Sony is a well-known brand globally and since its inception, it has given us all of its quality products ranging from Smart TVs, Home Theatres, and more.
The electronics part is one of the divisions, but you will come to know here what more they do also in different types of verticals.
Let’s get started exploring Sony’s history and more details about its brand.
Who owns Sony?
Sony is a subsidiary of the Japanese Sony Group Corporation, managed by Sony’s American subsidiary, Sony Corporation of America.
Who was the founder of Sony?
Masaru Ibuka initiated a radio center in the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo after the end of World War (second). Later joined by Akio Morita, the duo collaborated to form a company The Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K K.
History Of Sony
Sony is the parent company of Sony Group. It is an electronics multinational conglomerate. It produces TVs, video game consoles, computers, media players, etc.
A Japanese electronics businessman Masaru Ibuka founded the company Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo Corporation later named Sony. He was later joined by Akio Morita another fellow businessman.
Shortly the Tokyo Stock Exchange listed the New York Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange began listing Sony stocks. The ten top shareholders of Sony were largely located in Japan.
Currently, Sony’s headquarters complex is in Sony City, Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
The organization has appointed excellently skilled personalities for their post like Shuzo Sumi (Chairman of the board), Kazuo Matsunaga (Vice Chairman of the board), Kenichiro Yoshida (Chairman, President&CEO), Shigeki Ishizuka (Vice Chairman).
The Japanese tape recorder called Type-G was the first product of this company. Ibuka later convinced the transistor inventor Bell Lab to license the transistor technology to his Japanese company. Ibuka’s company takes the credit to make transistors commercially successful for the first time, although it is not responsible for manufacturing the product then.
In August 1955, Japan’s first commercially produced transistor radio TR-55 was released by Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo. Shortly they released TR-72, a very popular device in Japanese as well as export markets. In 1956 TR-6 was released featuring an innovative slim design and sound quality capable of rivaling portable tube radios.
Another wonderful release was the TR-63 in 1957, which was the smallest transistor radio in commercial production.
This Sony product strikingly opened the US market and launched a new industry of consumer microelectronics.
Sony also launched the world’s first integrated circuit radio, the ICR-100 in 1967. In 1958 Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo changed its name to “Sony.”
In 1960 Sony Corporation of America was established and was the company’s first subsidiary in America. It was in this year that Sony launched the world’s first non-projection type all-transistor and portable television Sony TV8-301.
1961 came with Sony releasing the world’s first compact transistor VTR, the SonyPV100. The year 1968 experienced the charm of the Sony legendary color television set Trinitron.
In the following years, Sony prowled with Sony TC-50, a compact cassette recorder in 1969. It was a boon for NASA astronauts for Apollo7.
The invention of SonyWalkman was out of the desire for listening to classical music from the curator Masaru Ibuka himself. Walkman’s first stereo cassette player was launched in 1979.
The first commercial video cassette recorder was released by Sony this year with the official launch of the VP-1100 two years later.
The first ever EMMY awarded to an electronic was received by Sony in 1973.
Sony brought Digital Revolution by launching the SonyCDP-101, the world’s first Compact Disk Player in 1981. A 3.5-inch floppy disk structure was introduced by Sony in the same year which quickly became the de facto standard.
The Sony XC-1 a color video camera was also produced by Sony along with Sony Mavica which was the world’s first prototype commercial electronic still camera. The year 1991 witnessed the release of the first lithium-ion battery by Sony jointly with Asahi Kasei.
This came up as a leader in the field of the rechargeable battery industry.
Sadly the masterpiece faced a massive scandal for defective battery in 2006. Sony also was the innovator of the Memory Stick, a flash memory storage format in 1998 which was eventually considered a failure.
Other failed attempts by Sony include Betamax, MiniDisc and Universal Media Disc.2006 saw the release of Blu Ray Disc format by Sony in association with Blu Ray association.
The iconic legend Steve Jobs considered his fascination for Sony and regarded the company as being in a league of their own other than its competitors.
From the 1980s to the early 2000s, Sony expanded vigorously into multidimensional businesses like Film(Sony Picture Entertainment), Insurance(Sony Life), Banking(SonyBank), internet service providing(So-net), and gaming(Sony Interactive Entertainment). Sony elaborated its profile in multinational music label groups as well.
Here is a video below, that will help to explain Sony’s history to you visually.
The breakdown of Sony Shareholders is likewise
| 0.06% | % of Shares Held by All Insider |
| 7.82% | % of Shares Held by Institutions |
| 7.82% | % of Float Held by Institutions |
| 666 | Number of Institutions Holding Shares |
Top Institutional Holders of Sony are:-
| Holder | Shares |
| Primecap Management Company | 25,331,098 |
| Aristotle Capital Management, LLC | 13,263,531 |
| Fisher Asset Management, LLC | 4,743,413 |
| Morgan Stanley | 4,012,417 |
| Bank of America Corporation | 3,551,955 |
| Fiduciary Management, Inc. | 3,532,269 |
| FMR, LLC | 1,861,374 |
| Gamco Investors Inc | 1,792,086 |
| Boston Partners | 1,697,593 |
| Anomaly Capital Management, LP | 1,651,560 |
Top Mutual Fund Holders of Sony are:-
| Holder | Shares | Date Reported | % Out | Value |
| Vanguard/Primecap Fund | 13,887,345 | Jun 29, 2022 | 1.10% | 1,117,931,272 |
| Vanguard/Windsor II | 3,251,000 | Jul 30, 2022 | 0.26% | 261,705,500 |
| Primecap Odyssey Aggressive Growth Fund | 2,920,350 | Sep 29, 2022 | 0.23% | 235,088,175 |
| Vanguard Fenway Fds-Primecap Core Fund | 1,844,900 | Jun 29, 2022 | 0.15% | 148,514,450 |
| Vanguard Horizon Fund-Capital Opportunity Fund | 1,484,225 | Jun 29, 2022 | 0.12% | 119,480,112 |
| Primecap Odyssey Stock Fund | 1,506,829 | Sep 29, 2022 | 0.12% | 121,299,734 |
| FMI Large Cap Fund | 1,105,000 | Jun 29, 2022 | 0.09% | 88,952,500 |
| Primecap Odyssey Growth Fund | 1,190,247 | Sep 29, 2022 | 0.09% | 95,814,883 |
| John HaSony Wiki | 793,682 | Sep 29, 2022 | 0.06% | 63,891,401 |
SONY Subsidiaries
By Their Location
| Location | Subsidiaries Name |
| Japan | Solutions Corporation Sony Energy Devices Corporation Sony Financial Holdings Inc. (62.99%) Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. Sony Assurance Inc. Sony Bank Inc. Sony Lifecare Inc. Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. Sony Video & Sound Products Inc. Sony Visual Products Inc. Sony Imaging Products & Solutions Inc. Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc. (51%) Sony Global Manufacturing & Operations Corporation Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation Sony Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation Sony LSI Design Inc. Sony Business Polyphony Digital Inc. ForwardWorks Corporation Sony Pictures Entertainment (Japan) Inc. AK Holdings Corporation Animax Broadcast Japan Inc. Kids Station Inc. AXN Japan Inc. Mystery Channel, Inc. Sony PCL Inc. Sony Facility Management Corporation Sony Marketing Co., Ltd. Sony Mobile Communications Inc. Sony Mobile Communications Japan, Inc. Sony Network Communications Inc. Sony Biz Networks Corporation So-net Media Networks Co., Ltd MotionPortrait, Inc. Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc. Sony Music Labels Inc. Sony Music Marketing Inc. Sony Music Communications Inc. Sony Music Artists Inc. Sony Creative Products Inc. Sony DADC Japan Inc. Sony Global Solutions Inc. Sony Enterprise Co., Ltd. Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc. Sony Global Education, Inc. P5, Inc. FeliCa Networks, Inc. (57%) AII Inc. (60.9%) Frontage Inc. (60%) Sony Real Estate Corporation [16] (56.3%) M3 Inc. (39.4%) |
| Canada | Sony of Canada Ltd. |
| United States | Sony Corporation of America Sony Interactive Entertainment Sony USA Sony/ATV Music Publishing Sony Music Entertainment Inc. Sony Mobile Communications Inc. Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. Sony Latin America Sony Creative Software Sony Magnetic Products |
| Latin America | Sony Argentina S.A. Sony Comercio e Industia Ltda. (Brazil) Sony Componentes Ltda. (Brazil) Sony da Amazonia Ltda. (Brazil) Sony Chile Ltda. (Chile) Sony de Mexico S.A. de C.V. Sony de Mexicali, S.A. de C.V. (Mexico) Sony Nuevo Laredo,S.A. de C.V. (México) Sony de Tijuana Oeste, S.A. de C.V. (Mexico) Sony Corporation of Panama, S. A. Sony Puerto Rico, Inc. |
| Europe | Sony Austria GmbH. Sony DADC Austria A.G. Sony DADC Europe Limited Sony DADC, OOO (Borovsk, Russia) Sony Service Centre (Europe) N.V. (Brussels, Belgium) Sony Overseas S.A. (Switzerland) Sony Czech, spol. s.r.o. Sony Berlin G.m.b.H. (Germany) Sony Deutschland G.m.b.H. (Köln, Germany) Sony Europe GmbH (Germany) Sony Nordic A/S (Denmark) Sony Espana S.A. (Spain) Sony France S.A. Sony United Kingdom Ltd. Sony Global Treasury Service Plc (UK) Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited (UK) Sony Hungária kft (Hungary) Sony Italia S.p.A. (Italy) Sony Benelux B.V. (Netherlands) Sony Europa B.V. (Netherlands) Sony Logistics Europe B.V. (Netherlands) Sony Poland Sp.z.o.o. (Poland) Sony Portugal Ltda. (Portugal) Sony Slovakia s r. o. (Slovakia) Sony Mobile Communications AB (100%) (Sweden; head office in the United Kingdom) |
| China and Hong Kong | Sony (China) Ltd. Beijing Suohong Electronics Co., Ltd. Shanghai Suoguang Visual Products Co., Ltd. Shanghai Suoguang Electronics Co., Ltd. Sony Electronics (Wuxi) Co., Ltd. Sony Corporation of Hong Kong Ltd. Sony International (Hong Kong) Ltd. |
| South Korea | Sony Electronics of Korea Corporation Sony Korea Corporation |
| India | Sony India Private Limited Sony India Software Services Pvt. Ltd |
| South East Asia and Oceania | PT. Sony Electronics Indonesia Sony Electronics (Malaysia) SDN. BHD. Sony Technology (Malaysia) SDN. BHD. Sony Philippines, Inc. Sony Electronics (Singapore) Pte. LTD. Sony Magnetic Products (Thailand) Co., Ltd. Sony Mobile Electronics (Thailand) Co., Ltd. Sony Device Technology (Thailand) Co., Ltd. Sony Siam Industries Co., Ltd. Sony Australia Limited Sony Computer Entertainment Australia Pty. Ltd Sony New Zealand Ltd. Sony Vietnam Ltd. |
| Middle East | Sony Middle East and Africa FZE (UAE) Sony Eurasia Pazarlama A.S. (Turkey) |
By Their Industry Business Segment
| Business Segment | Sony’s Subsidiaries and Affiliate’s Names |
| Film and television production and distribution | Sony Pictures Entertainment, including: Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group Columbia Pictures Ghost Corps TriStar Pictures TriStar Productions Triumph Films Sony Pictures Classics Screen Gems Sony Pictures Imageworks Sony Pictures Animation Sony Pictures Releasing Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group Destination Films Stage 6 Films Affirm Films Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Sony Wonder Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (joint venture with Universal Pictures Home Entertainment} Sony Pictures Television Califon Productions, Inc. Jeopardy Productions, Inc. 2waytraffic Crackle CPT Holdings TriStar Television Tandem Licensing Corporation ELP Communications Adelaide Productions Culver Entertainment Starling Productions Huaso Lean-M Producers Center Teleset Gogglebox Entertainment Floresta Left Bank Pictures Electric Ray Stellify Media Playmaker Media Fable Pictures Embassy Row Funimation Funimation Films GSN (58% ownership with AT&T Entertainment Group) Sony Movie Channel GetTV Sony Entertainment Television Asia Sony Entertainment Television India SET Max Sony MIX SET PIX Sony ESPN(joint venture with ESPN, Inc.) Sony MAX (joint venture with DStv) Sony SIX SAB TV AXN More Than Movies Movies4Men CSC Media Group Pop Kix Tiny Pop True Channels True Movies 1 True Movies 2 True Crime True Entertainment True Drama Bliss Chart Show TV Chart Show Dance Flava Scuzz Starz TV The Vault Film1 Film1 Premiere Film1 Action Film1 Family Film1 Drama Film1 On Demand and GO Cine Sony Television Lifetime Latin America (joint venture with A+E Networks Latin America, distributed by HBO Latin America Group) TruTV (UK and Ireland) Sony Pictures Digital Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan Inc. Madhouse (joint venture with Nippon Television, Dentsu, VAP, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, WOWOW, and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation) Animax Broadcast Japan Inc. (joint venture with Sunrise, Toei Animation, TMS Entertainment, and Nihon Ad Systems) Animax Animax Asia Animax (India) Animax (Pakistan) Animax (South Korea) (joint venture with YG Entertainment) Animax Europe Animax (United Kingdom) Animax (Germany) |
| Foundations and schools | Sony Foundation for Education Sony Music Foundation Sony USA Foundation Inc. Sony Foundation Australia Trustee Ltd. Sony of Canada Science Scholarship Foundation Inc. Sony Europe Foundation Sony Gakuen Shohoku College |
| Video and online games | Sony Interactive Entertainment -PlayStation and Gaikai SIE Japan Studio Polyphony Digital Naughty Dog ICE Team SIE Santa Monica Studio SIE San Diego Studio SIE Bend Studio SIE Foster City Studio SIE London Studio XDev Guerrilla Games Media Molecule Sucker Punch Productions SN Systems |
| Music Business | Sony/ATV Music Publishing EMI Music Publishing (38% with The Michael Jackson Company LLC ) Sony Music Entertainment Inc. Columbia Records RCA Records Epic Records Sony Music India Sony Music Nashville Sony Masterworks Sony Music Latin Legacy Recordings Provident Label Group Columbia Records UK RCA Label Group (UK) Syco Music (50%) The Orchard RED Distribution Sony Music Entertainment Japan Aniplex A-1 Pictures Inc. Bancho Inc. Aniplex of America Inc. Aniplex+ Aniplex Channel |
More Information About SONY
What was Sony’s first product?
Sony’s first consumer product was an electric rice cooker which was not very popular with its sale. Although the first Japanese- designed tape recorder was also introduced by Sony, which was then Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo.
The first Sony-branded product was the TR-55 transistor radio in 1955, under this name which changed later in January 1958.
What was Sony originally known for?
Sony originally was known as Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo KK (The Tokyo Telecommunication Engineering Corporation). Sony, in full.
Sony Corporation is a major Japanese manufacturer of consumer electronics products. Among its other ventures film, music, and financial services were also included.
What makes Sony different from other companies?
Sony integrates features that make its products attractive and profitable. They use differentiation as their generic strategy for competitive advantage.
This differentiation makes Sony products unique in comparison to other products in the market.
Some of Sony’s most notable strengths are
- Strong brand. One of Sony’s greatest assets is its well-recognized and highly-valued brand. …
- History of innovation. …
- Growing industry. …
- High price tags. …
- Weak mobile presence. …
- Emerging markets. …
- Product diversification. …
- Low-cost competitors.
Is Sony owned by Disney?
Sony is not owned by Disney in true words. In 2021, The Walt Disney Company and Sony Pictures Entertainment signed a multi-year, Content Licensing Agreement.
This license got them an agreement for US streaming and TV rights to Sony Pictures’ new theatrical release across Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution’s vast portfolio of platforms.
Who owns Sony PlayStation?
A video gaming that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone as well as an online service and multiple magazines, is officially abbreviated as PlayStation.
The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a division of Sony. The first PlayStation console was released in Japan in December 1994, which was followed worldwide later.
Who owns Sony Entertainment?
An American entertainment company established Sony Entertainment in 2012. It is a subsidiary of the Japanese Sony Group Corporation, which is managed by Sony’s American subsidiary, Sony Corporation of America.
It features in most of Sony’s motion picture, television, and music business.
Related to Owning Company
Related to Sony brand
References:
- https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/IR/stock/information.html
- https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/SONY-GROUP-CORPORATION-6492482/company/
I’m Anirban Saha, Founder & Editor of TechBullish. With a B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering, and 6+ years of experience as a software developer, I have expertise in electronics, software development, gadgets, and computer peripherals. I love sharing my knowledge through informational articles, how-to guides, and troubleshooting tips for Peripherals, Smart TVs, Streaming Solutions, and more here. Check Anirban’s Crunchbase Profile here.
