Sony CEO Howard Stringer gave an interesting interview to the Wall Street Journal yesterday about Sony’s future involvement in the TV business. In the interview it was revealed that Sony has been working on a new type of TV for 5 years. Stringer also said that he is convinced that Apple has been working on a flat panel TV for some time.
Race to the bottom
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal Sony's Howard Stringer shared his views on the general TV industry. He believes that it has been a race to the bottom for some years now, and says that TV makers lose money on every TV made.
Sony’s Google TV was no success
A few years ago Sony started promoting 3DTVs but that strategy has not been a success. Sony has also developed connected TVs without much success and their latest adventure with the Google TV platform failed miserably. Therefore, Sony has been forced to change strategy, which has led them to divide their TV division into three. Sony is considering to stop their considering to stop their LCD joint venture partnership with Samsung.
Four-screen strategy to challenge Apple
In the interview, Howard Stringer also said that he is convinced that Steve Jobs and Apple have been working on a flat panel TV (learn more here) for many years. Stringer considers Apple a real threat to Sony’s TV business – even though Apple has not entered the TV market yet.
Sony wants to develop a new kind of TV
Sony wants to be a bit more like Apple, obviously. Therefore they have decided on a four-screen strategy, with a goal to create a “seamless” user experience, with one integrated platform for a range of products. The four screens refer to TVs, smartphones, tablets and PCs. Sony introduced their first tablet in September 2011 and Sony has just bought Ericsson’s part of the Sony Ericsson company. Stringer goes on to say that Sony has been doing a lot of research.
- “There's a tremendous amount of R&D going into a different kind of TV set”
Howard Stringer continues and says that Sony has worked five years on a new kind of TV and an integrated platform.
- “I spent the last five years building a platform so I can compete against Steve Jobs”
Howard Stringer even says that Steve Jobs advised Sony to concentrate on fewer products but Stringer says that it is a difficult strategy to implement because it requires Sony to cut jobs. Still, Stringer believes that he has cracked the code to an integrated platform after five years.
-”It's finished, and it's launching now.”
What do you think about Sony's new strategy? Is Howard Stringer right? Share your opinion in the comment box below.
- Source: Wall Street Journal
Sony to develop new kind of TV, challenge Apple
