Sony has spent the last three years restructuring the company and today releases its big plans for growth. Apparently, the next big thing is electronics products that connect to each other and the Internet and stuff. You know, downloading movies onto a game console or syncing your music with a music player. Wow, I can’t wait for all that kind of technology to come out.
We here at TechConsumer have been pretty harsh on Sony, but it feels like the company has been playing catch up for a long time. And even in areas where it was once the innovator, it now sucks. (Here’s a site that rates the best “CD Players / Recorders,” and Sony is at the bottom of the list.)
Now seems like as good a time as any to recap some of Sony’s blunders for just the past year (we wouldn’t want this post to get too long):
Sony Charges $50 Extra to Sell You Laptop with No Crapware
“But apparently Sony figured out that if 70% of its customers aren’t interested in two dozen icons of offers (really Sony, 3 to 4 is one thing, but over 20?), the company should offer a crapware-free version of its laptops. Sony, in all its branding glory, has decided to trademark the term “Fresh Start” but has made the huge mistake of charging $50 for it.”
Sony DVD Player + Sony Movies = Won’t Play
“Does Sony really think that it is acceptable to produce DVDs that don’t even play in your own company’s players, nevermind players by top manufacturers such as JVC, Mitsubishi, Pioneer, RCA, Samsung, or Toshiba?”
Sony Thinks Blu-ray Will Sell Like DVD by End of 2008
“While the vast majority of Blu-ray players out there are the ones built-in to the Playstation 3, Sony has plans for cheaper Blu-ray players including a new focus on “IT devices.” (Because we all would adopt Blu-ray if only our computers had it, apparently). Last but not least on the list of reasons, more Blu-ray movies will be offered by Hollywood studios to entice you into switching to the new format.”
The $100 PS3 Game: Gran Turismo 5
“When Sony announced that Gran Turismo 5 Prologue would be available for $40 in April, I couldn’t help but have a knee-jerk reaction. How could Sony get away with charging $40 for GT5 Reduced Lite Junior Prologue when the full version would sell for only $20 more? Here’s how, the word is out today that the full blown version of Gran Turismo won’t be out for another year! Is this a new business model for delayed games or just Sony trying to satiate the rabid Gran Turismo fans?”
Blu-ray in the News: High Prices & No Microsoft Love
“Since Blu-ray became the next generation movie disc format of choice, the consumer supposedly has been better off. But Tom’s Hardware claims that prices of Blu-ray players are higher than ever and that now, in fact, is the worst time to buy.”
Paul’s Soapbox: DRM, 3G, Playstation Home
“For those not familiar with Playstation Home (also referred to as just Home), it is Sony’s total copy interpretation of Second Life The Sims Online a virtual world. It was originally announced in March 2007 and scheduled to come out in open beta in August 2007 and public release in October 2007. Later they promised a ‘Spring 2008’ delivery, only to announce in Spring 2008 that it would be coming out in Fall 2008.”
Feel free to add to this list by leaving a comment below.
Yeah, 2007 wasn’t the year for Sony. 2008 and 2009 aren’t looking like they’ll be much better either. Honestly, I think the company needs to be split up. They don’t realize any synergies from being the monolithic-conglomerate-silo-giant that Sony is right now.
Well there were bright sparks like the release of GTA4 probably pushed sales of the PS3.
GTA4 did move some consoles, but more of them were 360s actually. MGS4 also came out, but it didn’t move consoles at all like Halo 3 did, or even Gears of War (oddly enough).