SONY hands-off television design - becomes only a contractor

hifijay

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Upping Outsourcing, Soon Sony May Not Even Design Its Own Bravia TVs
By Jonathan Sutton Friday, 29 April 2011, 12:00 am BST


We reported last year that Sony is increasingly outsourcing the production of LCD TV panels to Taiwanese manufacturers, but if a recent report is to be believed, the Japanese conglomerate will not even be designing its own flat-screen televisions any more in the near future. This means that eventually consumers may purchase a HDTV which will sport the Sony brand name, but is designed and assembled entirely by another firm.

DigiTimes, a Taiwanese daily newspaper focusing on the electronics industry, reported this week that a major contract manufacturer for Sony Bravia LCD TVs is set to step up its role to become an original design manufacturer (ODM). The company in question is none other than Foxconn, a subsidiary of Hon Hai Precision Industry (the largest electronics component maker in the world), who makes some of the most well-known gadgets such as the iPod, iPhone and iPad for Apple.
In preparation for the role upgrade, Foxconn has acquired a number of Sonys overseas LCD TV panel plants, and also restructured its research and development (R&D) departments. Whereas previously Sony had a say in the design of Bravia LCD televisions, Foxconn will soon be completely responsible for the models aesthetics as well as internal electronics. The Taiwan-based company is expected to secure orders for around 14 million units of LCD TVs from Sony, therefore making it the number one producer of Bravia TV displays in terms of volume.
Unfortunately for Sony loyalists, this design outsourcing process goes beyond entry-level and midrange models. The Tokyo-headquartered corporation started using Taiwanese OEM companies to produce some high-end LCD TV displays for the first time in 2011, and is planning to ramp up the ratio next year. According to DigiTimes industry sources, Foxconns decision to elevate its partnership with Sony from EMS (electronics manufacturing services) to ODM is partially spurred by its desire to land lucrative ODM orders for premium Bravia HDTVs in 2012.

Read it fully HERE
 
I don't think any company will do this with a product which as of now is the hotest electronic gadget world over. Don't believe everything that is published by the media their main focus has moved from giving news to getting trps or in this case webhits.

Watched a news channel somedays back where they were talking about aliens attacking the world :rolleyes:
 
I don't think any company will do this with a product which as of now is the hotest electronic gadget world over. Don't believe everything that is published by the media their main focus has moved from giving news to getting trps or in this case webhits.

Watched a news channel somedays back where they were talking about aliens attacking the world :rolleyes:

Sachin,

Do you think all other members of this forum are dumb?

This is pretty much official. More reliable news that Kate-Williams news.

Just Google it.. You will get 100 more news sites with the same story.

There is even a press release from FoxCon.
 
This is not entirely false but i think Sony will still make x reality chips on their own. This is to cut costs due to rise in yen so cost of making products in japan is higher and to remain competitive they have to do this and even Panasonic is doing this. In the end this is disappointing as Sony is a legend in the field of televisions and to outsource that it is little embarrassing but even apple doesn't make their own products. I dont know what they are trying to do to the iconic company known as SONY. They are getting beaten by Apple in portable music, Nintendo in gaming and Samsung in tvs which is really sad because they were the king in tvs, gaming and portable music.
 
This is not entirely false but i think Sony will still make x reality chips on their own. This is to cut costs due to rise in yen so cost of making products in japan is higher and to remain competitive they have to do this and even Panasonic is doing this. In the end this is disappointing as Sony is a legend in the field of televisions and to outsource that it is little embarrassing but even apple doesn't make their own products. I dont know what they are trying to do to the iconic company known as SONY. They are getting beaten by Apple in portable music, Nintendo in gaming and Samsung in tvs which is really sad because they were the king in tvs, gaming and portable music.

aks316

Kindly read the news carefully.

No one will have the problem if the manufacturing alone is out-sourcing which is pretty much the world norm now. We are all used to chinese junk in everything.

However, your long winded excuse is for marketing but we are now talking about designing and specifications.

This means SONY will only LEND its brand name. If you buy SONY, almost like BATA, You only buy a chinese make with SONY brand. Take a glass of cold water and swallow this news..
 
I also meant that. I read this news 1 hour back bro. I am not even defending Sony here. I am a big Sony fan but i still wrote them a letter of my disappointment. I will think twice before buying or recommending Sony tvs now. This is not good for Sonys reputation. Sony became a brand name not because it was cheaper but because it was better. I will be watching Sonys move very carefully now as i want to see what effects it will have on their products.
 
I also meant that. I read this news 1 hour back bro. I am not even defending Sony here. I am a big Sony fan but i still wrote them a letter of my disappointment. I will think twice before buying or recommending Sony tvs now. This is not good for Sonys reputation. Sony became a brand name not because it was cheaper but because it was better. I will be watching Sonys move very carefully now as i want to see what effects it will have on their products.

Same here aks316. Always wanted SONY only.

Even now, I have a wonderful television 32inch WEGA with DRC100 after 11 years of purchase. Made in JAPAN. Not a single trouble so far... And, the picture is atleast 100 times better than the best LCD TV - for SD. Don't know what to do with that TV, though. Occupying half the room!
 
This news is actually old Sony were already contracting foxconn . Base models such as the BX series was already being designed by OEMs such as Foxconn.
You can see that the the 2011 models based on the older BE3 can play many formats ,it was a feature given by the OEM makers.

But the X-reality tvs are still made by Sony factories in their Thailand factories,which also make digital cameras/DSLR/DSLT etc.

Research and Devolpment is still done by Sony.

Lcd Panels are still jointly made by Sony/samsung and Sony-sharp,with proprietary backlight,color filter and external coatings.Sony also has their own image processing.

Even other companies like same contract OEMs to make their tvs for low end models.
 
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Hi i still love the Sony name but now i want to see what effect outsourcing will have on their products. I had an awesome Sony 21inch wega tv but now i am using Sony EX400 which is also awesome. I hope Sony knows what they are doing. The have done lot of mistakes in the past and i hope this is not one of them. They are forcing me to go to other brands like Panasonic, Samsung etc. As if now i still prefer a Bravia but who knows it might change soon.
Same here aks316. Always wanted SONY only.

Even now, I have a wonderful television 32inch WEGA with DRC100 after 11 years of purchase. Made in JAPAN. Not a single trouble so far... And, the picture is atleast 100 times better than the best LCD TV - for SD. Don't know what to do with that TV, though. Occupying half the room!
 
Read carefully what the article says
Over the past year, Sony began contracting with Foxconn, a major Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, for TV assembly. Foxconn is now in the process of upgrading their capabilities, in order to become a complete production service that also offers ODM (original design manufacturing). This initial step will enable them to broaden their role in the production of those entry level Sony TV models that are sold through Wal-Mart, warehouse clubs and other discount chains.

The economy/midrange and High end will still be designed and manufactured by Sony Corporation.For the Asian market it will be made in massive facility of Sony in Thailand.
 
No one will have the problem if the manufacturing alone is out-sourcing which is pretty much the world norm now. We are all used to chinese junk in everything.

I hope better sense prevails.

In manufacturing outsource contracts, the quality control is as strict as the original manufacturer and the defects in ppm rate has to be maintained lower than original manufacturer in many cases.

You don't get used to some chinese junk, rather you get almost the same product.
 
Chinese products are increasingly having better quality.But the problem with chinese companies is that they don't value intellectual properties of a company.Nowdays i see copycats withing chinese market fake of a fake.

They have even copied even a large fighter aircraft like SU-27 and the SU-33.
 
Its quite normal that larger companies will sub-contract low end products and concentrate in-house on hi-tech. Its easier to control a developed technology thro outsourcing and not let loose in the new tech arena.
 
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