Sony is dumping its PC business, and while that may appear like it will be repudiating its relationship with Microsoft, it may not be the case, after all. Sony CEO, Kazuo Hirai has hinted at something we saw coming already, Sony’s inclination towards making a Windows Phone.
Let’s address the elephant in the room first. It didn’t come as a huge surprise when Sony pulled out of the PC business, as it had become a black hole for the company’s money. Losing one of its biggest OEM partners wasn’t something Nadella would have wanted to happen in his first week as CEO. To make matters worse, Hirai confirmed that the Japanese giant isn’t coming back into the business any time soon.
Now the good news, as Pierre Perron previously noted, is that Sony wants to expand its smartphone portfolio and is definitely considering Windows Phone. Hirai, in a press-conference told reporters that while it has left the PC business, Sony can venture into the smartphone area with Windows Phone. “Microsoft has various OSs, including mobile. So, as Sony, we will consider new product development going forward.”
Sony will now be concentrating all its resources on the TV and Mobile businesses. And it will be unwise for it to only focus on Google’s Android, which its competitor Samsung dominates. Hence, Sony is in talks with Microsoft to work out an arrangement. And the thing with CEOs is they don’t go around saying anything, unless they are really on to something.
Sony and Windows Phone aren’t new to each other. Back in the day, Sony had released its Xperia X1 on Windows Phone, which due to a weaker ecosystem, didn’t do well. But things have changed a lot since then.
Would you like Sony to re-enter the Windows Phone ecosystem again?
Further reading: Sony, Windows Phone
