SonyRumors

2015 Mostly a ‘Transformation’ Year for Sony Mobile; 2016 Will Offer More ‘Bold’

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 8, 2015 | 8 comments

Despite smartphones making up a bulk of their sales, the mobile division of Sony has been stalled for the past two years where they’ve retreat in total sales compared to years past. Announcing a new flagship smartphone, the Xperia Z3+ (Xperia Z4 in Japan) and tablet, the Xperia Z4 Tablet, Sony is betting on premium devices to help get back on track.

Still, a handful of products short of pulling in sales numbers like Apple (for those playing at home, with the launch of iPhone 6 & iPhone 6+, Apple sold 75 million units in one quarter where Sony sold across its many different devices just shy of 40 million units in one year) won’t be able to turn Sony around and they know this. Instead the company will treat 2015 as mostly a “transformation” year with hopes that 2016 will finally bring in the elusive profits they so desperately need.

Sony Mobile – Smartphones Make Up Bulk of Sales; Tablets & Wearables Only a Small Portion

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 3, 2015 | 5 comments

It’s not breaking news that Sony Mobile has been struggling. Once destined to be one of the three pillars of Sony, the ever important mobile division has instead been a cause for financial loss at Sony. In just the past two years, not only has Sony Mobile not been able to move forward and grow, but it has also retreated and lost ground.

More on this after the jump, including how Sony can recapture the smartphone market and make ways with their wearables.

Sony’s 4K Vision Goes Beyond Consumers and Broadcast

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 2, 2015 | 0 comments

It’s been obvious for some time that Sony sees 4K as part of their path towards recovery and growth. The new video format, which is here to replace HD (which in turn replaced SD), is already being offered in a variety of form factors from Sony. In fact, Sony is one of the few companies, if not the only one, that gives you options to not only record in 4K, be it with their Handycam FDR-AX100 which is priced at just $1,000, but consume it as well via their 4K televisions. Heck, even Sony’s smartphones now can capture in 4K. Ultimately, in order for Sony’s 4K vision to be successful, they need to offer a range of products that are compelling to professionals and consumers.

All the products I mentioned above are primarily targeted at consumers with price tags that are fairly affordable. Just two years ago at CES 2014, Sony announced the first consumer 4K camcorder which they dubbed “4K for 2K,” referencing the price which at the time seemed extremely low and now this year, we already have a model for half the price. The other part of this equation is for professionals. Sony Pictures is already using the format in a variety of their movies and shows like The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Breaking Bad, and Powers. But in order for 4K to become ubitiquous, Sony is looking to other markets as well to expand their 4K vision.

Xperia Z3 No Longer Offered By T-Mobile; What It Means for Sony

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 8, 2015 | 3 comments

A sign of things to come for sure, T-Mobile has unexpectedly stopped selling the Sony Xperia Z3. Just a little over 6 months into October 2014, we saw T-Mobile begin carrying the flagship smartphone from Sony alongside Verizon. During that time, Sony has claimed that T-Mobile has been a good partnership for them though we’ve had no real sales to go by. The only sales numbers we’ve had have been general ones for the entire mobile division of Sony which have been poor to say the least.

In early March, T-Mobile announced support for Android 5.0 Lollipop on the Xperia Z1s and Xperia Z3. Now, less than a month later and T-Mobile no longer carries any Sony devices. Is this a sign of good things with the Xperia Z4 in the near future, or a sign of bad things for Sony Mobile?

Discussion after the jump.

Sony Sums Up Their Own Lost Decade Without Realizing It

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 2, 2015 | 6 comments

Just the other day, we reported on the Sony Premium Sound memory card for the upcoming Walkman NW-ZX2. Part of their 2015 fleet of products, the latest Walkman, priced at $1,200, is designed to offer premium sound with support for lossless music, including Hi-Res audio and noise cancelation among other premium features. Having had a chance to use one at CES 2015, I can certainly attest to its premium finish and lavish features but that on its own means little as I, like most people, could never afford such a product.

Alongside the new Walkman, Sony will also release their Premium Sound micro SDXC memory card along side the new Walkman which fetches a price of $160 for a 64GB card. For comparison, you can purchase the Sony 64GB SDXC Class 10 UHS-1 R40 Memory Card for $28 on Amazon while more premium SDXC cards fetch a higher price tag of $60. Clearly targeting the premium market, surely Sony has specific consumers in mind and is anticipating some form of demand – right?

As it turns out, not really, as even they don’t know if anybody will want them. Sony’s comment and my take on the matter after the jump.

Google Behind End of YouTube, Maps, and Near App on PlayStation Vita?

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 11, 2015 | 3 comments

Time to put on our tin foil hats folks. If you recall, a few weeks back, it was announced that support for Maps, Near, and YouTube would be coming to an end on Playstation Vita. According to Sony, the YouTube app on Vita will no longer be supported come April 20th though the app itself was pulled on January 28th from the store. As for Maps and Near, their end will come sometime in March, when a mandatory software update will pull the features from the Vita. At the time, it was unclear why the three apps would be pulled from the store. While I argued that due to a lack of wide 3G support on Vita, that Maps and Near likely weren’t that widely used and thus, won’t be missed, YouTube is something that gamers use all the time.

From watching videos to pass time to needing help on how to find a certain treasure in Uncharted, YouTube has replaced the strategy guide for many gamers. So why are the three services being pulled? The short answer, Google. Details after the jump.

Irony: Sony Updates ‘Music Unlimited’ App On the Same Day It Announces Its Death

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 28, 2015 | 12 comments

In what may be its final update before the service is put to pasture, Sony has given the Music Unlimited app on iOS an update….on the day it announced that it would ending the service. So what can we expect from Music Unlimited Version 2.3.0, which weighs in at 7.7 MB? From the official changelog:

New: Skip & skip back by swiping the album cover art
Fixes minor bugs on player features

The update will likely go by unnoticed as the reason Sony is shutting down the service is due to lack of consumer interest, i.e. enough subscribers to warrant the cost of the service. While I’m sure that it’s purely coincidental that an update was pushed the same date that Sony would announce the service’s death, (and I’m 100% certain that those working on the app have had no idea that Sony would be killing Music Unlimited) the situation is comedically and sadly very representative of the internal disarray that Sony faces. No division is safe and no plan/initiative/service has a long term vision where software and hardware are working together to achieve it.

PlayStation 20th Anniversary Sale!

by Ari Dean | Jan 13, 2015 | 3 comments

Sony is celebrating 20 EPIC years of gaming with a huge PlayStation 20th Anniversary sales which gives users 75% off on the following games read for more!

PlayStation 4 Priced at $329 at Walmart

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 22, 2014 | 0 comments

Just earlier today, we posted about a digital copy of The Last of Us Remastered going for $20 which we thought was a pretty good deal. Now Walmart is looking to up that in a major way. The nation’s largest retailer has marked down the PS4 by $70, making it the largest price cut seen on the leading console. Unlike the Xbox One which has enjoyed a boost in sales due to a $50 price cut for the holidays, the PS4 has maintained its $399 launch price point. It’s unclear how long this deal will last but if you’re in need of a PS4 or were eying one as a gift, $329 is likely the best deal you’re going to find.

Get ‘The Last of Us Remastered’ (PS4) for $18.99

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 22, 2014 | 2 comments

If you’re looking to treat yourself for Christmas or are just in need of a last minute gift, then boy are you in luck. Having arrived on PS4 in June, The Last of Us Remastered gave PS4 owners the chance to either relive or experience for the first time the award-wining game from Naughty Dog. As the title suggests, the remastered version has additional enhancements, including upgraded visuals (1080p), the Abandoned Territories Map Pack, Reclaimed Territories Map Pack, and Left Behind, the single-player prequel chapter. Best of all, it can be yours for just ~~$20~~ $18.99.

Sony’s Underwater Xperia Aquatech Store Debuts Today, Only Open for Three Days

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 3, 2014 | 0 comments

Starting today, select customers, VIPs, and members of the press can experience the Sony underwater Xperia Aquatech store. Located at The World Islands off the coast of Dubai, the store (sitting 4 meters underwater) is designed to drive home that Sony’s Xperia Z lineup of tablets and smartphones are waterproof. Sony hopes that, beyond wowing select customers, their underwater store also scores big with social media and has created the following hashtag (#XperiaAquatech) to help promote the event. Currently the price of the publicity stunt (which is what this really is) has yet to be and likely won’t be disclosed. Of course it’s not like Sony is creating this unique experience in what’s already a remote country with an small population and would severely limit the days its available versus just running a traditional marketing campaign on TV, like Apple, which has proven to be effective.

This just in; the Sony underwater Xperia Aquatech store will only be open for three days. Well ok…let’s ~~rant~~ talk after the jump.

Sony Xperia Z3v on Verizon Marked Down to Free (updated)

by Sohrab Osati | Nov 28, 2014 | 3 comments

One of the biggest faults in Sony’s smartphone strategy in the US before now had been a lack of carrier support. With the Xperia Z3, their latest flagship Android smartphone, Sony looked to change its fortunes by teaming up with Verizon and T-Mobile. Now, Sony is kicking things into the next gear by offering the Xperia Z3v free on Verizon with a two-year contract.

Details after the jump.

PlayStation & Blu-ray Amazon Black Friday Sales

by Sohrab Osati | Nov 26, 2014 | 0 comments

For better or worse, when we think of Thanksgiving, either stuffing our faces silly with food comes to mind or people getting trampled at Walmart. To help you avoid the latter and enjoy the former, we’ve put together a list of Amazon Black Friday sales. Not only can you enjoy the deals from the leisure of your home, but you also don’t have to wait till Friday as some of the deals are already live. Deals include PS4, PS3, and PS Vita games and hardware alongside Blu-ray movies. We’ll be updating this list throughout the next few days so be sure to bookmark it and visit regularly for the most up-to-date sales.

After the jump, a plethora of Amazon Black Friday deals await you.

Sony Kicks Off Black Friday Sales with 49-inch 4K TV for $1,300, 55-inch for $1,500

by Sohrab Osati | Nov 24, 2014 | 1 comment

Sony isn’t waiting to Black Friday to kick off their massive sale. If you’re looking to get your hands on a 4K set for a remarkable price, starting today, you can get the 48.5-inch Sony XBR-49X850B for $1,299.99. To further sweeten the pot, Sony is also throwing in a pair of Extra Bass Smartphone Headset (MDRXB450AP/B) for free. Those looking for something a little bigger can nab the 54.6-inch Sony XBR-55X850B for $200 more which also include the free headphones. Best yet, there is free shipping on all orders from Sony this holiday season, making the deal even sweeter because lets be honest, who wants to go wait in line at this time of the year?

PlayStation TV Can’t Compete with Apple TV Despite Some Neat Features

by Sohrab Osati | Nov 7, 2014 | 10 comments

Released nearly a year ago under the title PlayStation Vita TV in Japan, the latest console companion from Sony, now dubbed PlayStation TV, has been on US shores for nearly two weeks. Priced at $100, the PlayStation TV has a lot going for it with a price point that’s affordable and on par with similar devices like Apple TV and Roku. In fact, the PlayStation TV is the only device of its kind that has access to a meaningful array of games, over 700 to be exact, at launch. Still, like many Sony products, while the promise is there, the final execution leaves something to be desired.

After the jump we talk about what makes PlayStation TV unique and where the console is lacking.