sony losses and new ceo

[keitaro]

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-02-02/sony-s-hirai-must-tackle-tv-unit-with-2-3-billion-in-losses.html

just goes to show how much the over inflated yen is killing the japanese right now.


“Hirai needs to rebuild Sony so that the company can produce something that cannot be copied by others. Sony was once such a company.”

how true that statement is

[3railgreg]

Too bad this is the case. Sony makes still some of the finest portable shortwave radios. I hope they can figure it out...

[The_Ghan]

One of their problems is after-sales service and repairs.  I've had to take Sony to the Department of Fair Trading twice.  Their consumer products just aren't as good as they were 20-30 years ago.  Based on my experience I now avoid the brand.

Cheers

The_Ghan

[keitaro]

i have never had an issue thank god hence i still buy but yeah i get that statement.

10 years ago no one madew a product that looks and worked as well as sony .... what happend!!! cheap labor catching up they stopped striving for top quality first to the market products and are now paying the price.

[cteno4]

their venture into entertainment i think really got them lost. the stopped being the bleeding edge on technology then the quality did start to slip. the one two punch of edge technology and great quality made them worth the price. they also seemed to be a very forward looking company, but now seems to be the quarter to quarter profit mentality. its hard to regain that status you once had after a fall like they have had, but it can be done. mainly refocusing back onto what you use to do so well and also that others just dont do much. then its being hard assed to keep on the path and not wander off it or get lazy.

they also had the whole consumer electronics market change radically while they were off wandering with sony entertainment fiasco. companies like apple that had the focus on the new stuff were able to snipe that quality and bleeding edge and then took the style thing and tuned it up even more than sony ever did.

jeff

[bikkuri bahn]

Their consumer products just aren't as good as they were 20-30 years ago.

FWIW Sony products in Japan for a while have had a reputation for breaking down approx. 10 years after purchase- call it a "planned obsolescence"- all the better to get people to buy a replacement.  Albeit, this practice is not unique to Sony, in fact it seems to be the norm nowadays.  Furthermore, with the multitudes of products being offered, it costs to offer parts and service- and when your company is struggling to keep up with cheaper more nimble competitors like Samsung, that part likely gets cut.

[The_Ghan]

There was a time when every piece of a/v gear in my home was Sony.  I swore by Sony.  I talked my friends into buying Sony.  Now I swear AT Sony and winge to my friends about their poor service and support.

Now, Samsung smart TVs and PVRs and phones.  Yamaha amp.

Cheers

The_Ghan

[westfalen]

Their consumer products just aren't as good as they were 20-30 years ago.

FWIW Sony products in Japan for a while have had a reputation for breaking down approx. 10 years after purchase- call it a "planned obsolescence"- all the better to get people to buy a replacement.  Albeit, this practice is not unique to Sony, in fact it seems to be the norm nowadays.  Furthermore, with the multitudes of products being offered, it costs to offer parts and service- and when your company is struggling to keep up with cheaper more nimble competitors like Samsung, that part likely gets cut.

My current video camera is a Sony (very happy with it BTW), if it lasts 10 years it will have outlived every other video camera I have owned.

[CaptOblivious]

Their consumer products just aren't as good as they were 20-30 years ago.

FWIW Sony products in Japan for a while have had a reputation for breaking down approx. 10 years after purchase- call it a "planned obsolescence"- all the better to get people to buy a replacement.  Albeit, this practice is not unique to Sony, in fact it seems to be the norm nowadays.  Furthermore, with the multitudes of products being offered, it costs to offer parts and service- and when your company is struggling to keep up with cheaper more nimble competitors like Samsung, that part likely gets cut.

Whereas here in the US, a product that broke down 10 years after purchase would be called a quality piece of kit! Most of my stuff dies after about 3-4 years. I have an Apple AirPort Extreme that has lasted me over a decade, and I consider it a miracle.

[keitaro]

Their consumer products just aren't as good as they were 20-30 years ago.

FWIW Sony products in Japan for a while have had a reputation for breaking down approx. 10 years after purchase- call it a "planned obsolescence"- all the better to get people to buy a replacement.  Albeit, this practice is not unique to Sony, in fact it seems to be the norm nowadays.  Furthermore, with the multitudes of products being offered, it costs to offer parts and service- and when your company is struggling to keep up with cheaper more nimble competitors like Samsung, that part likely gets cut.

My current video camera is a Sony (very happy with it BTW), if it lasts 10 years it will have outlived every other video camera I have owned.

my sony camera has been a good 5 years now 2007 one of the first 1080i hdd camera's i love it to death and it has done easily 1000hrs + recording

[keitaro]

so yeah 6.21 billion us in losses OUCH

Hirai has a big job ahead of him.