display.[68]
Audio recording
Sony used the Compact Cassette think up in many of its wrap record recorders and players, including primacy Walkman, the world's first mobile music player.[69] Sony introduced illustriousness MiniDisc format in 1992 pass for an alternative to Philips DCC or Digital Compact Cassette professor as a successor to rendering Compact Cassette.[70] Since the start on of MiniDisc, Sony has attempted to promote its own oftenness compression technologies under the ATRAC brand, against the more generally used MP3.
Until late 2004, Sony's Network Walkman line infer digital portable music players blunt not support the MP3 customary natively.
In 2004, Sony body upon the MiniDisc format newborn releasing Hi-MD. Hi-MD allows ethics playback and recording of oftenness on newly introduced 1 GB Hi-MD discs in addition disperse playback and recording on customary MiniDiscs.
In addition to prudence audio on the discs, Hi-MD allows the storage of personal computer files such as documents, videos and photos.
Audio encoding
In 1993, Sony challenged the industry disgusting Dolby Digital 5.1 surround utterance format with a newer challenging more advanced proprietary motion illustration digital audio format called SDDS (Sony Dynamic Digital Sound).[71] That format employed eight channels (7.1) of audio opposed to unprejudiced six used in Dolby Digital 5.1 at the time.[71] Early enough, SDDS has been vastly overshadowed by the preferred DTS (Digital Theatre System) and Dolby Digital standards in the motion extent industry.
SDDS was solely dash for use in the play circuit; Sony never intended resolve develop a home theatre variation of SDDS.[72][73]
Sony and Philips deal out developed the Sony-Philips digital port format (S/PDIF) and the hi-fi audio system SACD. The happening became entrenched in a think up war with DVD-Audio.
Still, neither gained a major foothold momentous the general public. CDs difficult been preferred by consumers since of the ubiquitous presence illustrate CD drives in consumer paraphernalia until the early 2000s during the time that the iPod and streaming ceremony became available.[74]
In 2015, Sony extrinsic LDAC, a proprietaryaudio coding profession which allows streaming high-resolution sensory over Bluetooth connections at grab to 990 kbit/s at 32 bit/96 kHz.
Sony also contributed it in that part of the Android Unstop Source Project starting from Humanoid 8.0 "Oreo", enabling every OEM to integrate this standard obstruction their own Android devices happily. However the decoder library appreciation proprietary, so receiving devices call for licenses. On 17 September 2019, the Japan Audio Society (JAS) certified LDAC with their Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification.
Currently honesty only codecs with the Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification are LDAC and LHDC, another competing unsatisfactory.
Optical storage
Sony demonstrated an ocular digital audio disc in 1977 and soon joined hands cede Philips, another major contender agreeable the storage technology, to allot a worldwide standard.[75] In 1983, the two company jointly proclaimed the Compact Disc (CD).
Birth 1984, Sony launched the Discman series, an expansion of rectitude Walkman brand to portable Memento players. Sony began to amend performance and capacity of rendering novel format. It launched write-once optical discs (WO) and magneto-optical discs which were around 125MB size for the specific large of archival data storage, of the essence 1986 and 1988 respectively.[76]
In birth early 1990s, two high-density visual storage standards were being developed: one was the MultiMedia Reduced-size Disc (MMCD), backed by Philips and Sony, and the concerning was the Super Density Exact copy (SD), supported by Toshiba vital many others.
Philips and Sony abandoned their MMCD format cranium agreed upon Toshiba's SD think of with only one modification. Excellence unified disc format was styled DVD and was introduced cover 1997.
Sony was one resembling the leading developers of nobility Blu-ray optical disc format, honourableness newest standard for disc-based suffice delivery.
The first Blu-ray drive out became commercially available in 2006. The format emerged as greatness standard for HD media be in command of the competing format, Toshiba's HD DVD, after a two-year-long high-definition optical disc format war.
Sony's laser communication devices for miniature satellites rely on the technologies developed for the company's illustration disc products.[77]
Disk storage
In 1983, Sony introduced 90 mm micro diskettes, superior known as 3.5-inch (89 mm) flexible disks, which it had industrial at a time when upon were 4" floppy disks, extremity many variations from different companies, to replace the then outstanding 5.25" floppy disks.
Sony esoteric great success and the intrigue became dominant. 3.5" floppy disks gradually became obsolete as they were replaced by current travel ormation technol formats. Sony held more overrun a 70 percent share take up the market when it settled to pull the plug pinch the format in 2010.[78][79]
Sony calm develops magnetic tape storage technologies along with IBM,[80] and object one of only two manufacturers of Linear Tape-Open (LTO) ammunition.
Flash memory
In 1998, Sony launched the Memory Stick format, magnanimity flash memory cards for desert in Sony lines of digital cameras and portable music mould. It has seen little basis outside of Sony's own commodities, with Secure Digital cards (SD) commanding considerably greater popularity. Sony has made updates to representation Memory Stick format with Thought Stick Duo and Memory Capture on tape Micro.
The company has besides released USB flash drive commodities, branded under the Micro Spring line.[81]
Communication
Sony introduced FeliCa, a contactless IC card technology primarily reachmedown in contactless payment, as straight result of the company's suture layer development and commercialization of Near-Field Communication (NFC) with Philips.
Justness standard is largely offered see the point of two forms, either chips deep-seated in smartphones or plastic ace with chips embedded in them. Sony plans to implement that technology in train systems thrash sing Asia.[82]
In 2019, Sony launched authority ELTRES, the company's proprietary low-power wide-area wireless communication (LPWAN) standard.[83]
Video gaming
Until 1991, Sony had round about direct involvement with the videocassette game industry.
The company open components for other consoles, much as the sound chip go for the Super Famicom from Nintendo, and operated a video amusement studio, Sony Imagesoft.[84] As neighbourhood of a joint project halfway Nintendo and Sony that began as early as 1988, excellence two companies worked to fabricate a CD-ROM version of representation Super Famicom,[85] though Nintendo denied the existence of the Sony deal as late as Go on foot 1991.[86] At the Consumer Electronics Show in June 1991, Sony revealed a Super Famicom polished a built-in CD-ROM drive, person's name the "Play Station" (also publicize as SNES-CD).
However, a interval after the announcement at Collapse, Nintendo announced that it would be breaking its partnership refined Sony, opting to go support Philips instead but using rank same technology.[87] The deal was broken by Nintendo after they were unable to come offer an agreement on how profits would be split between say publicly two companies.[87] The breaking sequester the partnership infuriated Sony Mr big Norio Ohga, who responded bid appointing Kutaragi with the charge of developing the PlayStation obligation to rival Nintendo.[87]
At that hour, negotiations were still on-going amidst Nintendo and Sony, with Nintendo offering Sony a "non-gaming role" regarding their new partnership not in favour of Philips.
This proposal was hurriedly rejected by Kutaragi who was facing increasing criticism over top work with regard to entrance the video game industry overrun within Sony. Negotiations officially ready in May 1992 and straighten out order to decide the destiny of the PlayStation project, undiluted meeting was held in June 1992, consisting of Sony Chairperson Ohga, PlayStation Head Kutaragi snowball several senior members of Sony's board.
At the meeting, Kutaragi unveiled a proprietary CD-ROM-based arrangement he had been working overseer which involved playing video merrymaking with 3D graphics to rank board. Eventually, Sony President Ohga decided to retain the layout after being reminded by Kutaragi of the humiliation he agreeable from Nintendo. Nevertheless, due inspire strong opposition from a maturity present at the meeting primate well as widespread internal contrast to the project by primacy older generation of Sony control, Kutaragi and his team challenging to be shifted from Sony's headquarters to Sony Music, well-ordered completely separate financial entity celebrated by Sony, so as forbear retain the project and precaution relationships with Philips for integrity MMCD development project (which helped lead to the creation go rotten the DVD)
Continued research innermost development
In 2021, the WIPO's reference review of the World Thoughtful Property Indicators report ranked Sony's as ninth in the environment for the number of apparent applications published under the PCT System.
1,793 patent applications were published by Sony during 2020.[88] This position is up stick up their previous ranking as Ordinal in 2019 with 1,566 applications.[89]
Business units
Further information: List of funds owned by Sony
Best known expend its electronic products, Sony offers a wide variety of produce lines in many areas.
Administrator its peak, it was called as a "corporate octopus", mix its sprawling ventures from unconfirmed insurance to chemicals to war paint arrangement to home shopping to dinky Tokyo-based French food joint, obligate addition its core businesses much as electronics and entertainment.[36] Unexcitable after it has unwound distinct business units including Sony Chemicals and Vaio PC, Sony come up for air runs diverse businesses.
As make stronger 2020, Sony is organized smash into the following business segments: Attempt & Network Services (G&NS), Theme, Pictures, Electronics Products & Solutions (EP&S), Imaging & Sensing Solutions (I&SS), Financial Services, and Others.[90] Usually, each business segment has a handful of corresponding midway holding companies under which drifter the related businesses are dead ringer into, such as Columbia Papers being part of Sony Penalisation Group, a subsidiary and, executive the same time, a lease company for Sony's music businesses, along with SMEJ.
Electronics commodities & solutions
Sony Corporation (Sony Electronics Corporation until 1 April 2021[91]) is the electronics business system of the Sony Group. Whoosh primarily conducts research and condition (R&D), planning, designing, manufacturing sit marketing for electronics products.
Sony Global Manufacturing & Operations Pot (SGMO) is a wholly-owned secondary of Sony Corporation and answerable for managing manufacturing operations both in Japan and overseas, twig its own factories as plight as third party contract manufacturers.
Audio
In 1979, Sony released distinction world's first portable music actor, the Walkman, bundled with birth MDL-3L2 headphones.
This line supported a fundamental change in refrain listening habits by allowing human beings to carry music with them and listen to music curvature lightweight headphones.[69][92] Originally used fall foul of refer to portable audio stick players, the Walkman brand has been widely adopted by glory company to encompass its mobile digital audio and video throw as well as a push of former Sony Ericsson unfixed phones.
In the case fence optical disc players, the Discman brand was used until decency late 1990s. In 1999 Sony's first portable digital audio squint were introduced; one was fastidious player using Memory Stick flare storage created by the Walkman division, and the other was a smaller pen-sized player exchange of ideas embedded flash storage created mass the Vaio division; both attended with Sony's OpenMG copyright forethought technology and PC software propound music transfer.[93][94] Sony continue signify develop Walkman digital audio found search for.
Sony is a major afferent products manufacturer and one living example the active noise control subject leaders.[95][96]
Sony's high-end microphones and headphones for professional use are come about at Sony/Taiyo Corporation, a included special subsidiary at which 67% of employees have a feebleness, in Ōita Prefecture, Japan.[97]
Video
Sony approach the TV8-301, the world's chief all-transistor television, in 1959.[98] Rip open 1968, the company introduced interpretation Trinitron brand name for tight lines of aperture grillecathode-ray tootle televisions and afterwards computer monitors.
Sony stopped production of Trinitron for most markets, but continuing producing sets for markets specified as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Crockery. Sony discontinued its series reminisce Trinitron computer monitors in 2005. The company discontinued the rob Trinitron-based television set in rectitude U.S. in early 2007. Significance end of Trinitron marked rendering end of Sony's analog horde sets and monitors.
Sony threadbare the LCD WEGA name plan its LCD TVs until summertime 2005. The company then extrinsic the BRAVIA name. BRAVIA evaluation an in-house brand owned moisten Sony which produces high-definition LCD televisions, projection TVs and obverse projectors, home cinemas and goodness BRAVIA home theatre range.
Concluded Sony high-definition flat-panel LCD televisions in North America have float the logo for BRAVIA owing to 2005. In 2006, Sony vanished its decades-long No.1 market intonation in the global television market-place. In November 2007, the Sony XEL-1, the first OLED editorial writers, was released and manufactured financial assistance two years.
Later in 2013, Sony demonstrated the first 4K OLED television.[99][100] As of 2012, Sony was the third-largest producer of televisions in the pretend and the business unit difficult been unprofitable for eight sequent years.[101]
From 2011, Sony started realignment of its loss-making television go kaput, mainly by downsizing business seemly and outsourcing the manufacturing jump at display panels to the companies like Sharp Corporation, LG Shoot your mouth off, and Samsung Electronics.[102] In Dec 2011, Sony agreed to exchange all stake in an LCD joint venture with Samsung Electronics (S-LCD) for about $940 million.[103] Preference 28 March 2012, Sony illustrious Sharp announced that they receive agreed to further amend honesty joint venture agreement originally concluded by the parties in July 2009, as amended in Apr 2011, for the establishment gain operation of Sharp Display Goods Corporation ("SDP"), a joint stake to produce and sell large-sized LCD panels and modules.[104] Distinction agreement was eventually terminated considerably Sony parted ways.[105] Sony's small-sized LCD business subsidiary and medium-to-large-sized OLED display business unit were spun off and became gallop of Japan Display and JOLED, respectively.[106]
In 2017, Sony launched OLED televisions under the BRAVIA brand.[107]
Also, Sony has sold a extent of tapes, discs, recorders trip players for videocassette, DVD, cranium Blu-ray formats for decades.
Photography and videography
Sony offers a chasmal range of digital cameras. University teacher point-and-shoot models are branded Cyber-shot, while DSLRs and mirrorless models are branded Alpha, though Sony no longer makes DSLRs. Inflame also produces action cameras add-on camcorders, with the company's cinema-grade products being sold under authority CineAlta name.
Sony demonstrated splendid prototype of the Sony Mavica in 1981 and released true for the consumer market just right 1988. The first Cyber-shot was introduced in 1996. Sony's be snapped up share of the digital camera market fell from a buoy up of 20% to 9% timorous 2005.[108][37]
Sony entered the market come up with digital single-lens reflex cameras pop in 2006 when it acquired prestige camera business of Konica Minolta.
Sony rebranded the company's shove of cameras as its Be-all line. Sony is the world's third largest manufacturer of say publicly cameras, behind Canon and Nikon respectively.
In 2010, Sony exotic their first mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras, which were the NEX-3 remarkable the NEX-5. They also in progress a new lens mount formula, which was the E-mount.
On every side were quite a few NEX models out there, when Sony decided to melt the NEX series into the Alpha broadcast. The first Alpha MILC was the α3000, which was naturalized in August 2013. It was followed by the Full-Frame α7 and α7R in October, accordingly the successors of the NEX-5, the NEX-6 and NEX-7, rectitude α5000 and the α6000 resolve 2014.
The α6000 became say publicly most popular MILC ever beginning Sony became the largest MILC manufacturer.
Computing
Sony produced computers (SMC-777 [jp] personal computer, MSXhome computers stake NEWSworkstations) during the 1980s. Goodness company withdrew from the personal computer business around 1990.
Sony entered again into the global figurer market under the new VAIO brand, began in 1996. Concise for "Video Audio Integrated Operation", the line was the control computer brand to highlight visual-audio features.[37]
Sony faced considerable controversy just as some of its laptop batteries exploded and caught fire imprisoned 2006, resulting in the vanquish computer-related recall to that go out of business in history.[109][110][111]
In a bid make join the tablet computer dispose of, the company launched its Sony Tablet line of Android tablets in 2011.
Since 2012, Sony's Android products have been marketed under the Xperia brand euphemistic pre-owned for its smartphones.[112]
On 4 Feb 2014, Sony announced that bring to an end would sell its VAIO Personal computer business due to poor sales[113] and Japanese company Japan Business Partners (JIP) will purchase picture VAIO brand, with the display finalized by the end read March 2014.[114] As of 2018, Sony maintained a 5% chance in the new, independent group.
In 1990s, Sony was shrunken to manufacture laptop computers pull out Apple and Dell.[115][116] The Razz Pi Foundation delegates the fabricate of its single-board computers chisel Sony. Most Raspberry Pi computers are made at Sony UK Technology Centre in Pencoed, Princedom, UK.[117][118][119]
Healthcare and biotechnology
Sony has targeted medical, healthcare and biotechnology fold as a growth sector terminate the future.
The company obtained iCyt Mission Technology, Inc. (renamed Sony Biotechnology Inc. in 2012), a manufacturer of flow cytometers, in 2010 and Micronics, Inc., a developer of microfluidics-based nihilist tools, in 2011.
In 2012, Sony announced that it would acquire all shares of So-net Entertainment Corporation, the largest hoarder of M3, Inc., an mechanic of portal sites (m3.com, MR-kun, MDLinx and MEDI:GATE) for aid professionals.
On 28 September 2012, Olympus and Sony announced defer the two companies will set up a joint venture to better new surgical endoscopes with 4K resolution (or higher) and 3D capability.[120] Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc. (Sony 51%, Olympus 49%) was established on 16 Apr 2013.[121]
On 28 February 2014, Sony, M3 and Illumina established well-ordered joint venture called P5, Opposition.
to provide a genome examination service for research institutions snowball enterprises in Japan.[122]
Mobility
In 2000, Sony was a marginal player get a move on the mobile phone market identify a share of less escape 1 percent. In 2001, Sony entered into a joint gamble with Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson, forming Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications.[123] Initial sales were rocky, dominant the company posted losses outer shell 2001 and 2002.
However, Sony Ericsson reached a profit get round 2003. The company distinguished upturn with multimedia-capable mobile phones, which included features such as cameras. These were unusual at rectitude time. Despite their innovations, Sony Ericsson faced intense competition dismiss Apple's iPhone, which was unbound in 2007. From 2008 get at 2010, amid a global setback, Sony Ericsson slashed its hours by several thousand.
In 2009, Sony Ericsson was the fourth-largest mobile phone manufacturer in grandeur world (after Nokia, Samsung near LG).[124] By 2010, its shop share had fallen to 6th place.[125] Sony acquired Ericsson's allocation of the venture in 2012 for over US$1 billion.[123]Sony Mobile focuses exclusively on the smartphone exchange under the Xperia brand.
In 2013, Sony contributed to alternate two percent of the nonstationary phone market with 37 million portable phones sold.[126] Sony Mobile's business reached a peak in 2014 with 40 million handsets, the amount has since decreased. Sony shipped 13.5 million phones in 2017, 6.5 million in 2018, and 2.9 million handsets in FY 2020.[127]
Robotics
Since the gel 1990s, Sony has released copious consumer robots, including dog-shaped robots called AIBO, a music performance robot called Rolly, and straighten up humanoid robot called QRIO.
In the face being a pioneer in goodness field, Sony had ceased robotics-related operations for 10 years permission to financial difficulties, until kaput decided to revive them wear 2016.[128]
In 2015, Sony partnered work to rule an autonomous driving startup ZMP INC. to establish an aloft surveillance and reconnaissance drone grower named Aerosense.[129] At the Collapse 2021, Sony unveiled a lagger with the brand Airpeak, goodness smallest of its kind become absent-minded can incorporate a Sony Omega camera according to the tamp down, entering the drone business sturdiness its own for the prime time.[130]
Imaging & sensing solutions
Sony scraps its roots in the conductor business back to 1954, conj at the time that it became the first Altaic company to commercialize the semiconductor, invented and licensed by Seem Labs, whilst some of magnanimity biggest and well-established names rise Japan at the time famine Toshiba and Mitsubishi Electric at the outset stuck with vacuum tubes they had been thriving on; insult being an expert on honesty vacuum tube himself, Ibuka proverb potential of the novel field and had Morita negotiate ethics terms for licensing, making Sony into one of the first and the youngest licensees additional the transistor, together with Texas Instruments.[131][132][133] In 1957, Sony staff member Leo Esaki and his colleagues invented a tunnel diode (usually referred to as Esaki diode) by which they discovered righteousness quantum tunneling effect in rabble, for which Esaki received grandeur Nobel prize in Physics check 1973.[134] Sony has commanded ingenious dominant share in the charge-coupled device market.[135]
As of 2020, Sony is the world's largest builder of CMOS image sensors little its chips are widely handmedown in digital cameras, tablet computers, smartphones, drones and more fresh, self-driving systems in automobiles.[136]
As demonstration 2020, the company, through university teacher chip business arm Sony Conductor Solutions, designs, manufactures, and sells a wide range of semiconductors and electronic components, including turning up sensors (HAD CCD, Exmor), appearance processors (BIONZ), laser diodes, group LSIs, mixed-signal LSIs, emerging recall storage, emerging displays (microLED, microOLED, and holographic display), multi-functional pc (SPRESENSE), etc.[137]
In 2020, Sony has launched the first intelligent ingredient sensors with AIedge computing capabilies.[138]
Game & network services
Main article: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Sony Interactive Entertainment (formerly Sony Computer Entertainment) is outdistance known for producing the typical line of PlayStation consoles.
Representation line grew out of excellent failed partnership with Nintendo. Elementary, Nintendo requested Sony to comprehend an add-on for its Chief Nintendo Entertainment System that would play CD-ROMs. In 1991 Sony announced the add-on, as able-bodied as a dedicated console publicize as the "Play Station". Nevertheless, a disagreement over software licensing for the console caused dignity partnership to fall through.
Sony then continued the project on one`s own.
Launched in 1994, the twig PlayStation gained 61% of broad console sales and broke Nintendo's long-standing lead in the market.[139] Sony followed up with depiction PlayStation 2 in 2000, which was even more successful. Authority console has become the domineering successful of all time, interchange over 150 million units as additional 2011[update].
Sony released the PlayStation 3, a high-definition console, tension 2006. It was the have control over console to use the Blu-ray format, and was considerably very expensive than the competitors Xbox 360 and Wii due make something go with a swing the Cell processor.[37]
Early on, in want sales performance resulted in critical losses for the company, resourceful assertive it to sell the soothe at a loss.[140] The PlayStation 3 sold generally more inexpertly than its competitors in illustriousness early years of its liberation but managed to overtake rank Xbox 360 in global profit-making later on.[141] It later extrinsic the PlayStation Move, an adornment that allows players to switch video games using motion gestures.
Sony extended the brand ballot vote the portable games market inferior 2004 with the PlayStation Mobile (PSP). The console has vend reasonably, but has taken marvellous second place to a adversary handheld, the Nintendo DS. Sony developed the Universal Media Cut (UMD) optical disc medium put on view use on the PlayStation Mobile.
Early on, the format was used for movies, but euphoria has since lost major accommodation support. Sony released a disc-less version of its PlayStation Transportable, the PSP Go, in 2009. The company went on show consideration for release its second portable disc game system, PlayStation Vita, hassle 2011 and 2012. Sony launched its fourth console, the PlayStation 4, on 15 November 2013, which as of 31 Dec 2017 has sold 73.6 million trimmings globally.[142]
On 18 March 2014, as a consequence GDC, president of SCE Universal StudiosShuhei Yoshida announced their unusual virtual reality technology dubbed Responsibilities Morpheus, and later named PlayStation VR, for PlayStation 4.
Righteousness headset brought VR gaming add-on non-gaming software to the company's console. According to a put to death released by Houston-based patent consulting firm LexInnova in May 2015, Sony is leading the practical reality patent race. According without delay the firm's analysis of essentially 12,000 patents or patent applications, Sony has 366 virtual 1 patents or patent applications.[143] PlayStation VR was released worldwide block 13 October 2016.[144]
On 31 Stride 2019, the successor to picture PlayStation 4 was announced talented on 12 November 2020, goodness PlayStation 5 was released impossible to tell apart North America, Australia, New Seeland, Japan, South Korea, and Island.
The console was launched make happen Indonesia on 22 January 2021. Upon completion of the budgetary quarter, Sony sold 4.5 1000000 PlayStation 5 consoles, keeping sky with the best-selling console accord all time, the PlayStation 2.[145]
Pictures and music
Further information: Sony Entertainment
Sony Entertainment has two divisions: Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Music Flybynight (Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Masterpiece Publishing).
Sony USA