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Sony

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFor other uses, seeSony (disambiguation).

Sony Corporation

Native name

Type Public

Traded as TYO:6758

NYSE:SNE

Industry Conglomerate

Founded 7 May 1946

[1]

Founder(s) Masaru Ibuka

Akio Morita

Headquarters Minato, Tokyo, Japan

Area served Worldwide

Key people Sir Howard Stringer

(Chairman of the Board)

Kazuo Hirai

(President & CEO)

Ryji Chbachi
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(Vice Chairman)

Products Consumer electronics

Semiconductors

Video games

Media/Entertainment

Computer hardware

Telecom equipment

Services Financial services, insurance, banking, credit finance

and advertising agency

Revenue US$ 69.339 billion (2012)[2]

Operating

income

US$ 0.759 billion (2012)[2]

Net income US$ 4.994 billion (2012)[2]

Total assets US$ 21.989 billion (2012)[2]

Employees 162,700 (2012)[3]

Subsidiaries List of subsidiaries

Website Sony.net

Sony Corporation (SonKabushiki Gaisha?)(TYO:6758,NYSE:SNE), commonly referred to

as Sony, is a Japanesemultinationalconglomeratecorporation headquartered in KnanMinato, Tokyo,

Japan.[4]Its diversified business is primarily focused on the electronics, game, entertainment and financial

services sectors.[2]The company is one of the leading manufacturers ofelectronicproducts for the consumer

and professional markets.[5]Sony is ranked 87th on the 2012 list ofFortune Global 500.[6]

Sony Corporation is the electronicsbusiness unitand theparent companyof the Sony Group, which is

engaged in business through its four operating segments Electronics (including video games, network
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ipedia.org/wiki/Kabushiki_Gaishahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabushiki_Gaishahttp://www.sony.net/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Corporation_shareholders_and_subsidiarieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subsidiaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-FY-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-FY-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_incomehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-FY-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earnings_before_interest_and_taxeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earnings_before_interest_and_taxeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-FY-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_serviceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecommunications_equipmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_hardwarehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_mediahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_games_industryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiconductorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_electronics


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services and medical business),Motion pictures,Musicand Financial Services.[7][8][9]These make Sony one of

the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world. Sony's principal business operations include

Sony Corporation (Sony Electronicsin the U.S.),Sony Pictures Entertainment,Sony Computer

Entertainment,Sony Music Entertainment,Sony Mobile Communications(formerly Sony Ericsson), andSony

Financial. Sony is among theWorldwide Top 20 Semiconductor Sales Leadersandthird-largest television

manufacturerin the world, afterSamsung ElectronicsandLG Electronics.

The Sony Group (Son Gurpu?) is a Japan-basedcorporate groupprimarily focused on the

Electronics (such as AV/IT products and components), Game (such as PlayStation), Entertainment (such as

motion pictures and music), and Financial Services (such as insurance and banking) sectors. The group

consists of Sony Corporation (holding and electronics),Sony Computer Entertainment(game),Sony Pictures

Entertainment(motion pictures),Sony Music Entertainment(music),Sony/ATV Music Publishing(music

publishing),Sony Financial Holdings(financial services) andothers.

Its foundersAkio MoritaandMasaru Ibukaderived the name fromsonus, theLatinword for sound, and also

from the English slang word "sonny", since they considered themselves to be "sonny boys", aloan wordinto

Japanese which in the early 1950s connoted smart and presentable young men.[5]

Contents

[hide]

1 History

o 1.1 Origin of name

2 Formats and technologies

3 Business units

o 3.1 Electronics

3.1.1 Sony Corporation

3.1.1.1 Audio

3.1.1.2 Computing

3.1.1.3 Photography

3.1.1.4 Video

3.1.1.5 Semiconductor and component

3.1.1.6 Medical-related business

3.1.2 Sony Mobile Communications

3.1.3 Sony Computer Entertainment

o 3.2 Entertainment
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_pictureshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_pictureshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_pictureshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_industryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_industryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_industryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-Organization_Data_April_2012-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-Organization_Data_April_2012-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-Organization_Data-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-Organization_Data-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Electronicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Electronicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Electronicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Pictures_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Pictures_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Pictures_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Computer_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Computer_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Computer_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Computer_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Music_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Music_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Music_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Mobile_Communicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Mobile_Communicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Mobile_Communicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Financialhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Financialhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Financialhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Financialhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiconductor_sales_leaders_by_yearhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiconductor_sales_leaders_by_yearhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiconductor_sales_leaders_by_yearhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television#Sales_of_televisionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television#Sales_of_televisionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television#Sales_of_televisionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television#Sales_of_televisionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Electronicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Electronicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Electronicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG_Electronicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG_Electronicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG_Electronicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Installing_Japanese_character_setshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Installing_Japanese_character_setshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Installing_Japanese_character_setshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_grouphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_grouphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_grouphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Computer_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Computer_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Computer_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Pictures_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Pictures_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Pictures_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Pictures_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Music_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Music_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Music_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony/ATV_Music_Publishinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony/ATV_Music_Publishinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony/ATV_Music_Publishinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Financialhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Financialhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Financialhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Corporation_shareholders_and_subsidiarieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Corporation_shareholders_and_subsidiarieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Corporation_shareholders_and_subsidiarieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akio_Moritahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akio_Moritahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akio_Moritahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masaru_Ibukahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masaru_Ibukahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masaru_Ibukahttp://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sonushttp://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sonushttp://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sonushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loan_wordhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loan_wordhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loan_wordhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-SonyHistory-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-SonyHistory-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-SonyHistory-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Origin_of_namehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Origin_of_namehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Formats_and_technologieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Formats_and_technologieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Business_unitshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Business_unitshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Electronicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Electronicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Sony_Corporationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Sony_Corporationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Audiohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Audiohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Computinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Computinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Photographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Photographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Videohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Videohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Semiconductor_and_componenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Semiconductor_and_componenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Medical-related_businesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Medical-related_businesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Sony_Mobile_Communicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Sony_Mobile_Communicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Sony_Computer_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Sony_Computer_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Sony_Computer_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Sony_Mobile_Communicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Medical-related_businesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Semiconductor_and_componenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Videohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Photographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Computinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Audiohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Sony_Corporationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Electronicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Business_unitshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Formats_and_technologieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Origin_of_namehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-SonyHistory-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loan_wordhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latinhttp://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sonushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masaru_Ibukahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akio_Moritahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Corporation_shareholders_and_subsidiarieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Financialhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony/ATV_Music_Publishinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Music_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Pictures_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Pictures_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Computer_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_grouphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Installing_Japanese_character_setshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG_Electronicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Electronicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television#Sales_of_televisionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television#Sales_of_televisionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiconductor_sales_leaders_by_yearhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Financialhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Financialhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Mobile_Communicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Music_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Computer_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Computer_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Pictures_Entertainmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Electronicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-Organization_Data-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-Organization_Data_April_2012-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-Organization_Data_April_2012-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_industryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_pictures


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3.2.1 Sony Pictures Entertainment

3.2.2 Sony Music Entertainment

3.2.3 Sony/ATV Music Publishing

o

3.3 Finance 3.3.1 Sony Financial Services

4 Corporate information

o 4.1 Finances

o 4.2 Environmental record

5 See also

6 References

7 Further reading

8 External links

[edit]History

Main article:History of Sony

Masaru Ibuka, the co-founder of Sony

Sony found its beginning in the wake ofWorld War II. In 1946,Masaru Ibukastarted an electronics shop in a

bomb-damaged department store building in Tokyo. The company had $530 in capital and a total of eight

employees.[10]The next year, he was joined by his colleague,Akio Morita, and they founded a companycalled Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo[11][12](Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation). The company built

Japan's firsttape recorder, called the Type-G.[12]In 1958 the company name was changed to Sony (see

alsoOrigin of name, below).

In the early 1950s, Ibuka traveled in the United States and heard aboutBell Labs' invention of

thetransistor.[12]He convinced Bell to license the transistor technology to his Japanese company, for use in
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communications. Ibuka's company made the first commercially successful transistor radios.[13][14]According to

Schiffer, Sony's TR-63 radio "cracked open the U.S. market and launched the new industry of consumer

microelectronics." By the mid 1950s, American teens had begun buying portable transistor radios in huge

numbers, helping to propel the fledgling industry from an estimated 100,000 units in 1955 to 5 million units by

the end of 1968. In the mid 1970's Sony introduces the CRF-320A multiband radio with digital tuning.Zenith

Radio Corporationhad long been a leader in the high priced multiband radio market with theTrans-

Oceanicline, but Sony provided digital tuning (LED display) versus Zenith's analog slide rule tuning in the

model R7000 for about the same price. By the 1980's Sony would become the leader of multiband radios with

the ICF-2001 and ICF-2010 digital multiband radios using LCD display.Zenithwould end theTrans-

Oceanicline.[15]

Sony co-founder Akio Morita founded Sony Corporation of America in 1960.[10]In the process, he was struck by

the mobility of employees between American companies, which was unheard of in Japan at that time.[10]When

he returned to Japan, he encouraged experienced, middle-aged employees of other companies to reevaluate

their careers and consider joining Sony.[10]The company filled many positions in this manner, and inspired

other Japanese companies to do the same.[10]Moreover, Sony played a major role in the development of Japan

as a powerful exporter during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.[16]It also helped to significantly improve American

perceptions of "made in Japan" products.[17]Known for its production quality, Sony was able to charge above-

market prices for its consumer electronics and resisted lowering prices.[17]

In 1971, Masaru Ibuka handed the position of president over to his co-founder Akio Morita. Sony begana life

insurance companyin 1979, one of its many peripheral businesses. Amid a global recession in the early 1980s,

electronics sales dropped and the company was forced to cut prices.[17]

Sony's profits fell sharply. "It's over forSony," one analyst concluded. "The company's best days are behind it."[17]Around that time,Norio Ohgatook

up the role of president. He encouraged the development of theCompact Discin the 1970s and 80s, and of

thePlayStationin the early 1990s. Ohga went on to purchaseCBS Recordsin 1988 andColumbia Picturesin

1989, greatly expanding Sony's media presence. Ohga would succeed Morita aschief executive officerin

1989.
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Sony Group Headquarters atSony CityinMinato, Tokyo

Under the vision of co-founder Akio Morita[18]and his successors, the company had aggressively expanded into

new businesses.[16]Part of its motivation for doing so was the pursuit of "convergence," linking film, music, and

digital electronics via the Internet.[16]This expansion proved unrewarding and unprofitable,[16]threatening

Sony's ability to charge a premium on its products[18]as well as its brand name.[18]In 2005,Howard

StringerreplacedNobuyuki Ideiaschief executive officer, marking the first time that a foreigner has run a major

Japanese electronics firm. Stringer helped to reinvigorate the company's struggling media businesses,

encouraging blockbusters such asSpider-Manwhile cutting 9,000 jobs.[16]He hoped to sell off peripheral

business and focus the company again on electronics.[18]Furthermore, he aimed to increase cooperation

between business units,[18]which he described as "silos" operating in isolation from one another.[19]In a bid to

provide a unified brand for its global operations, Sony introduced a slogan known as "make.believe" in 2009.

Despite some successes, the company faced continued struggles in the mid- to late-2000s.[16]It became known

for its stagnancy, with a fading brand name.[16]In 2012,Kazuo Hiraiwas promoted to president and CEO,

replacing Sir Howard Stringer. Shortly thereafter, Hirai outlined his company-wide initiative, named "One Sony"

to revive Sony from years of financial losses and bureaucratic management structure, which proved difficult for

former CEO Stringer to accomplish, partly due to differences in business culture and native languages between

Stringer and some of Sony's Japanese divisions and subsidiaries. Hirai outlined 3 major areas of focus for

Sony's electronics business, which include imaging technology, gaming and mobile technology, as well as a

focus on reducing the major losses from the television business.[20]

[edit]Origin of name

When Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo was looking for a romanized name to use to market themselves, they strongly

considered using their initials, TTK. The primary reason they did not is that the railway companyTokyo

Kyukowas known as TKK.[12]The company occasionally used the acronym "Totsuko" in Japan, but during his

visit to the United States, Morita discovered that Americans had trouble pronouncing that name. Another early
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City


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name that was tried out for a while was "Tokyo Teletech" untilAkio Moritadiscovered that there was an

American company already using Teletech as a brand name.[21]

The name "Sony" was chosen for the brand as a mix of two words. One was theLatinword "Sonus", which is

the root of sonic and sound, and the other was "Sonny", a familiar term used in 1950s America to call a

boy.[5]The first Sony-branded product, theTR-55transistor radio, appeared in 1955 but the company name did

not change to Sony until January 1958.[22]

At the time of the change, it was extremely unusual for a Japanese company to useRoman lettersto spell its

name instead of writing it inkanji. The move was not without opposition: TTK's principal bank at the

time,Mitsui, had strong feelings about the name. They pushed for a name such as Sony Electronic Industries,

or Sony Teletech. Akio Morita was firm, however, as he did not want the company name tied to any particular

industry. Eventually, both Ibuka and Mitsui Bank's chairman gave their approval.[12]

[edit]

Formats and technologiesFurther information:List of Sony trademarks

Sony has historically been notable for creating its own in-house standards for new recording and storage

technologies, instead of adopting those of other manufacturers and standards bodies. The most infamous of

these was thevideotape format warof the early 1980s, when Sony marketed theBetamaxsystem for video

cassette recorders against the VHS format developed byJVC. In the end, VHS gained critical mass in the

marketbase and became the worldwide standard for consumer VCRs and Sony adopted the format. While

Betamax is for all practical purposes an obsolete format, a professional-orientedcomponent videoformat

calledBetacamthat was derived from Betamax is still used today, especially in the television industry, although

far less so in recent years with the introduction of digital and high definition.

Sony launched theBetamaxvideocassette recordingformat in 1975. In 1979 theWalkmanbrand was

introduced, in the form of the world's first portable music player. 1982 saw the launch of Sony's

professionalBetacamvideotape format and the collaborative Compact Disc (CD) format. In 1983 Sony

introduced 90 mm micro diskettes (better known as 3.5-inch (89 mm)floppy disks), which it had developed at a

time when there were 4" floppy disks and a lot of variations from different companies to replace the then on-

going 5.25" floppy disks. Sony had great success and the format became dominant; 3.5" floppy disks gradually

became obsolete as they were replaced by current media formats. In 1983 Sony launched theMSX, a homecomputer system, and introduced the world (with their counterpartPhilips) to the Compact Disc (CD). In 1984

Sony launched theDiscmanseries which extended their Walkman brand to portable CD products. In 1985

Sony launched their Handycam products and theVideo8 format. Video8 and the follow-on hi-bandHi8format

became popular in the consumer camcorder market. In 1987 Sony launched the 4 mm DAT orDigital Audio

Tapeas a new digital audio tape standard.
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In addition to developing consumer-based recording media, after the launch of the CD Sony began

development of commercially based recording media. In 1986 they launched Write-Onceoptical discs(WO)

and in 1988 launchedMagneto-optical discswhich were around 125MB size for the specific use of archival

data storage.[23]

In the early 1990s two high-density optical storage standards were being developed: one was the MultiMedia

Compact Disc (MMCD), backed by Philips and Sony, and the other was the Super Density disc (SD), supported

byToshibaand many others. Philips and Sony abandoned their MMCD format and agreed upon Toshiba's SD

format with only one modification based on MMCD technology, vizEFMPlus. The unified disc format was called

DVD which was marketed in 1997.

Sony introduced theMiniDiscformat in 1993 as an alternative to Philips DCC orDigital Compact Cassette.

Since the introduction of MiniDisc, Sony has attempted to promote its own audio compression technologies

under theATRACbrand, against the more widely used MP3. Until late 2004, Sony'sNetwork Walkmanline of

digital portable music players did not support the MP3 de facto standard natively, although the provided

softwareSonicStagewould convert MP3 files into the ATRAC or ATRAC3 formats.

In 1993, Sony challenged the industry standardDolby Digital5.1 surround sound format with a newer and more

advanced proprietary motion picture digital audio format calledSDDS(Sony Dynamic Digital Sound). This

format employed eight channels (7.1) of audio opposed to just six used in Dolby Digital 5.1 at the time. Unlike

Dolby Digital, SDDS utilized a method of backup by having mirrored arrays of bits on both sides of the film

which acted as a measure of reliability in case the film was partially damaged. Ultimately, SDDS has been

vastly overshadowed by the preferred DTS (Digital Theatre System) and Dolby Digital standards in the motion

picture industry. SDDS was solely developed for use in the theatre circuit; Sony never intended to develop a

home theatre version of SDDS.

In 1998, Sony launched theirMemory Stickformat;flash memorycards for use in Sony lines of digital cameras

and portable music players. It has seen little support outside of Sony's own products withSecure Digital

cards(SD) commanding considerably greater popularity. This is due in part to the SD format's greater

throughput (which allows faster recording and access), higher capacities, and significantly lower price per unit

capacity compared to Memory Sticks available at the same time. Sony has made updates to the Memory Stick

format withMemory Stick DuoandMemory Stick Micro.

Sony and Philips jointly developed the Sony-Philips digital interface format (S/PDIF) and the high-fidelity audio

systemSACD. The latter has since been entrenched in a format war withDVD-Audio. At present, neither has

gained a major foothold with the general public. CDs are preferred by consumers because of ubiquitous

presence of CD drives in consumer devices.

In 2004, Sony built upon theMiniDiscformat by releasingHi-MD. Hi-MD allows the playback and recording of

audio on newly introduced 1 GB Hi-MD discs in addition to playback and recording on regular MiniDiscs.
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Recordings on the Hi-MD Walkmans can be transferred to and from the computer virtually unrestricted, unlike

earlierNetMD. In addition to saving audio on the discs, Hi-MD allows the storage of computer files such as

documents, videos and photos. Hi-MD introduced the ability to record CD-quality audio with a linear PCM

recording feature. It was the first time since MiniDisc's introduction in 1992 that theATRACcodeccould be

bypassed and lossless CD-quality audio could be recorded on the small discs.

Sony was one of the leading developers of theBlu-ray Discoptical disc format, the newest standard for disc-

based content delivery. The format emerged as the market leader over the competing standard, Toshiba'sHD

DVD, after a 2 year-long format war. The first Blu-ray players became commercially available in 2006. By the

end of 2007 the format had the backing of every major motion picture studio exceptUniversal,Paramount,

andDreamWorks.[24][25][26]The Blu-ray format's popularity continued to increase, solidifying its position as the

dominant HD media format, and Toshiba announced its decision to stop supporting HD DVD in 2008. Now, all

major studios support Blu-ray and release their f ilms on the format.

[edit]Business units

Sony offers a number of products in a variety of product lines around the world.[27]Sony has developed a music

playing robot calledRolly, dog-shaped robots calledAIBOand ahumanoidrobot calledQRIO.

As of 1 April 2012, Sony is organized into the following business segments: Imaging Products & Solutions

(IP&S), Game, Mobile Products & Communications (MP&C), Home Entertainment & Sound (HE&S), Devices,

Pictures, Music, Financial Services and All Other.[28]The network and medical businesses are included in the

All Other.

[edit]Electronics

[edit]Sony Corporation

Sony Corporation is the electronics business unit and the parent company of the Sony Group. It primarily

conducts strategic business planning of the group, research and development (R&D), planning, designing and

marketing for electronics products. Its subsidiaries such as Sony EMCS Corporation (6 plants in Japan), Sony

Semiconductor Corporation (7 plants in Japan) and its subsidiaries outside Japan

(Brazil,China,England,India,Malaysia,Singapore,South Korea,ThailandandUnited States) are responsible

for manufacturing as well asproduct engineering(Sony EMCS is also responsible for customer service

operations). In 2012, Sony incorporated rolled most of its consumer content services (including video, music,

and gaming) into theSony Entertainment Network.

[edit]Audio
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The 1979 Sony Walkman ushered in a new era of portability for music listening

Sony produced the world's first portable music player, theWalkmanin 1979. This line fostered a fundamental

change inmusiclistening habits by allowing people to carry music with them and listen to music through

lightweightheadphones. Walkman originally referred to portable audiocassetteplayers. The company now

uses the Walkman brand to market its portableaudioandvideoplayers as well as a line of formerSony

Ericssonmobile phones.

Sony utilized a related brand, Discman, to refer to its CD players. It dropped this name in the late 1990s.

[edit]Computing

Sony produces a line of laptops branded as VAIO.

Sony sells many of itscomputerproducts using theVAIObrand.

Sony produced computers (MSXhome computersandNEWSworkstations) during the 1980s, exclusively for

sale in the Japanese market. The company withdrew from the computer business around 1990. Sony entered

again into the global computer market under the new VAIO brand, began in 1996. Short for "Video Audio

Integrated Operation," the line was the first computer brand to highlight visual-audio features.[19]

Sony faced considerable controversy when some of its laptop batteries exploded and caught fire in

2006.,[29]resulting in the largest computer-related recall to that point in history.[30][31][32]
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In a bid to join thetablet computermarket, the company launched itsSony Tabletseries in 2011. The machines

run onGoogle Androidsoftware.

[edit]Photography

Sony produces a consumer-oriented line of digital cameras branded as Cyber-shot.

Sony offers a range of digital cameras. Point-and-shoot models adopt theCyber-shotname, whiledigital

single-lens reflexmodels are branded usingAlpha.

The first Cyber-shot was introduced in 1996. At the time, digital cameras were a relative novelty. Sony's market

share of the digital camera market fell from a high of 20% to 9% by 2005.[19]

Sony entered the market fordigital single-lens reflex camerasin 2006 when it acquired the camera business

ofKonica Minolta. Sony rebranded the company's line of cameras as itsAlphaline. Sony is the world's third

largest manufacturer of the cameras, behind leadersCanonandNikon.

[edit]Video

Sony's BRAVIA line of televisions replaces the Trinitron and WEGA series.

In 1968 Sony introduced theTrinitronbrand namefor its lines ofaperture grillecathode ray tubetelevisions and

(later)computer monitors. Sony stopped production of Trinitron for most markets, but continued producing sets

for markets such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and China. Sony discontinued its series of Trinitron computer
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monitors in 2005. The company discontinued the last Trinitron-based television set in the USA in early 2007.

The end of Trinitron marked the end of Sony's analog television sets and monitors.

Sony used the LCD WEGA name for its LCD TVs until summer 2005. The company then introduced the

BRAVIA name.BRAVIAis an in house brand owned by Sony which produces high-definition LCD televisions,

projection TVs and front projectors, home cinemas and the BRAVIA home theatre range. All Sony high-

definition flat-panel LCD televisions in North America have carried the logo for BRAVIA since 2005. Sony is the

third-largest maker of televisions in the world.[33]As of 2012, Sony's television business has been unprofitable

for eight years.[33]

In December 2011, Sony agreed to sell all stake in an LCD joint venture withSamsungElectronics for about

$940 million.[34]On 28 March 2012, Sony Corporation andSharp Corporationannounced that they have agreed

to further amend the joint venture agreement originally executed by the parties in July 2009, as amended in

April 2011, for the establishment and operation of Sharp Display Products Corporation ("SDP"), a joint venture

to produce and sell large-sized LCD panels and modules[35]

Sony also sells a range ofDVD players. It has shifted its focus in recent years to promoting theBlu-rayformat,

including discs and players.

[edit]Semiconductor and component

Sony produces a wide range of semiconductors and electronic components including image sensors, laser

diodes, system LSIs, mixed-signal LSIs, OLED panels, etc. The company has a strong presence in image

sensor market. Sony-manufactured CCD and CMOS image sensors are widely used in digital

cameras,smartphones,tablet computers.

[edit]Medical-related business

Sony has targeted medical, healthcare and biotechnology business as a growth sector in the future. The

company acquired iCyt Mission Technology, Inc. (renamed Sony Biotechnology Inc. in 2012), a manufacture of

flow cytometers, in 2010 and Micronics, Inc., a developer of microfluidics-based diagnostic tools, in 2011.

In 2012, Sony announced that it will acquire all shares ofSo-net Entertainment Corporation, which is the

majority shareholder of M3, Inc., an operator of portal sites (m3.com, MR-kun,MDLinxand MEDI:GATE) for

healthcare professionals.

On September 28, 2012,Olympusand Sony announced that the two companies will establish a joint venture to

develop new surgical endoscopes with4K resolution(or higher) and 3D capability.[36]

[edit]Sony Mobile Communications

Main article:Sony Mobile Communications
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Xperiais the family ofsmartphonesmanufactured by Sony.

Sony Mobile Communications AB (formerly Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB) is

amultinationalmobile phonemanufacturing company headquartered inLondon,United Kingdomand a wholly

owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation.

In 2001, Sony entered into a joint venture with Swedish telecommunications companyEricsson, formingSony

Ericsson.[37]Initial sales were rocky, and the company posted losses in 2001 and 2002. However, SMC

reached a profit in 2003. Sony Ericsson distinguished itself with multimedia-capable mobile phones, which

included features such as cameras. These were unusual for the time. Despite their innovations, SMC faced

intense competition from Apple'siPhone, released in 2007. From 2008 to 2010, amid a global recession, SMC

slashed its workforce by several thousand. Sony acquired Ericsson's share of the venture in 2012 for over

US$1 billion.[37]In 2009, SMC was the fourth-largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world

(afterNokia,SamsungandLG).[38]By 2010, its market share had fallen to sixth place.[39]Sony Mobile

Communications now focuses exclusively on the smartphone market.

[edit]Sony Computer Entertainment

Main article:Sony Computer Entertainment
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ThePlayStation 2is one of the best-selling video game consoles of all time.

Sony Computer Entertainment is best known for producing the popular line of PlayStation consoles. The line

grew out of a failed partnership with Nintendo. Originally, Nintendo requested for Sony to develop an add-on

forits consolethat would playCompact Discs. In 1991 Sony announcedthe add-on, as well as a dedicated

console known as the "Play Station." However, a disagreement over software licensing for the console caused

the partnership to fall through. Sony then continued the project independently.

Launched in 1994, the firstPlayStatio

sony as mne

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