Tag: sony

Sony To Exit The Smartphone Business In India, North America Among Other Countries

Japanese electronics giant Sony was once one of the most renowned smartphone makers in the world. In the past, mobile devices from the company boasted of a unique design, innovative camera features and a clean software experience. But, due to the ever-increasing competition from Chinese manufacturers like Huawei, OnePlus and Xiaomi, Sony has not seen much success lately. According to a latest report, the smartphone business by the company is running on losses. Now, in an attempt to curb costs and prevent more loss, Sony has announced it is exiting major markets worldwide including India and North America.

What Does This Mean?

In the annual corporate strategy day on the 21st of March, Sony announced it has selected its areas of focus for smartphones. These countries include Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Europe. The countries that constitute the rest of the world either don’t have a presence of the company’s mobile devices yet or are the ones which have been left out of the focus areas. The latter are referred to as defocussed areas and includes regions like India, Australia, Canada, North America, Africa, The Middle East among others. While reports of the company jumping ship from these markets were rife for a while; it is the first time an official confirmation from Sony has been received.

Also read: Lenovo Z6 Youth Edition Launched In China

Along with concentrating on the focussed areas, Sony also plans to cut down its smartphone workforce by half in the next year. This is seen as a cost-cutting measure which may return profits; especially in regions where mobile devices from the company have proven to be popular. With respect to the defocused areas, Sony has planned to withdraw from the sales and marketing of smartphones in the aforementioned regions. All the above changes insinuate that the company is looking forward to implementing major changes with regard to its smartphone business.

May 22, 2019
Sony Teases Xperia XZ2 Pro Launch With A Cryptic Video

Sony is expected to launch a couple of smartphones at MWC 2018. The launch is significant in more than one way. Apart from the flagship devices on display, the company will also finally move on to an 18:9 aspect ratio. However, the company is in no rush to give anything away before the launch event. Hence, Sony’s social media team decided to post a cryptic video on Twitter to announce the launch event.

The video shows a hand with Sony’s iconic wallpaper in front of a grey background. It doesn’t seem necessary to delve too deep into the video. However, the decision to put up a cryptic video is very interesting. There is a lot of speculation around the Sony devices launching at MWC 2018. Hence, the company’s admission to a launch event that too with a minimalistic video appears to be a smart choice. It has certainly made people talk about the Sony devices again.

The smartphone maker is known to launch new smartphones at MWC every year. This year, the company might launch the Xperia Xz2 Pro and the Xperia Xz2 Compact. These devices are expected to offer newer design language called as “Plate + Human”.

Join us. 26.02.2018 #SonyMWC pic.twitter.com/n6IQ82XRVZ

— Sony | Xperia (@sonyxperia) February 19, 2018

Sony Xperia Xz2 Pro:

The Sony Xperia Xz2 Pro is expected to have a 5.7-inch 4K OLED display with dual front-facing stereo speakers. Under the hood, the smartphone will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Oct-core chipset with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. However, this could be untrue and the company could launch the XZ2 Pro with a Snapdragon 835 chipset. Although not public, there is a possibility of Samsung having early access to Snapdragon 845 chipsets.

Hence, the launch of the Xiaomi Mi 7 has also been pushed to later. Since the company confirmed that the Mi 7 will be powered by the Snapdragon 845 chipset.

This might be the first Sony smartphone to feature dual camera at the back with a 16 MP + 13 MP camera setup. There will be a 12 MP front-facing camera at the front.

Sony Xperia Xz2 Compact:

The Xperia Xz2 Compact might have a 5 inch display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. Just like the Xperia XZ2 Pro, it could either be powered by the Snapdragon 845 or 835 chipset. The Xperia Xz2 Compact might feature thin bezels along with an 18:9 aspect ratio display.

The Xperia Xz2 Compact is expected to run on Android 8.1 Oreo with Sony’s Xperia Interface. As of now, there are no other details about the Xperia Xz2 Compact.

Conclusion:

Sony has been known for its premium smartphone. The smartphones are known to have a plenty of features like flagship grade display, premium camera, and even IP certification for water and dust resistance.

With the new Xperia Xz2 series, finally, the company might refresh its blocky slab design with an interesting curvier design.

February 20, 2018
Sony Xperia XZ Premium Goes on Sale in India

Sony’s flagship for 2017 the Xz Premium has officially gone on sale on Amazon.in for a price of Rs. 59990, available in a luminous chrome and a Deep Sea Black colour, the Sony Xperia XZ premium is the first phone ever with a 4K HDR display. The Sony Xperia XZ premium is also the first phone in India to be powered by the Snapdragon 835 chipset which was left out by Samsung when they launched their S8 and S8+ in India.

The Sony Xperia XZ Premium also highlights the company’s 19 MP motion eye camera capable of 960 FPS super slow motion video. The phone also boasts of other primary camera features, but highlights 5 axis image stabilisation, along with a Triple Image sensor and Predictive Hybrid autofocus.

While the phone is not the easiest on the pocket, Sony has managed to get some unique things in place . To get a full idea of the specifics of the phone visit our hands on with the Sony Xperia XZ

Unboxing Video :

Gaming and Benchmarks

June 12, 2017
Sony Launches the Xperia XZ Premium In India – First Phone With Snapdragon 835
Sony has launched the new Xperia XZ Premium in India, making it the first phone to officially launch with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset. The Xperia XZ Premium is also the world’s first phone with a 4K HDR display. Sony has launched the XZ Premium in India at a price of Rs 59,990 and if you prebook the phone from 2^nd – 11^th June you also receive a SRS-XB20 wireless bluetooth speaker free. The Sony Xperia XZ Premium goes on Sale in India starting 12th June.

The Xperia XZ premium comes after a few phones that failed to live up to expectations from Sony in 2016, with certain Sony signature things missing like IP certifications and the top of the line hardware. The Sony Xperia XZ Premium however solves all the problems with a full package from the Japanese company.

The Sony Xperia XZ Premium has a 5.5 inch 4K HDR Display with TRILUMINOS Display for mobile and X-Reality for mobile picture engine. The 4K display comes into play whenever high res content is available like a 4k video or movie. Natively the display runs Android at QHD resolutions and sometimes at 1920 x 1080p like most other QHD phones. This is the first true 4K display on a mobile phone and it looks gorgeous.

The built and design of the phone mostly remain at par with previous generations of Sony flagships, however, the new phone adds Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back along with IP68 weather resistance. The new design of the phone is highly reflective and in India the phone has been launched in two colors Luminous Chrome and Deepsea Black.

Inside is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset along with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of Storage with microSD support for 256 GB. Running all the hardware is a 3230 mAh battery with Qnovo Adaptive charging and Quick Charge 3.0.

Sony too has left out on the dual camera setups, and stuck with a 19MP Motion Eye camera which has a 1/ 2.3” Exmor RS for mobile memory stacked sensor with a pixel size of 1.22?m and Predictive Hybrid Autofocus.
The XZ Premium also offers 960 fps Super slow motion video and the camera is equipped with a 25 mm wide G Lens with a F2.0 Aperture.
The Sony Xperia XZ Premium has SteadyShot 5-axis image stabilization and does 4K recording at 30fps. The front camera is a 13MP 1/ 3.06” Exmor RS for mobile image sensor with a 22mm Wide-angle lens with an F2.0 aperture. The front too has SteadyShot with 5-axis stabilization.

The front of the phone does have stereo forward firing speakers with a great sound and the phone supports Hi-Res audio and LDAC via the USB -C port. Interestingly the Xperia XZ Premium maintains the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Android 7.1.1 runs out of the box with Sony’s layer of skin which is essentially pretty close to stock with minimum customizations. Sony does offer up some apps, including their video, gallery and Sony Liv. Inside the box you will get:
- One unit of Xperia XZ Premium
- Instruction Manual
- Quick Charger (UCH12) worth MRP 1,490/-
- USB Type-C Cable
- In Ear Headphone MH-750
June 1, 2017
Sony Mobile to Reduce Focus on Indian, Chinese and US Market

Sony Mobile India at a recent investor meet has confirmed it will focus less on select markets like China, India, and the US where its performance low. Sony has also slowed operations in Brazil and plans to focus more on the Europe, Middle easy and Japanese markets.

Sony also points to “growth slowdown in emerging markets”. According to the report, Sony’s Mobile division has incurred 40 Billion Yen of Net reductions between 2014-2016 which is roughly US $ 400 Million.

Sony will rampantly reduce product footprint and plans to focus on premium smartphones. Sony also claims that their growth percentage has been poor in these regions, as low as 0.3%.

Via

July 4, 2016
Apple, Samsung, Microsoft Amongst others face Child Labour Claims

Several big-name tech firms, including Apple, Samsung, Microsoft and Sony have been accused by Human Rights Organization Amnesty of using kids for sourcing minerals used in their various products.

Citing a report that it did into cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it found children as young as seven were working in unearthing cobalt that these large incorporations use for their Lithium Ion batteries.

The African country produces over 50% of the world’s cobalt. Miners working in the area face long-term health problems and the risk of fatal accidents, according to Amnesty. Amnesty also claimed that at a minimum of 80 miners had died underground in the country between September-December last year.

The report by Amnesty is the first comprehensive account of cobalt mining in Democratic Republic of the Congo. To arrive at their conclusions, Amnesty International along with Afrewatch visited five mines in DRC in April and May 2015. They interviewed 90 workers, 17 of them children.

According to Amnesty, “more than half of the world’s total supply of cobalt comes from the [DRC]. According to the government’s own estimates, 20 percent of the cobalt currently exported from the DRC comes from artisanal miners in the southern parts of the country. “There are approximately 110,000 to 150,000 artisanal miners in this region, who work alongside much larger industrial operations.”

The report further reveals, ” the miners who are referred to as ‘creuseurs’ in the DRC, mine by hand using the most basic tools to dig out rocks from the tunnels deep underground. Artisanal miners include children as young as seven who scavenge for rocks containing cobalt in the discarded by-products of industrial mines, and who wash and sort the ore before it is sold.”

Not surprisingly, these major tech firms such as Samsung, Sony and Vodafone denied any link to this supply chain or to DRC sourced Cobalt . Apple informed that it is evaluating alooking at a number of different materials, including cobalt, to identify both labor and environmental risks. Microsoft on the other hand said it hadn’t traced cobalt use in Microsoft products all the way to the source “due to the complexity and resources required.”

January 20, 2016
Daniel Craig Refused $50 Million Android Product Placement in ‘Spectre’

A James Bond movie is a hotbed for product placements. That’s because Bond himself has a rich taste when it comes to cars, watches and everything else and only prefers the luxurious side of life. Bond films are characterized by Aston Martin cars, Rolex and Omega watches and the latest in Q technology. So, there is no way that Bond would be caught with a phone that does not keep with his image.

However, too much product placement can damage the image of the character as well. Which is why the latest James Bond flick, Spectre, has cut down on endorsing products. This also included not giving Bond a smartphone. Both Bond star Daniel Craig and director Sam Mendes refused offers by Sony and Samsung to have Bond stylishly carry their smartphone.

The offers that started with $5 million escalated to $50 million (Samsung’s offer). Samsung was additionally ready to pay $5 million to Craig for being seen using an Android phone in the movie with Samsung’s logo. However, both offers were rejected after judging the phones to be too lackluster for Bond.

“Beyond the $$ factor, there is, as you may know, a creative factor whereby Sam and Daniel don’t like the Sony phone for the film (the thinking, subjectively/objectively is that James Bond only uses the ‘best,’ and in their minds, the Sony phone is not the ‘best’),” wrote Andrew Gumpert, President of Worldwide Business Affairs and Operations for Columbia Pictures.

Another reason behind shunning Android could be because of its cheap image and notoriety for suffering security vulnerabilities like Stagefright that happened only a few months ago. This surely does not keep with the image of an international super-spy.

Spectre has surpassed Skyfall, the previous Bond film, in the opening week at the box office. The film has grossed $80.4 million in UK alone. The movie will hit theaters in India on 20th November.

November 3, 2015
Sony’s Alpha 7s II to Have 4K Video, Up to 409,600 ISO

The Alpha 7s II is Sony’s latest offering and a successor to the Alpha 7s that was released last year. The Alpha 7s II will be a mirrorless, full-frame digital camera and will come with a 12-megapixel sensor much like the original. But it is in the new internal 4K video recording that makes the Alpha 7s II stand apart. While the original model could record 4K videos using an external recorder, the A7s II will have an in-built 4K recording (3,840 x 2,160) capability which can shoot at 24 or 30 fps. It can also record 1080p footage at 120 fps.

Furthermore, the A7s II boasts of a massive 50-409,600 ISO range that comes with a 12.2-megapixel sensor and the BIONZ X image processing. While the original model triumphed in capturing images in low-level light, the A7s II promises even better low-level light pictures.

One of the new features of this model is the 5-axis stabilization which will reduce the jitter on shots taken at night or with a long, telephoto lenses. The A7s II will also be Wi-Fi and NFC compatible, which will allow users to hook the camera to an Android or iOS device. Though the 12 megapixel camera may come as a disappointment for many, the 4K video recording will make up for it as videographers are sure to appreciate this feature. The A7s II will be available in Europe from November with no details about it coming to India.

September 11, 2015
Sony Plans To Assemble and Manufacture Smartphones In India Soon

New reports from Sony Corp tell us that the company is in talks with Foxconn to assemble its Xperia smartphones in India and even manufacture them. They’re looking to produce some “sub-Rs 10,000” models that are going to be designed specifically for the local market in India.

Sony isn’t the only company that is looking towards India. Even Chinese companies are looking towards the Indian market which is currently the fourth largest market for smartphones and is set to become the second largest by 2017. Lenovo had announced that it would start locally manufacturing smartphones in Chennai, while Xiaomi had also announced its first manufacturing unit in Sri City in Andhra Pradesh.

All this had begun out of the Indian Prime Minister’s ‘Make in India’ campaign, that has attracted many smartphone companies to assemble and manufacture products in India. Let’s wait and hope for the best.

September 5, 2015
Sony Announces New Smartphones With 13MP Selfie Cameras

After weeks of speculation and rumours, Sony has finally released their two new ‘camera focused’ smartphones, the Xperia M5 and the Xperia C5 Ultra. Both the devices will be offering great photography experiences to its users, especially since mobile cameras have always been a USP for Android devices.

Tony McNulty, Vice-President of Value Category Business Management at Sony Mobile Communications, said

We are pleased to present two new products that highlight Sony’s advances in camera technology.

Sony Xperia C5 Ultra

Starting with the 6-inch Xperia C5 Ultra, like all the previous Xperia C series models, it is made for clicking selfies. It has a 13MP front camera with an LED flash. It also stars a 22 mm wide-angle lens with an 88-degree field of view, auto-focus, 4X digital zoom, full HD video recording, image stabiliser, Auto Scene Recognition, red-eye reduction and many more. The primary 13 MP camera also comes packed with the same specs. On the inside, it is packed with a 1.7GHz MediaTek Octa core processor, 2GB RAM,16GB storage, 2930 mAh battery and with LED flash on both the front and back side. But, unlike Sony’s other mid-range and premium smartphones, the Xperia C5 Ultra doesn’t sport water and dust protection.

Sony Xperia M5 is waterproof

The new Xperia M5 has a 21.5MP Exmore RS camera, wrapped in the company’s latest exclusive Sony IMX230 CMOS sensor. This enables you to get 5x zoom without losing the quality of the photo. It also features hybrid autofocus, f/2.2 aperture and fast autofocus (0.2 seconds), and 4K video recording capability. On the front, it comes packed with a 13MP snapper with auto-focus. Other specs of this device include a 5.0-inch full HD display and it is powered by a 2.0GHZ MediaTek Helio X10 processor, IMG Rogue G6200 graphics engine, 3GB RAM, 16GB storage, 2600 mAh battery. The M5 is also waterproof.

Both the devices will be available in two variants (single or dual SIM) and will be available in select countries by mid-August. Pricing may be revealed during the local launch events of the handset.

August 3, 2015
Tech Highlights of the Week: Yureka Plus Launch, Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 and Much More

Yu Yureka Plus Launched in India

Yu Televentures has launched the Yu Yureka Plus, the successor to Yu Yureka, priced at Rs. 9,999. The phone comes with a 5.5 inch FHD display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 615. Check our review of the new phone and find out whether it is worth your money.

Major Moto G (Gen 3) Details Leaked

A new promotional video for the Moto G has been leaked ahead of its July 28th launch date and confirms most of what we knew about the phone so far.

Amazon Prime Is Expected to be Launched in India

According to a report, Amazon will launch its Prime service in India later this year. It is the membership program that offers unlimited free shipping on most deliveries with no minimum order size, unlimited backup for photos, access to streaming movies and music, free books from the Kindle Lending Library and more, for an annual fee.

Xiaomi Finally Launches the 32GB Variant of Mi4i

Xiaomi Mi 4i is now available in 32GB variant.

As part of the celebrations for its first anniversary in India, Xiaomi has launched the 32GB variant for its popular Mi4i phone, priced at Rs. 14,999.

Google Photos to Replace Google+ Photos Starting 1st August

In a bid to connect with their audience and to up their usage, Google has finally decided that it will be shutting down Google+ photos and making way for Google Photos by August 1st.

Sony Rolls Out its Android TV in India, Starting at Rs. 69,900

After announcing it in CES, Las Vegas, earlier this year, Sony has finally rolled out the Android TV in the Indian market at a starting price of Rs. 69,900.

With the 360 Degree View, Google Has Made Advertisements Interesting

After rolling out 360 degree videos on YouTube in March, Google has now extended the same to video ads from today. Check out one such video:

Leaked: Micromax’s Next Ultra Budget Snapdragon 615 Smartphone

Details about Micromax’s next ultra budget phone has been leaked. It will apparently be the next big thing since Canvas. The phone is expected to be below the 10k price bracket and will use a Snapdragon 615 processor.

Apple’s Q3 Report Shows The Dismal Performance of Apple Watch and Rise in China

Apple has posted its third quarterly results for 2015 and the company has performed better than the previous quarter, but apparently it wasn’t enough for the investors. Apple’s performance is based on the rise in iPhone sales and its increasing popularity in China.

Samsung Launches Galaxy Tab S2 in Two Variants

Samsung has announced the launch of Galaxy Tab S2, which the company says is “the most immersive Samsung tablet to-date” . The Galaxy Tab S2 is available in two sizes – 9.7-inch and 8.0-inch.

July 26, 2015
Refuge: The First Short Film Shot Entirely in Moonlight

For Sci-Fi movie fans, this film will suit your taste. But, if you are a camera enthusiast as well, this movie could literally inspire you to think beyond the regular rules and boundaries. Yes, ‘Refuge’ is a narrative short film that used only the moon as its light source. No fill lights, no backlights, no diffuse light – just light from the moon.

While filming, the lighting of the video is done shot by shot. This means that when you relocate the camera to shoot a different angle, the lights must be moved as well to ensure the subject is always lit correctly. This is one of the reasons why films take so long to shoot.

Director of the movie, Sam Shapson, said that Refuge could very well be the first narrative film that was shot entirely in the moonlight. The team behind the project recorded the footages in 4K using the Atomos Shogun Recorder and Canon Prime Lenses (24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm). The film was shot with the overall ISO of 51,200. In very basic terms, ISO is the level of sensitivity of your camera to light. The lower the ISO number, the less sensitive it is to the light while a higher ISO number increases the sensitivity of your camera. But higher sensitivity comes at a price – it adds grain or “noise” to the pictures.

The whole movie was shot using a Sony Alpha a7S digital camera. On replying to the comments on their Vimeo page, Sam Shapson explained:

We tested all of the picture profiles and seriously considered pp7 for s-log, but unfortunately we couldn’t reconcile the way it handled noise in the deep shadows unless we graded down about 2 stops, which we couldn’t afford to risk committing to. Therefore we landed on pp6, shot wide open at 1/25 with the speedbooster. Lastly, the 4K from the shogun was utilized to give Neat Video every bit of info we could throw it to smooth out the noise. Still, I’m constantly reminding myself how the images here are so much more clear and vibrant than what my eyes were seeing out there in the dark. Still blows me away.

The resulting video is, unsurprisingly, far from absolute perfection, but the Sony’s low light capabilities are absolutely unbelievable.

Watch the movie below:

REFUGE // A Moonlit Short Film from Sam Shapson on Vimeo.

The video definitely looks unique. I think it is awesome that directors are willing to go this far and bring science fiction fans everywhere something new to get excited about. It’s certainly the most interesting use of the technology we’ve seen so far. What do you think about the short film that was shot using only moonlight? Comment below.

June 27, 2015
The 10 Coolest Gaming Trailers Sony Showed at E3 2015

At the ongoing E3 2015 (Electronic Entertainment Expo), after a good 2-hour showcase of ‘The Last Guardian’, Sony went ahead to show off the trailers of new gaming franchise that will be coming out in the following months.

Here’s a list of the exciting trailers:

The Last Guardian

Horizon Zero Dawn

Hitman

Final Fantasy VII

Dreams

Firewatch

Destiny: The Taken King

Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Star Wars Battlefront

Mad Max – Eye of the Storm

Tom Clancy’s The Division

Dark Souls III

Call of Duty: Black Ops III

Can’t wait to get our hands on these! Other than this, Sony has also announced limited edition retro controllers and headphones.

Keep checking iGyaan for incoming news and updates from the E3 2015.

June 17, 2015
Move Over Xbox, PlayStation is the “New Home of Call of Duty”

Sony has taken over what used to be Microsoft’s. The Call of Duty series that was once exclusive to Xbox will be the first to bring all map packs to PlayStation, from now on. Sony has won the marketing deal and with this fresh partnership, PlayStation users will be the first to get access to Call of Duty: Black Ops 3. Sony Executive Andrew House announced on E3 stage saying PlayStation is the “new house of Call of Duty”.

Microsoft’s reassurance at this point is that Call of Duty sequel will still arrive on Xbox One this year, so it doesn’t change anything. The deal is sealed and the exclusive contract will come into effect with the launch of Black Ops 3 on November 6. It will first arrive for PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One, and later for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

The multiplayer mode of the gaming adventure was disclosed by Sony in an approximately 7-minute video. It looks amazing, giving a view of real life combat. David Vonderhaar of Treyarch talked about the multiplayer, saying it is about delivering four guns of combat control. It is said to be fast, fluid and unlike any Call of Duty before.

Well, we will be waiting to get our hands on the game.

Here’s the Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Campaign Coop and Multiplayer gameplay:

June 16, 2015
Sony Goes Back to Basics With its Retro Gamepads

At the ongoing E3 event in Los Angeles, along with announcing the release of Street Fighter 5 beta, Sony announced that the 20^th anniversary Gold Wireless Headset and DualShock 4 Controller would be coming out in September this year.

Much to the delight of Sony’s early PlayStation gamers, these devices will come in the company’s classic two-tone grey colours.

Behold! The 20th Anniversary DualShock 4 ($64.99) and Gold Wireless Headset ($99.99). Coming this September. pic.twitter.com/dORvfhTzaC

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) June 16, 2015

Thanks to the colour choices made by Sony, these gamepads are reminiscent of their old hardware. They may look retro, however both the devices come with top-notch features.

DualShock 4 Controller

Gold Wireless Headset

The controller and the headset are priced at $64.99 (Rs. 4,100) and $99.99 (Rs. 6,400 approx) respectively. Also, the controller is limited to 12,000 units that will be going on sale for in European and Asian countries soon. For now, there is no word about the number of units or the availability of the headset.

Stay tuned, more E3 coverage coming up.

June 16, 2015