Sony is planning to automate the production lines at its main TV factory in an effort to reduce production costs by 70%, the company told FT. Sony will also boost its TV services.

Lower costs, fewer defects
Sony's TV business ran at a loss for a decade but the company managed to turn it around by refocusing on premium TVs such as OLED. It is now turning it attention to production optimization.

Factory automation and robotics at Sony's main TV factory in Malaysia are expected to cut production costs by 70% by fiscal year 2023 compared to 2018, according to Kimio Maki who is in charge of Sony's Electronics Products and Solutions business. Robotics can also help reduce product defects, he added.

Combined with a push towards online sales and digital services for TVs, he believes that Sony can further boost profitability of its TVs. The company is aspiring to use robotics in the production of smartphones and cameras in the future.

- "I don’t think automation by itself using robots will bring enough benefits. The key is to use digitization to link sales and manufacturing," Kimio Maki told the Financial Times.


 Bravia Core on Sony 2021 TVs

Bravia Core streaming service
Earlier this year, Sony launched Bravia Core, a movie streaming service that is available exclusively on 2021 Sony Google TVs that also come pre-installed with various Google services.

 Also read: Review: Sony A90J and Bravia Core

Based on Maki's comments it sounds like we will see more services appear on Sony TVs in the coming years. The company owns the Sony Pictures movie studio, Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. game studio as well as various other smaller content studios.

- Source: Financial Times