Sony Ericsson
Encyclopedia
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB is a joint venture established on October 1, 2001 by the Japanese consumer electronics company Sony Corporation
and the Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson
to manufacture mobile phone
s.
The company's global management is based in Hammersmith
, London, and it has research and development teams in Lund
, Tokyo, Mexico City
, Beijing, and Redwood Shores in the US. By 2009, it was the fourth-largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world after Nokia
, Samsung
and LG. The sales of products largely increased due to the launch of the adaptation of Sony
's popular Walkman
and Cyber-shot
series.
In 2010, its market share had fallen to sixth place.
in the early nineties, primarily to establish a US presence and brand recognition.
Ericsson had decided to obtain chips for its phones from a single source—a Philips
facility in New Mexico
. In March 2000, a fire at the Philips factory contaminated the sterile facility. Philips assured Ericsson and Nokia
(their other major customer) that production would be delayed for no more than a week. When it became clear that production would actually be compromised for months, Ericsson was faced with a serious shortage. Nokia had already begun to obtain parts from alternative sources, but Ericsson's position was much worse as production of current models and the launch of new ones was held up.
Ericsson, which had been in the mobile phone market for decades, and was the world's third largest cellular telephone handset maker, was struggling with huge losses. This was mainly due to this fire and its inability to produce cheaper phones like Nokia
. To curtail the losses, it considered outsourcing production to Asian companies that could produce the handsets for lower costs.
Speculation began about a possible sale by Ericsson of its mobile phone
division, but the company's president said it had no plans to do so. "Mobile phones are really a core business for Ericsson. We wouldn't be as successful (in networks) if we didn't have phones", he said.
was a marginal player in the worldwide mobile phone market with a share of less than 1 percent in 2000.
By August 2001, the two companies had finalised the terms of the merger announced in April. The company was to have an initial workforce of 3,500 employees.
Ericsson's market share actually fell and in August 2002, Ericsson said it would stop making mobile phones and end its partnership with Sony if the business continued to disappoint . However, in January 2003, both companies said they would inject more money into the joint venture in a bid to stem the losses.
Sony Ericsson's strategy was to release new models capable of digital photography as well as other multimedia capabilities such as downloading and viewing video clips and personal information management capabilities. To this end, it released several new models which had built-in digital camera
and colour screen which were novelties at that time. The joint venture, however, continued to make bigger losses in spite of booming sales. The target date for making a profit from its first year to 2002 was postponed to 2003 to second half of 2003. It failed in its mission of becoming the top seller of multimedia handsets and was in fifth-place and struggling in 2005.
with a 2 megapixel camera, as well as its platform mate, the W800i
, the first of the Walkman phones capable of 30 hours of music playback, and two low-end phones.
In 2007 their first 5-Megapixel camera phone, the Sony Ericsson K850i, was announced followed in 2008 by the Sony Ericsson C905, the world's first 8-Megapixel phone. At Mobile World Congress
2009, Sony Ericsson unveiled the first 12-Megapixel phone, named Satio, on May 28, 2009.
On May 1, 2005, Sony Ericsson agreed to become the global title sponsor for the WTA Tour in a deal worth $88 million US dollars over 6 years. The women's pro tennis circuit was renamed the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. Just over a month later on June 7, it announced sponsorship of West Indian batsmen Chris Gayle
and Ramnaresh Sarwan
.
In October 2005, Sony Ericsson presented the first mobile phone based on UIQ 3, the P990.
On January 2, 2007, Sony Ericsson announced in Stockholm
that it would have some of its mobile phones made in India, and that its two outsourcing partners, Flextronics
and Foxconn
would manufacture ten million mobile phones per year by 2009. CEO Miles Flint
announced at a press conference held with India's communications minister Dayanidhi Maran
in Chennai
that India was one of the fastest growing markets in the world and a priority market for Sony Ericsson with 105 million users of GSM mobile telephones.
in the third quarter of 2007. Its handset shipments have fallen from a high of 30.8m in Q4 2007 to only 8.1m in Q1 2011, according to its financial reports. The company had made net losses in six of the 15 quarters and seen its cash reserves shrink from €2.2bn to €599m, after taking a €375m cash injection from its joint owners. The eclipse of the Symbian
operating system, initially by Apple's iPhone, and then by Google
's Android, has affected Sony Ericsson's position in the market.
Sony Ericsson was overtaken by its South Korean rival LG Electronics
in Q1
2008. Sony Ericsson's company's profits fell significantly by 43% to €133 million (approx. US$180 million), sales falling by 8% and market share falling from 9.4% to 7.9%, despite favourable conditions that the handset market was expected to grow by 10% in 2008. Sony Ericsson announced another profit warning in June 2008 and saw net profit crash by 97% in Q2 2008, announcing that it would cut 2,000 jobs, leading to wide fear that Sony Ericsson is on the verge of decline along with its struggling rival, Motorola
. In Q3 the profits were much on the same level, however November and December saw increased profits along with new models being released such as the C905 being one of the top sellers across the United Kingdom.
(Warrington
) in the UK; Miami, Seattle, San Diego and RTP (Raleigh, NC)
in the USA; The Chennai Unit (Tamil Nadu
) in India; Hässleholm and Kista in Sweden and operations in the Netherlands. The UIQ
centres in London and Budapest were also closed, UIQ
was a joint venture with Motorola
which began life in the 1990s.
Sony Ericsson has, as of July 18, 2008, approximately 9,400 employees and 2,500 contractors worldwide. Bert Nordberg is the president of the company since October, 2009. Sir Howard Stringer, CEO and President, Sony Corporation, is chairman of the board.
In the third quarter of 2009, Sony Ericsson became the world's fourth largest mobile phone maker with 4.9% of market share after Nokia
(37.8%), Samsung
(21%) and LG (11%).
According to the Swedish Magazine M3s issue 7/2006 Sony Ericsson is the best-selling phone brand in the Nordic countries
, followed by Nokia
.
, Sony
CEO showcased a Sony Ericsson phone using the PlayStation's XMB. A select group of phones are also said to integrate into PlayStation Home
(final product)
During the announcement of Sony Ericsson K850, W960 and W910 some review sites have shown that those mentioned phones and future mid-range or better phones will have Media to replace the standard File Manager which will be moved to the Organiser of the phone. The Media manager possesses a UI that resembles the XMB interface found on Sony TV, PS3, and PSP products. The mobile developer site confirmed from their spec sheets and white papers that the XMB media manager is standard to the phones running Java Platform 8 also known as A200 Platform and Symbian devices like Sony Ericsson Satio and Sony Ericsson Vivaz
.
's flights to Latin America and the operations of AT&T Mobility influenced the decision to move the USA headquarters. Sony Ericsson will close the Research Triangle site.
’s Guide to Greener Electronics that assesses companies' policies on climate and energy, sustainability and how green their products are. The company scores 4.2/10 and is one of the top scorers in the Products category, gaining maximum points for the energy efficiency of its phones and doing well for its avoidance of hazardous substances in its products. Sony Ericsson is ahead of many of its competitors in eliminating chemical substances in its products and is currently finalising the phase out of antimony, beryllium, phthalates and the very small remaining use of BFR.
However, Greenpeace criticises Sony Ericsson for not having a plan to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency or more use of renewable energy. The guide also states that the company still needs to report the amount of recycled plastic sourced as a percentage of all plastics used.
In June 2009, Sony Ericsson launched its first GreenHeart series device, the C901, which indirectly emits a 15% less of CO2 during its fabrication and usage, compared to other SE phones. It is also packed in a small box without paper manual, includes an eco-charger, and its cover is made of recycled plastic.
During 2010, in 11 months, Sony Ericsson's Facebook fan count rose from 300,000 to 3.9 million to become the 40th-largest brand on the social networking site. The company aims to capitalise on this fanbase and increase engagement by profiling these fans and matching them to dedicated content. It will also analyse the top commenters on the Facebook page and ensure engagement through special content and offering these fans the chance to visit Sony Ericsson offices.
Sports sponsorship
As of 2011, Sony Ericsson sponsors the UEFA Champions League and the Sony Ericsson Open tennis tournament in Miami. According to the head of global marketing partnerships, Stephan Croix, “our sport sponsorships allow us to promote our phones in a subtle and authentic way to our fanbase. Our promise to fans is to enrich their experience during the game but also before and after.”
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
and the Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson
Ericsson
Ericsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks...
to manufacture mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s.
The company's global management is based in Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, London, and it has research and development teams in Lund
Lund
-Main sights:During the 12th and 13th centuries, when the town was the seat of the archbishop, many churches and monasteries were built. At its peak, Lund had 27 churches, but most of them were demolished as result of the Reformation in 1536. Several medieval buildings remain, including Lund...
, Tokyo, Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, Beijing, and Redwood Shores in the US. By 2009, it was the fourth-largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world after Nokia
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
, Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
and LG. The sales of products largely increased due to the launch of the adaptation of Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
's popular Walkman
Walkman
Walkman is a Sony brand tradename originally used for portable audio cassette, and now used to market Sony's portable audio and video players as well as a line of Sony Ericsson mobile phones...
and Cyber-shot
Cyber-shot
Cyber-shot is a line of digital cameras made by Sony. The first cyber-shot was made by Sony in 1996. The Cyber-shot range is well known for its proprietary InfoLithium battery pack, the trademark Carl Zeiss lenses, and overall design. Also, all Cyber-shot cameras accept Sony's proprietary Memory...
series.
In 2010, its market share had fallen to sixth place.
Troubles in Ericsson's mobile phone business
In the United States, Ericsson partnered with General ElectricGeneral Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
in the early nineties, primarily to establish a US presence and brand recognition.
Ericsson had decided to obtain chips for its phones from a single source—a Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
facility in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. In March 2000, a fire at the Philips factory contaminated the sterile facility. Philips assured Ericsson and Nokia
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
(their other major customer) that production would be delayed for no more than a week. When it became clear that production would actually be compromised for months, Ericsson was faced with a serious shortage. Nokia had already begun to obtain parts from alternative sources, but Ericsson's position was much worse as production of current models and the launch of new ones was held up.
Ericsson, which had been in the mobile phone market for decades, and was the world's third largest cellular telephone handset maker, was struggling with huge losses. This was mainly due to this fire and its inability to produce cheaper phones like Nokia
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
. To curtail the losses, it considered outsourcing production to Asian companies that could produce the handsets for lower costs.
Speculation began about a possible sale by Ericsson of its mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
division, but the company's president said it had no plans to do so. "Mobile phones are really a core business for Ericsson. We wouldn't be as successful (in networks) if we didn't have phones", he said.
Background of the joint venture
SonySony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
was a marginal player in the worldwide mobile phone market with a share of less than 1 percent in 2000.
By August 2001, the two companies had finalised the terms of the merger announced in April. The company was to have an initial workforce of 3,500 employees.
Ericsson's market share actually fell and in August 2002, Ericsson said it would stop making mobile phones and end its partnership with Sony if the business continued to disappoint . However, in January 2003, both companies said they would inject more money into the joint venture in a bid to stem the losses.
Sony Ericsson's strategy was to release new models capable of digital photography as well as other multimedia capabilities such as downloading and viewing video clips and personal information management capabilities. To this end, it released several new models which had built-in digital camera
Digital camera
A digital camera is a camera that takes video or still photographs, or both, digitally by recording images via an electronic image sensor. It is the main device used in the field of digital photography...
and colour screen which were novelties at that time. The joint venture, however, continued to make bigger losses in spite of booming sales. The target date for making a profit from its first year to 2002 was postponed to 2003 to second half of 2003. It failed in its mission of becoming the top seller of multimedia handsets and was in fifth-place and struggling in 2005.
Turnaround: Walkman and Cyber-shot
On March 1, 2005, Sony Ericsson introduced the K750iSony Ericsson K750
The Sony Ericsson K750, introduced in June 2005, was a high-end mobile phone, the successor to the now discontinued K700, and which was succeeded by the K800i in Q2 2006.Before official release, K750 was known by its codename Clara....
with a 2 megapixel camera, as well as its platform mate, the W800i
Sony Ericsson W800
The W800 Walkman, released in 2005 , was the first Sony Ericsson phone to use the Walkman brand. The phone features Bluetooth v1.2 , Infrared and USB connectivity....
, the first of the Walkman phones capable of 30 hours of music playback, and two low-end phones.
In 2007 their first 5-Megapixel camera phone, the Sony Ericsson K850i, was announced followed in 2008 by the Sony Ericsson C905, the world's first 8-Megapixel phone. At Mobile World Congress
Mobile World Congress
The GSMA Mobile World Congress is the combination of the world's largest exhibition for the mobile industry and a conference featuring prominent Chief Executives representing mobile operators, device manufacturers, technology providers, vendors and content owners from across the world...
2009, Sony Ericsson unveiled the first 12-Megapixel phone, named Satio, on May 28, 2009.
On May 1, 2005, Sony Ericsson agreed to become the global title sponsor for the WTA Tour in a deal worth $88 million US dollars over 6 years. The women's pro tennis circuit was renamed the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. Just over a month later on June 7, it announced sponsorship of West Indian batsmen Chris Gayle
Chris Gayle
Christopher Henry "Chris" Gayle is a Jamaican cricketer who currently plays international cricket for the West Indies. He captained the West Indies' side from 2007 to 2010. He plays domestic cricket for Jamaica, and has also represented Worcestershire, the Western Warriors and the Kolkata Knight...
and Ramnaresh Sarwan
Ramnaresh Sarwan
Ramnaresh Ronnie Sarwan is a West Indian cricketer of Indo-Guyanese origin and a member of the West Indies cricket team....
.
In October 2005, Sony Ericsson presented the first mobile phone based on UIQ 3, the P990.
On January 2, 2007, Sony Ericsson announced in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
that it would have some of its mobile phones made in India, and that its two outsourcing partners, Flextronics
Flextronics
Flextronics International Ltd. is an electronics manufacturing services provider that offers services to original equipment manufacturers . It also provides supporting supply chain services, including packaging and transportation throughout the world, as well as design and after-sales...
and Foxconn
Foxconn
The Foxconn Technology Group is a multinational business group anchored by the Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. , a Taiwan-registered corporation headquartered in Tucheng, Taiwan...
would manufacture ten million mobile phones per year by 2009. CEO Miles Flint
Miles Flint
Miles Flint is the former President of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB since June 2004. Before this role, he was the President of European Marketing at Sony Europe. He was responsible for the marketing activities of Sony's electronics business in Europe. Miles was also the Managing Director...
announced at a press conference held with India's communications minister Dayanidhi Maran
Dayanidhi Maran
Dayanidhi Maran is a member of parliament in India’s 15th Lok Sabha from Chennai Central constituency and Additional Deputy Leader of DMK. He was also the Minister for Textiles in the Union Cabinet, and has also served as the as the Minister for Communications and Information Technology before that...
in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
that India was one of the fastest growing markets in the world and a priority market for Sony Ericsson with 105 million users of GSM mobile telephones.
Recent struggles
Sony Ericsson has struggled since the arrival of Apple's iPhoneIPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
in the third quarter of 2007. Its handset shipments have fallen from a high of 30.8m in Q4 2007 to only 8.1m in Q1 2011, according to its financial reports. The company had made net losses in six of the 15 quarters and seen its cash reserves shrink from €2.2bn to €599m, after taking a €375m cash injection from its joint owners. The eclipse of the Symbian
Symbian
Symbian is a mobile operating system and computing platform designed for smartphones and currently maintained by Accenture. The Symbian platform is the successor to Symbian OS and Nokia Series 60; unlike Symbian OS, which needed an additional user interface system, Symbian includes a user...
operating system, initially by Apple's iPhone, and then by Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
's Android, has affected Sony Ericsson's position in the market.
Sony Ericsson was overtaken by its South Korean rival LG Electronics
LG Electronics
LG Electronics is a global electronics and telecommunications company headquartered in Yeouido, Seoul, South Korea. The company operates its business through five divisions: mobile communications, home entertainment, home appliance, air conditioning and business solution...
in Q1
Calendar year
Generally speaking, a calendar year begins on the New Year's Day of the given calendar system and ends on the day before the following New Year's Day. By convention, a calendar year consists of a natural number of days. To reconcile the calendar year with an astronomical cycle , certain years...
2008. Sony Ericsson's company's profits fell significantly by 43% to €133 million (approx. US$180 million), sales falling by 8% and market share falling from 9.4% to 7.9%, despite favourable conditions that the handset market was expected to grow by 10% in 2008. Sony Ericsson announced another profit warning in June 2008 and saw net profit crash by 97% in Q2 2008, announcing that it would cut 2,000 jobs, leading to wide fear that Sony Ericsson is on the verge of decline along with its struggling rival, Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
. In Q3 the profits were much on the same level, however November and December saw increased profits along with new models being released such as the C905 being one of the top sellers across the United Kingdom.
Downsizing
In June 2008, Sony Ericsson had about 8,200 employees, it then launched a cost-cutting program and by the end of 2009 it had slashed its global workforce by around 5,000 people. It planned to cut another 1,500 jobs in 2010. It has also closed R&D (research and development) centres globally, such as, Chadwick House, BirchwoodBirchwood
Birchwood is a civil parish in the north-eastern part of Warrington, Cheshire, England with a population of 11,395 . Historically a part of Lancashire, it is the easternmost part of the Warrington urban area. It was built during the time of much expansion in Warrington as it became a "new town"...
(Warrington
Warrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
) in the UK; Miami, Seattle, San Diego and RTP (Raleigh, NC)
Research Triangle Park
The Research Triangle Park is a research park in the United States. It is located near Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill, in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina...
in the USA; The Chennai Unit (Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
) in India; Hässleholm and Kista in Sweden and operations in the Netherlands. The UIQ
UIQ
UIQ by UIQ Technology is a software platform based upon Symbian OS. Essentially this is a graphical user interface layer that provides additional components to the core OS, to enable the development of feature-rich mobile phones that are open to expanded capabilities through third-party...
centres in London and Budapest were also closed, UIQ
UIQ
UIQ by UIQ Technology is a software platform based upon Symbian OS. Essentially this is a graphical user interface layer that provides additional components to the core OS, to enable the development of feature-rich mobile phones that are open to expanded capabilities through third-party...
was a joint venture with Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
which began life in the 1990s.
Sony Ericsson has, as of July 18, 2008, approximately 9,400 employees and 2,500 contractors worldwide. Bert Nordberg is the president of the company since October, 2009. Sir Howard Stringer, CEO and President, Sony Corporation, is chairman of the board.
Buyout by Sony
On October 27, 2011, Sony announced that it will acquire Ericsson's stake in Sony Ericsson for €1.05 billion ($1.47 billion), making the mobile handset business a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony. The transaction's completion is expected to occur in January 2012.Product lines
Sony Ericsson currently concentrates on the categories of: music, camera, business (web and email), design, all-rounder, eco-friendly, and budget focused phones. Its six largest categories are:- The WalkmanWalkmanWalkman is a Sony brand tradename originally used for portable audio cassette, and now used to market Sony's portable audio and video players as well as a line of Sony Ericsson mobile phones...
-branded W series music phones, launched in 2005.
The Sony Ericsson W-series music phones are notable for being the first music-centric series mobile phones, prompting a new market segment for portable music that was developing at the time. The main feature that can be seen in all of these Walkman phones is they all have a 'W' button, which when pressed opens the media centre. Sony Ericsson's Walkman phones have formerly been commercially endorsed by pop stars Christina AguileraChristina AguileraChristina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
and Jason KayJason KayJason "Jay Kay" Luís Cheetham , is a Grammy Award-winning English musician, best known as the lead singer of the band Jamiroquai...
across Europe. Walkman branded phones are also produced for the Japanese market. - The Cyber-shotCyber-shotCyber-shot is a line of digital cameras made by Sony. The first cyber-shot was made by Sony in 1996. The Cyber-shot range is well known for its proprietary InfoLithium battery pack, the trademark Carl Zeiss lenses, and overall design. Also, all Cyber-shot cameras accept Sony's proprietary Memory...
-branded line of phones, launched in 2006 in newer models of the K series phones.
This range of phones are focused on the quality of the camera included with the phone. Cyber-shot phones always include a flash, some with a xenon flash, and also include auto-focus cameras. Sony Ericsson kicked off its global marketing campaign for Cyber-shot phone with the launch of 'Never Miss a Shot'. The campaign featured top female tennis players Ana IvanovićAna IvanovicAna Ivanović is a former world no. 1 Serbian tennis player. As of November 7, 2011, she is ranked 22th on the WTA rankings. She beat Dinara Safina to win the 2008 French Open and was the runner-up in singles at the 2007 French Open and the 2008 Australian Open...
and Daniela HantuchováDaniela HantuchováDaniela Hantuchová is a Slovak professional tennis player. She turned professional in 1999 and had her breakthrough year in 2002, when she won her first Tier I tournament and ended the year in the top 10.She is currently coached by Larri Passos...
. On February 10, 2008, the series has been expanded with the announcement of C702, C902 and C905 phones. Cyber-shot branded phones are also produced for the Japanese market. - The BRAVIABRAVIABRAVIA is a Sony brand used to market its high-definition LCD televisions, projection TVs and front projectors and for the PlayStation 3 , along with its home cinema range under the sub-brand BRAVIA Theatre. The BRAVIA name is an acronym of "Best Resolution Audio Visual Integrated Architecture"...
-branded line of phones, launched 2007 in the Japanese market only.
Until now, five BRAVIA branded phones have been produced. Sony Ericsson (FOMAFomaFoma may refer to:* FOMA , a Japanese mobile telecommunications service* Sergei Fomenko, nicknamed "Foma", Ukrainian musician...
SO903iTV, FOMAFomaFoma may refer to:* FOMA , a Japanese mobile telecommunications service* Sergei Fomenko, nicknamed "Foma", Ukrainian musician...
SO906i, U1, S004, and S005) uses the BRAVIA brand. BRAVIA branded phone are able to show 1seg1segis a mobile terrestrial digital audio/video and data broadcasting service in Japan, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru. Service began experimentally during 2005 and commercially on April 1, 2006. In Brazil, the broadcast started in late 2007 in just a few cities, with a slight difference from...
terrestrial television. - The UIQUIQUIQ by UIQ Technology is a software platform based upon Symbian OS. Essentially this is a graphical user interface layer that provides additional components to the core OS, to enable the development of feature-rich mobile phones that are open to expanded capabilities through third-party...
smartphone range of mobiles, introduced with the P series in 2003 with the introduction of P800.
They are notable for their touchscreens, QWERTY keypads (on most models), and use of the UIQ interface platform for SymbianSymbianSymbian is a mobile operating system and computing platform designed for smartphones and currently maintained by Accenture. The Symbian platform is the successor to Symbian OS and Nokia Series 60; unlike Symbian OS, which needed an additional user interface system, Symbian includes a user...
OS. This range has since expanded into the M series and G series phones. - The XPERIAXPERIAXperia is the range of Sony Ericsson handsets which are smartphones. Since 2010 the company's main focus has been on these devices which now account for more than half of all sales. Xperia is derived from the word 'experience' which was used in the branding of the Xperia X1 in the catch line, "I ...
range of mobile phones, heralded by the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1The Xperia X1 is a high-end smartphone from Sony Ericsson, and is the first in the manufacturer's Xperia series. The X1 was first presented at the 2008 Mobile World Congress.- Basics :...
in February 2008 at the Mobile World Congress (formerly 3GSM) held in Barcelona Spain, was the first trademark promoted by Sony Ericsson as its own and is designated to provide technological convergence among its target user base. The first model, X1, carried the Windows MobileWindows MobileWindows Mobile is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft that was used in smartphones and Pocket PCs, but by 2011 was rarely supplied on new phones. The last version is "Windows Mobile 6.5.5"; it is superseded by Windows Phone, which does not run Windows Mobile software.Windows Mobile is...
operating system with a Sony Ericsson's panel interface. The Xperia X10 model features the Android operating system. Additionally, Yahoo! News reported that Sony would align with Google to run Android on its upcoming smartphone. - The GreenHeartGreenheartGreenheart is a common name for several different plants:*Chlorocardium rodiei , a tree native to Guyana in northern South America.*Colubrina arborescens , a shrub native to Florida and the Caribbean....
range of mobile phones, first introduced in 2009, heralded by the Sony Ericsson J105i Naite and C901 GreenHeart.
It is focused on an environmentally friendly theme, but still featured with recent mobile technology and multimedia capability. It mainly uses eco-friendly materials and features eco-apps.
Financial information
Sony Ericsson posted its first profit in the second half of 2003. Since then, the sales figures from phones have been:| Year | Unit sales, millions |
| 2004 | 42 |
| 2005 | 50 |
| 2006 | 74.8 |
| 2007 | 103.4 |
| 2008 | 96.6 |
| 2009 | 57.1 |
| 2010 | 43.1 |
In the third quarter of 2009, Sony Ericsson became the world's fourth largest mobile phone maker with 4.9% of market share after Nokia
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
(37.8%), Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
(21%) and LG (11%).
According to the Swedish Magazine M3s issue 7/2006 Sony Ericsson is the best-selling phone brand in the Nordic countries
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
, followed by Nokia
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
.
Compatibility
During E3 2007 Media and Business Summit, Phil HarrisonPhil Harrison
Phil Harrison is the former British corporate executive and a representative director of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. and Executive Vice President of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe . At E3 in 2005 he showcased the first public realtime demonstrations of PlayStation 3 development hardware...
, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
CEO showcased a Sony Ericsson phone using the PlayStation's XMB. A select group of phones are also said to integrate into PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home is a virtual 3D social gaming network developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's London Studio for the PlayStation 3 on the PlayStation Network . It is available directly from the PlayStation 3 XrossMediaBar under PlayStation Network. Membership is free, and only requires a PSN...
(final product)
During the announcement of Sony Ericsson K850, W960 and W910 some review sites have shown that those mentioned phones and future mid-range or better phones will have Media to replace the standard File Manager which will be moved to the Organiser of the phone. The Media manager possesses a UI that resembles the XMB interface found on Sony TV, PS3, and PSP products. The mobile developer site confirmed from their spec sheets and white papers that the XMB media manager is standard to the phones running Java Platform 8 also known as A200 Platform and Symbian devices like Sony Ericsson Satio and Sony Ericsson Vivaz
Sony Ericsson Vivaz
The Sony Ericsson Vivaz is a smartphone, announced by Sony Ericsson on 21 January 2010. It was released on 5 March 2010 in the color schemes Moon Silver, Cosmic Black, Galaxy Blue and Venus Ruby....
.
Operations
In 2009 Sony Ericsson announced that it was moving its North American headquarters from Research Triangle Park, North Carolina to Atlanta. The headquarters move was part of a plan to reduce its workforce, then 10,000 employees, by 20%. As of that year Sony Ericsson had 425 employees in Research Triangle Park; the staff had been reduced by hundreds due to layoffs. Stacy Doster, a spokesperson of Sony Ericsson, said that the proximity to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International AirportHartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
's flights to Latin America and the operations of AT&T Mobility influenced the decision to move the USA headquarters. Sony Ericsson will close the Research Triangle site.
Environmental record
Sony Ericsson ranks 6th out of 15 leading electronics makers in GreenpeaceGreenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
’s Guide to Greener Electronics that assesses companies' policies on climate and energy, sustainability and how green their products are. The company scores 4.2/10 and is one of the top scorers in the Products category, gaining maximum points for the energy efficiency of its phones and doing well for its avoidance of hazardous substances in its products. Sony Ericsson is ahead of many of its competitors in eliminating chemical substances in its products and is currently finalising the phase out of antimony, beryllium, phthalates and the very small remaining use of BFR.
However, Greenpeace criticises Sony Ericsson for not having a plan to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency or more use of renewable energy. The guide also states that the company still needs to report the amount of recycled plastic sourced as a percentage of all plastics used.
In June 2009, Sony Ericsson launched its first GreenHeart series device, the C901, which indirectly emits a 15% less of CO2 during its fabrication and usage, compared to other SE phones. It is also packed in a small box without paper manual, includes an eco-charger, and its cover is made of recycled plastic.
Marketing campaigns
Social mediaDuring 2010, in 11 months, Sony Ericsson's Facebook fan count rose from 300,000 to 3.9 million to become the 40th-largest brand on the social networking site. The company aims to capitalise on this fanbase and increase engagement by profiling these fans and matching them to dedicated content. It will also analyse the top commenters on the Facebook page and ensure engagement through special content and offering these fans the chance to visit Sony Ericsson offices.
Sports sponsorship
As of 2011, Sony Ericsson sponsors the UEFA Champions League and the Sony Ericsson Open tennis tournament in Miami. According to the head of global marketing partnerships, Stephan Croix, “our sport sponsorships allow us to promote our phones in a subtle and authentic way to our fanbase. Our promise to fans is to enrich their experience during the game but also before and after.”
See also
- SonySony, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
- EricssonEricssonEricsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks...
- MyPhoneExplorerMyPhoneExplorerMyPhoneExplorer is a proprietary freeware desktop application allowing management of Sony Ericsson and Android mobile phones. It is developed in Austria but has been translated into many languages, including English. It is available from multiple download sites and has been downloaded over 1.5...
– full featured Sony Ericsson manager software for Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, able to backup, synch and editing almost all data on the phone via BluetoothBluetoothBluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...
, infraredInfraredInfrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
or USBUniversal Serial BusUSB is an industry standard developed in the mid-1990s that defines the cables, connectors and protocols used in a bus for connection, communication and power supply between computers and electronic devices.... - Media GoMedia GoMedia Go is a video and audio player developed by Sony Creative Software, announced at E3 2009 for Microsoft Windows. Media Go manages content on Sony family products such as Sony Ericsson cellular telephones and the PlayStation Portable; it can also playback multimedia content, serving a function...
– music, photo, video, and game management software made for Sony Ericsson phones - Disc2PhoneDisc2PhoneDisc2Phone is a freeware developed by Sony for Sony Ericsson phones to convert music from a computer or audio CD to MP3 format and send them to a Sony Ericsson mobile phone or to a Memory Stick card.-History:...
– music management software made for Sony Ericsson phones - SonicStageSonicStageSonicStage is the name for Sony software that is used for managing portable devices when they are plugged into a computer running Microsoft Windows. It comprises a music player and library manager, similar to iTunes, Windows Media Player and RealPlayer. It is used to manage the library of ATRAC...
– music management software made for Japan market phones - PlayNow – global content distribution portal
- List of Sony Ericsson products