Sony to axe PC unit in major business overhaul

 

Nick Godoway
Thursday 06 February 2014 13:21 GMT
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Sony's Vaio brand was first introduced in 1996.
Sony's Vaio brand was first introduced in 1996. (REUTERS/Yuya Shino )

Consumer electronics giant Sony is to quit the personal computers market after 30 years as smartphones and tablets prompt a “drastic” change in the industry

Sony said it was in talks to sell its Vaio PC business to turnaround group Japan Industrial Partners as it seeks to cut losses there and in its Bravia televisions maker. Bravia will be split off as a separate subsidiary. Sony also said it would shed 5000 jobs.

It reduced its forecast for the year to March saying it would now make a loss of 110 billion yen (£665 million) and that it would not hit its target of ending losses at Vaio and Bravia. In October it predicted a profit of 30 billion yen.

Sony said its games business with the launch of the PlayStation4 did well as did entertainment, with the Oscar-nominated film Captain Phillips and music with Beyoncé’s latest album.

It declined to say how much its PC business might be sold for, saying it hoped to complete negotiations before the financial year end.

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