Sony is arguably one of the most recognizable names in the technology industry. They take up a big chunk of gaming, TV, and the film industry. Unfortunately, they haven't been finding success in the mobile industry for many years now. While some people really dig Sony Xperia smartphones, they never get the attention or sales enough to be considered a competitive product. The devices are often missing key features, and both the software and the hardware can feel dated, despite Sony's desperate push for change last year. All of these issues, alongside questionable marketing choices, prevented the devices from going mainstream. Sony has finally acknowledged their struggles, as they are restructuring the whole mobile division.
Starting April 1st, The Xperia Mobile division will cease to exist on its own. It will be a part of a new division called Electronics Products and Solutions, alongside TV, audio, and camera product lines. Also, Sony will transfer the smartphone producing to a plant in Thailand. The report claims that Sony is aiming to have a profitable smartphone business by April of 2020. The details of the new business model are still unknown, but the report gives us a clue that Sony has big hopes for 5G networks.
Sony's Xperia business lost almost a billion dollars in the last four quarters. That's a good enough indication to assume that these phones just weren't cutting it. We still have to see how this reorganization and new business model will affect the company in general. I've always loved Sony for their passion for innovation, but I have to admit that they've been struggling to keep up for the past couple of years. I have a feeling that this time Sony may really make a comeback not by just shrinking the bezels, but by making a product that truly stands out.