Despite the good quality, Sony is difficult to compete with smartphone giants-Samsung and Apply. And it seems Sony recently did not launch new smartphone.
@Clairvoyant: Sony has good range of smart phones based on Android. In fact I have three of them for my wife, son and daughter and they all work just like other Andoid phone. One only concern for Sony phone is they consume more power. But quality of product is quite good. I am interested in new Sony Xperia JL(?) series 5 inch smart phone.
I wasn't even aware that Sony was in the smartphone market at all. It will be hard for them to enter the high-end smartphone market if they don't currently have any sales there yet.
It is reported that Sony will withdraw from low-end or entry-level smartphone market, focusing more on high-end samrtphone market, said Sony Xperia product manager in a recent interviewee.
Currently, only emphasizing the high-end smartphone market can benefit the beleaguered Sony from decentralization of funds and from avoiding the possible problems that is facing HTC which introduces a variety of products, resulting in no flagship machine.
But from the development trend of current smartphone perspective, this decision of Sony seems wrong and dangerous. According to market research firm IHS, the low end represents the fastest growing segment of the global smart-phone market, with shipments growing from 206 million to 559 million from 2012 to 2016 with a 51% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2011 to 2016, compared to the 12% CAGR expected for high-end smart phones during the same period. IHS expects emerging regions where low-end smart phones have the most appeal to generate the fastest growth among all regions for mobile handsets.
In addition, the shipments of smartphone in China and other emerging regions show the strong attractiveness of mid and low-end smartphones; Intel even declared to march into this segment, therefore withdrawing from this promising field for Sony will undoubtedly lose market shares. From some sense, China market decides the success or failure of handset manufacturers, and mid and low-end smartphone is the mainstream product in China, especially when global economic situation continue to show uncertainty. As a result, consumer's spending poses requirements for paying more attention to low-end market.
In terms of high-end smartphone market, it is almost dominated by Samsung and Apple, so to seize more market shares from these two smartphone giants is difficult for Sony. In 2012, Samsung outpaced Nokia and ranked the first among the smartphone manufactures where the layout in various-level market contributes a lot to its achievement. Facing so strong competitor, a good achievement and large market shares seems possible. In addition, based on recent signs, Apple is projected to come in at middle and low-end smartphone market, so for Sony having forayed into low-end market, forgoing this segment is really right for Sony?
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
Archived Dialogues
Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
While no one really can accurately predict the future, we can take guidance from another Drucker saying which is the best way to predict the future is to create it.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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