Sony plans to revitalise the TV market by working on a "different type of TV," according to Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer.
Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Stringer says "we can't continue selling TV sets [the way we have been]. Every TV set we all make loses money."
Current times are tough for the Sony TV business-- and the TV business in general. Once the company golden child, Sony now projects TV-related losses totaling $1.15 billion for 2011.
It is also reducing sales volume and splitting the TV business into 3 entities, in attempts to return to making profit from TVs by 2014.
On the success (or rather, the lack thereof) of 3DTV, Stringer says more regular TV content needs to be in 3D-- a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation, then.
Stringer also has "no doubt" on Apple working on a TV product. Steve Jobs had actually advised Sony to "focus on a smaller number of products," even if that would involve closing business and layoffs.
Now Sony plans to directly "compete against Steve Jobs" with a "four screen strategy"-- a single seamless consumer platform uniting TVs, PCs, tablets and mobile phones.
Stringer concludes "You have bad years ... The trick is to weather them, learn from them, act graciously through them, and learn why and when you have to change."
Go Sony CEO Says Company Developing a Different Kind of TV (WSJ.com)
