Electronics Products & Solutions

1. Audio

Sony revolutionised portable music with the iconic Walkman in 1979 – the world’s first portable player. This fueled a shift in listening habits, allowing people to enjoy music anytime, anywhere through lightweight headphones.

The Walkman brand encompasses Sony’s digital audio/video players and former mobile phones too. It pioneered formats like Memory Stick for portable music storage. Sony continues leading audio innovation with its Walkman players, noise-cancelling technology, and professional-grade microphones and headphones ethically manufactured by specially-abled employees.

2. Video

Sony made significant television innovations with the world’s first all-transistor TV in 1959. Its iconic Trinitron CRT televisions were hugely popular for decades. While discontinuing Trinitron, Sony led the transition to LCD and OLED flat panels under its BRAVIA brand.

Despite losing the global TV market leadership, Sony persisted – launching the first OLED TV in 2007 and pioneering 4K OLED in 2013. It restructured the loss-making TV business through partnerships. Sony’s BRAVIA range now offers premium LCD, OLED and projection TVs alongside home theatre systems. Its expertise spans video technologies from legacy formats to modern Ultra HD.

3. Photography and Videography

Sony has made a diverse range of digital cameras for all needs. Its iconic Cyber-shot lineup provides quality point-and-shoot cameras, while the Alpha series caters to advanced photographers with DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.

A pioneer in imaging technology, Sony demonstrated the Mavica – the first digital camera prototype – way back in 1981. It later acquired Konica Minolta’s camera business to expand its DSLR offerings. Sony’s mirrorless cameras like the game-changing Alpha 7 full-frame models have been widely acclaimed. The Alpha 6000 even became the best-selling mirrorless camera ever. Sony also manufactures professional-grade camcorders and cinema cameras under its prestigious CineAlta brand, in addition to action cams.

4. Computing

Sony has a long history in the computer industry, starting with its own PCs in the 1980s like the SMC-777. It re-entered the market with its pioneering VAIO laptops in 1996, focused on audio-visual integration.

However, Sony faced issues like its infamous battery recall in 2006. It tried tapping tablets with Sony Tablet in 2011 and Xperia smartphones from 2012 onwards. But lacklustre sales led Sony to exit the VAIO PC business in 2014, selling the brand to Japan Industrial Partners.

Sony Continues making Raspberry Pi single-board computers at its UK facility. Sony’s expertise in miniaturisation and portability keeps it relevant in the computing domain.

5. Mobiles

In the early 2000s, Sony had a tiny presence in mobile phones with less than 1% market share. To gain a foothold, it partnered with Ericsson in 2001 to format Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications.

The joint venture had a rocky start with losses in 2001-02. However, it turned profitable in 2003 by innovating with multimedia phones featuring cameras. Sony Ericsson rose to become the world’s 4th largest phone maker by 2009.

But intense competition from Apple’s iconic iPhone and the global recession severely impacted the company. Sony acquired Ericsson’s stake for over a billion in 2012 to focus solely on smartphones under its Xperia brand.

While Sony Mobile shipped 40 million handsets at its peak in 2014, sales have declined since. It sold just 2.9 million Xperia phones in fiscal 2020 amid fierce smartphone competition.

6. Robotics

Sony pioneered consumer robotics in the late 1990s with iconic products like the AIBO robotic dog, music bot Rolly, and humanoid QRIO. However, it paused robotics operations for a decade due to financial constraints, before reviving them in 2016.

Sony has forayed into drones too – partnering with Aerosense in 2015 and unveiling its own Airpeak drone integrated with Alpha cameras in 2021. Sony continues exploring cutting-edge robotics and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Sony Corporation is one of the well-known Japanese multinational conglomerates. With its presence across many industries, it has successfully positioned itself as a major company. Back from the days of a mere electronics manufacturer, this company has grown to the point that it is reaching beyond its traditional limits, moving into areas that are completely different from the ones it used to occupy.

Sony has branched into electronics, gaming, entertainment, financial services, and semiconductors, Sony has carved a niche for itself as a well-diversified multinational entity. Its brand awareness and approach have been the driving force behind its triumph in all sectors, be it products or services.