Sony to exit Vaio PC business

Tokyo, Feb 6 – Sony Corp's plans to quit making personal computers after years of losses focus a spotlight on how it intends to fix a much bigger problem – a flagship TV division that has lost $7.5 billion over the last 10 years.

 

The pullout comes as Japan's electronics firms look for daylight beyond the shadow of industry giants like Apple and Samsung Electronics. Exiting the Vaio PC business Sony founded 17 years ago will mark the first time CEO Kazuo Hirai pulls a major consumer product line.

 

Still unclear is when Sony can catch up with local peers Panasonic and Sharp on the restructuring track. The pair have swallowed charges, sold off or cured many loss-making businesses, and bounced back to strong profits.

 

Sony is now in talks with Japan Industrial Partners, a Japanese fund that buys up businesses that are being restructured, to take over the Vaio brand's operations in Japan,according to the plan under consideration, a source said. Financial details and final stakes in the new entity were still being discussed, the source said.

 

Source: TNN