Spring time for Sony and... we'll stop there.
Beleaguered Sony executives, Chairman and CEO Sir Howard Stringer, Chief Financial Officer Nobuyuki Oneda, and Ryoji Chubachi, President and Electronics CEO have been answering questions regarding their company. You may recall that all three have recently stated that they won't be taking bonuses following the first recent 260 billion yen (£2bn) operating loss.
Stringer began by stating that the company "might possibly have software engineers do what hardware engineers are doing now. Sony is increasingly aware of the value of software engineers". One of the reasons for this being that, "Sony has learned many lessons. We deal with not only hardware, but also software and games. If we can fuse them together, it will be an amazing advantage for us.
"If we can unify all the elements, we will have no rivals.
"We have all the necessary elements in house. It's only a matter of how we will stimulate people to fuse them together."
This all appears to be a repetition of Stringer's 'Sony United' mantra first stated in September 2005, rather than new thinking.
The new thinking, in fact, regards cost cutting and "outsourcing in non-competitive areas" according to Chubachi. None of the executives would be drawn on how this was actually going to work though. Oneda even stated, "I will explain about next fiscal year in detail in the spring".
Stringer reinforced the point. He responded to the interviewer who had asked, "Shouldn't you redefine your core businesses first and carry out structural reforms after that? " by stating "I think I can answer that question two months from now. The relation among our three elements, namely entertainment, computer and hardware, is the key to Sony's future, I believe. It is important how we will review these businesses and make them work together."
In terms of games planning for the future, Stringer stated, "Our network services were originally operated in California, apart from the PS operation. But the network services are now being supervised by the head of the PS operation.
"In this way, we will provide online games instead of so-called packaged games. Also, we are planning to start offering games, movies and other entertainment contents to all types of devices."
Exactly what other devices he means by this was not clarified in the interview transcribed by Asia's Tech-On site.
So, is it yet more Sony United? Or is there more than stale thinking to enable the company to decimate its rivals? It appears we're all going to have to wait until March to find out.
Stringer began by stating that the company "might possibly have software engineers do what hardware engineers are doing now. Sony is increasingly aware of the value of software engineers". One of the reasons for this being that, "Sony has learned many lessons. We deal with not only hardware, but also software and games. If we can fuse them together, it will be an amazing advantage for us.
"If we can unify all the elements, we will have no rivals.
"We have all the necessary elements in house. It's only a matter of how we will stimulate people to fuse them together."
This all appears to be a repetition of Stringer's 'Sony United' mantra first stated in September 2005, rather than new thinking.
The new thinking, in fact, regards cost cutting and "outsourcing in non-competitive areas" according to Chubachi. None of the executives would be drawn on how this was actually going to work though. Oneda even stated, "I will explain about next fiscal year in detail in the spring".
Stringer reinforced the point. He responded to the interviewer who had asked, "Shouldn't you redefine your core businesses first and carry out structural reforms after that? " by stating "I think I can answer that question two months from now. The relation among our three elements, namely entertainment, computer and hardware, is the key to Sony's future, I believe. It is important how we will review these businesses and make them work together."
In terms of games planning for the future, Stringer stated, "Our network services were originally operated in California, apart from the PS operation. But the network services are now being supervised by the head of the PS operation.
"In this way, we will provide online games instead of so-called packaged games. Also, we are planning to start offering games, movies and other entertainment contents to all types of devices."
Exactly what other devices he means by this was not clarified in the interview transcribed by Asia's Tech-On site.
So, is it yet more Sony United? Or is there more than stale thinking to enable the company to decimate its rivals? It appears we're all going to have to wait until March to find out.
Companies:
Sony
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Comments
SuperSaiyan4 28 Jan 2009 16:37
1/3
*Yaaaaawn* basically Sony are just trying to find ways of getting out of their situation and finding ways via words to increase their sales over the Xbox 360 and Wii...To be frank its getting them nowhere.
Sony need to understand this gen isn't about them anymore.
Sony need to understand this gen isn't about them anymore.
OptimusP 28 Jan 2009 17:37
2/3
No, basically, mister Howard Stinger is trying to figure out how to turn Sony in a integrated company again and so trying to gain a capability edge on it's competitors. You have to remember, Nintendo is an complete integrated company, Microsoft is only integrated on the software side and Sony is only integrated on the hardware side. This gen of consoles proves that.
The Wiimote was only possible to be made by Nintendo because of the close integration of software and hardware engineers and look where it took them.
It's maybe a bit too late to try find this kind of integration now.
The Wiimote was only possible to be made by Nintendo because of the close integration of software and hardware engineers and look where it took them.
It's maybe a bit too late to try find this kind of integration now.
SuperSaiyan4 29 Jan 2009 08:51
3/3
You make good points there I know Microsoft are indeed more of a software company as the original Xbox was all hardware but no innovation or design or style and the Xbox 360 has the style on the outer but seems Microsofts troubles now lie within the console itself...
Although Sony have had their fair issues with the PS2 but Sony have been able to show the capabilities in their hardware knowledge in packing in lots of top end hardware even the powersupply within the PS3.
Also there is Nintendo with such a small console and the Wiimote.
Microsoft do indeed need to look at the hardware much more closely next gen and not cut too many corners as they have the software side pretty much pinned down.
Although Sony have had their fair issues with the PS2 but Sony have been able to show the capabilities in their hardware knowledge in packing in lots of top end hardware even the powersupply within the PS3.
Also there is Nintendo with such a small console and the Wiimote.
Microsoft do indeed need to look at the hardware much more closely next gen and not cut too many corners as they have the software side pretty much pinned down.