Sony has confirmed that it has halted all PC and laptop development with immediate effect, after agreeing to sell that sector of the business to Japanese Industrial Partners Inc. (JIP). This means brands like VAIO will not have new entries to them in the future, unless JIP gain the name rights too and continue using the name. The money from this sale will be reinvested heavily in the smartphone and tablet branch of Sony.
JIP will first concentrate on the domestic Japanese market before thinking of expanding to other territories. Though Sony will stop producing PCs and laptops the company will continue to support current models with aftercare, and this sale will see the loss of around 300 jobs from this sector, though most will be offered roles at JIP or moved to different departments.
Sony is also concentrating on its TV business and has turned it into a subsidiary. The company is currently claiming 75% marketshare in Japan, and majority share for the US in regards to 4K televisions. The TV business isn’t expected to start generating profits until 2015. These changes are huge for the company which has seen quite a few heavy losses financially in recent history, so we’ll see how big of an effect these moves have long term.
Source: Sony
Dar-Kaus
I think it’s a bold and smart move by Sony to offload the PC business and concentrate on the markets that they know and command respect in.
bunimomike
Agreed. Kaz has had to make some tough decisions but we’re seeing those come to fruition now. Sadly, it means lay-offs and restructuring.
camdaz
I think it will be better for Sony not to have it’s fingers in so many pies.
I hope they got a very good price and decide to sponsor McLaren instead of Lotus.
Foxhound_Solid
Concentrated focus is the better option. Fair play to them.
ron_mcphatty
I love my VAIO but it’s not without it’s massive flaws, I think most owners would admit the same about their laptops. Probably a sensible move by Sony, although a sad ending to a quality line of products it’s not a market that they really need to be present in anymore.
MikLSP
The VAIO team never managed to move with the times and it’s a brave but, I think, wise move for Sony to cut them loose.
The one part I am surprised at us that they are apparently selling the VAIO brand along with the PC business. While it’s unlikely that they will ever re-enter the PC market, it’s unusual for any large company to let go of a well established line of branding.
Roynaldo
All I can say is all fair in business. PC is a hard market and to concentrate on other more profitable lines is a wise move. I hope the affected workers are kept in stable work though. That’s my main concern.
colmshan1990
And there goes the only laptop manufacturer able to compete with Apple for build quality…
plutoniumdragon
The direction PC/laptop sales have taken for all the big players, I can’t say I’m surprised, really. More of a case of ‘Who’s next?’
I’ve never been a big Vaio fan tbh, sure the aesthetics are nice, some models are almost up with Apple, but they’ve always seemed to me to be too propriety for a Windows/PC product and pretty overpriced in a price/performance sense.
plutoniumdragon
That should have said *proprietary* of course ;)
TSBonyman
No longer Vaio-ble?
I’ll get my coat.. :P
TheShepanator
Good move I think, as the laptop business is the only area in which sony isn’t showing any signs of recovering, everybody thought it would be the TV division but even they seem to be clawing back market share!