I was wondering, with all the problems sony is having with apple in the music department, samsung in tvs, and microsoft/nintendo in the gaming, could they be thrown out of bussiness? Could sony do something about ipod. I heard they're doing things right with the tv department. What do you think.
SONY woes...
- Thread starter pixelbox
- Start date
Since when did Sony have trouble in the video game (Playstation) business? They are raking in cash there. For consumer electronics I think it comes and goes in trends. They are partnered up with Samsung and I don't think they will be out of the picture. I expect them to make a comeback there. They do seem to have lost their way in the small portable music player category, one which they pioneered, ironically. IPod is so much an "it" item now, I don't see how they can be slowly caught up to. Seems something dramatic has to happen to shift that tide.
I don't think Sony is in major trouble. I think things just aren't as rosy as they used to be. They will have to make some exciting new technologies to keep out of the "me to" category and not have to fight on price (which would be very harsh considering China). Let's see what Cell can do for consumer electronics. It may not be the most wonderful chip in the world, but it's not always about technology. Sometimes it is what you allow that technology to do. If Sony feels they have little to lose they may gamble big. History says they are foolish when it comes to proprietary formats versus popular demand and their history in DRM is not exactly spectacular either. Who knows, perhaps these mistakes will help them do an about-face and come out learning from the mistakes others are still waiting to make.
I don't think Sony is in major trouble. I think things just aren't as rosy as they used to be. They will have to make some exciting new technologies to keep out of the "me to" category and not have to fight on price (which would be very harsh considering China). Let's see what Cell can do for consumer electronics. It may not be the most wonderful chip in the world, but it's not always about technology. Sometimes it is what you allow that technology to do. If Sony feels they have little to lose they may gamble big. History says they are foolish when it comes to proprietary formats versus popular demand and their history in DRM is not exactly spectacular either. Who knows, perhaps these mistakes will help them do an about-face and come out learning from the mistakes others are still waiting to make.
The DS sales in japan had me thinking...If a better handheld practically tanked by a lesser handheld with less features, what makes the PS3 any different when up against revolution? I know i wouldn't buy one but things like this seem to be "in" in japan. Ipod sells to consumers as if it was the last meal on earth. Why, i don't know but people seems to like buying unnesessary, over priced things just because it's "in". Ipod and DS imo is a ripoff and they are destroying sony's branches. Sony really, really, really, needs more advertising. Half the things sony has people don't even know about.wireframe said:
PSP seems to get lots of advertising around me, 'specially on Nick & Cartoon Network; and I'm starting to see waaaay too many UMD movies advertised.pixelbox said:
Yes they advertise plenty.
Sony's problem is they bought off music labels and movie studios and then went crazy on DRM handicapping all their devices. Hence every other brand offered more feature rich less constricted devices that were the same quality. It is not wonder sony lost money last year for the first time ever.
Sony's problem is they bought off music labels and movie studios and then went crazy on DRM handicapping all their devices. Hence every other brand offered more feature rich less constricted devices that were the same quality. It is not wonder sony lost money last year for the first time ever.
pixelbox said:
These things go in cycles. Sony just has to wait for the next big thing, maybe it will be blu-ray, maybe it will be SED tvs. If they want to get back to where they were they need a breakthrough that they can ride. They still have brand recognition (more than they deserve as far as CE, I might argue), they just need another product (product line) they can call their own (ala walkman or trinitron). It could happen next year, it could be never. I don't think they will ever dominate CE in terms of brand recognition as they once did.
I can only hope for the best for them sinse i really love their products. Their new product line(Briva,playstation) does very well. Maybe they need new names because walkman/trinitron has bad reps(out dated). I want Sony to be where they belong because of the way they make their products. I just don't get the ipod craze. Anywho, the music branch of Sony needs something big and i thought it was the psp. And a new name would do it imo. They have a new line of walkmans but they lack the features of the ipod video, another stupid mistake. They got to get on the ball here or they will lose their brand recognition. Playstation can only go so far. I can see how Sony could get out of this rut, I just hope they will. BTW what's up with the psp? What could they do to make the psp sell similar to ipod? Also why don't you think Sony will ever dominate CE in terms of brand recognition?AlphaWolf said:
well, i have one of the new mp3 players from sony.
very good running time with a rechargable battery, but very bad with a normal one, dont ask me why.
to put music on it the pc is calculating a lot, taking its time, just so i cant take the music from the player to another pc.
(one can save data to the player directly, but then you cant play it as music on the device)
and i got myself some audiobooks recently and i now see what a hassle the player really is.
somehow many of the mp3s never get playable on the device.
to get to the middle of a 30-45 minute track takes long, way too long to aktually do it ;-)
there are nearly no options at all with the device.
well, i got it cheap
oh.. and the design actually looks cheap. (not so in the product pictures)
jo.......
so.... this ..... and overpriced tvs... bad reputation in the real audio sector......
the drm cd issue.........
I hope they learn and change.
--the best way for sony to do it--
completly embracing linux or bsd in the ps3, providing a SonyLinux distribution even for normal pcs. making the ps3 usable as a home pc, and in the end having the same look and feel all over, in mp3 players, tvs, receiver...... as far as possible anyway.
shouldnt be a proble seeing what they intend to do with the cell chip.
putting it everywhere.
so that people get addictet to the ease of use of the sony feel.
oh yeah.. of course... open standards... using and embracing them...
well.. i would like that.
oh... and how about accepting the one laptop per child idea. supporting a 2nd edition with a simple 3d chip on it....... and thus opening a gaming market as big as ma a**.
how I would love the olp to be a gaming device ;-)
very good running time with a rechargable battery, but very bad with a normal one, dont ask me why.
to put music on it the pc is calculating a lot, taking its time, just so i cant take the music from the player to another pc.
(one can save data to the player directly, but then you cant play it as music on the device)
and i got myself some audiobooks recently and i now see what a hassle the player really is.
somehow many of the mp3s never get playable on the device.
to get to the middle of a 30-45 minute track takes long, way too long to aktually do it ;-)
there are nearly no options at all with the device.
well, i got it cheap
oh.. and the design actually looks cheap. (not so in the product pictures)
jo.......
so.... this ..... and overpriced tvs... bad reputation in the real audio sector......
the drm cd issue.........
I hope they learn and change.
--the best way for sony to do it--
completly embracing linux or bsd in the ps3, providing a SonyLinux distribution even for normal pcs. making the ps3 usable as a home pc, and in the end having the same look and feel all over, in mp3 players, tvs, receiver...... as far as possible anyway.
shouldnt be a proble seeing what they intend to do with the cell chip.
putting it everywhere.
so that people get addictet to the ease of use of the sony feel.
oh yeah.. of course... open standards... using and embracing them...
well.. i would like that.
oh... and how about accepting the one laptop per child idea. supporting a 2nd edition with a simple 3d chip on it....... and thus opening a gaming market as big as ma a**.
how I would love the olp to be a gaming device ;-)
Everybody seems to forget the MP3 capable "musicphones".
If Sony can make the "Connect" service as good or better than iTunes (I hope, but doubt...) then these musicphones could be a serious competitor to iPods.
On other areas, I think Sony audio gear (nowadays, it seems to be just AV amps that are the main product line for any company) is just not up to competitors with current models, a few years ago they were still competitive, but recently the design, features and finish leave something to be desired compared to those from Pioneer, Denon, H/K, Onkyo...
On video gear, I think they're doing much better than audio. DVD players are well featured and good quality, the new Bravia TV line seems to be a deserved success and their front projectors are generally considered to be among the best.
The Blu-ray should only reinforce their position in video.
Sony movies and music, they seem to be doing ok.
Playstations.... don't see them having a trouble at all on that area. Ã think it's only common sense they'd be capitalising on their best known rand, and intervining their other businesses to it in many ways (cellphones having connectivity with PSP and PS3, 1080p displayst to take full advantage of PS3, LocationFree TV, Connect store...)
So, mainly it's their audio products that are having serious trouble from better competitors, although they shouldn't rest their laurels on displays either as the competition is fiercer than ever and there are very very interisting and lucrative techs on horizon from other manufacturers. Sony clearly isn't anymore the same "no.1 name in the list of choises" in TV's as they were in the 90's early 2000's.
If Sony can make the "Connect" service as good or better than iTunes (I hope, but doubt...) then these musicphones could be a serious competitor to iPods.
On other areas, I think Sony audio gear (nowadays, it seems to be just AV amps that are the main product line for any company) is just not up to competitors with current models, a few years ago they were still competitive, but recently the design, features and finish leave something to be desired compared to those from Pioneer, Denon, H/K, Onkyo...
On video gear, I think they're doing much better than audio. DVD players are well featured and good quality, the new Bravia TV line seems to be a deserved success and their front projectors are generally considered to be among the best.
The Blu-ray should only reinforce their position in video.
Sony movies and music, they seem to be doing ok.
Playstations.... don't see them having a trouble at all on that area. Ã think it's only common sense they'd be capitalising on their best known rand, and intervining their other businesses to it in many ways (cellphones having connectivity with PSP and PS3, 1080p displayst to take full advantage of PS3, LocationFree TV, Connect store...)
So, mainly it's their audio products that are having serious trouble from better competitors, although they shouldn't rest their laurels on displays either as the competition is fiercer than ever and there are very very interisting and lucrative techs on horizon from other manufacturers. Sony clearly isn't anymore the same "no.1 name in the list of choises" in TV's as they were in the 90's early 2000's.
Anyone who visits GAF knows what im talking about. The constant chart threads of the DS. Software is very poor for the system(psp) in japan. Its looks like it won't last there. no one seems to care about psp's there. Sony's TV department will always have that kind of competition, so i dont think sony will have too much issues there as long as they keep up. It's the music department that needs the help. Keeping up isn't all they have to do, they would have to create something new and i hope they do it soon.hey69 said:psp tanked? its the best selling console after nintendo DS in japan....
so lets not talk about xbox 360 then ?
It is not redemtion, I don't hate them, I just would rather buy something that works easier. Let me give you an example.pixelbox said:
Sony's new MP3 player, if they wanted them to sell well they should make it just like a portable hard drive, no drivers necessary. You plug it into a computer anywhere and there is no hassle. But they fear people will steal their music so they don't. Sony needs to seperate its branches and let them compete in a cut throat manner. It is that synergy crap, but in their case all of the branches do worse for fear of hurting the others... I really used to like sony's styling, but it takes more than styling to sell me a product.
