Skip to main content

Sony says sayonara to low-end Android phones, may cut its sales forecast again

Sony Xperia Z3V
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Even though Sony posted a net loss of over $1 billion for its 2013-2014 financial year, which ended in March, the Japanese electronic giant still forecasted 50 million mobile phones would be sold from April 2014 to March 2015. In September, Sony decided to adjust that forecast by lowering the target by 7 million. Now, it appears Sony will reduce its handset sales forecast yet again, reports The Wall Street Journal.

Even though the publication did not give specific numbers, it reports that Sony will reduce its forecast by several million units. In addition, it could be intent on reducing its presence in emerging markets, specifically in China, so entry-level handsets in these markets could see the boot. The rationale given was that, for Sony, it has been an uphill battle trying to challenge cheaper handsets from Chinese manufacturers, such as Xiaomi, which took over the top spot in the Chinese market.

As a result, Sony chief financial officer Kenichiro Yoshida confirmed that Sony will instead focus on producing high-end handsets. Sony looks to reveal more at a meeting it will hold with investors in November.

Editors' Recommendations

Williams Pelegrin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…
AT&T just made it a lot easier to upgrade your phone
AT&T Storefront with logo.

Do you want to upgrade your phone more than once a year? What about three times a year? Are you on AT&T? If you answered yes to those questions, then AT&T’s new “Next Up Anytime” early upgrade program is made for you. With this add-on, you’ll be able to upgrade your phone three times a year for just $10 extra every month. It will be available starting July 16.

Currently, AT&T has its “Next Up” add-on, which has been available for the past several years. This program costs $6 extra per month and lets you upgrade by trading in your existing phone after at least half of it is paid off. But the new Next Up Anytime option gives you some more flexibility.

Read more
Motorola is selling unlocked smartphones for just $150 today
Someone holding the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024).

Have you been looking for phone deals but don’t want to spend a ton of money on flagship devices from Apple and Samsung? Have you ever considered investing in an unlocked Motorola? For a limited time, the company is offering a $100 markdown on the Motorola Moto G 5G. It can be yours for just $150, and your days and nights of phone-shopping will finally be over!

Why you should buy the Motorola Moto G 5G
Powered by the Snapdragon 480+ 5G CPU and 4GB of RAM, the Moto G delivers exceptional performance across the board. From UI navigation to apps, games, and camera functions, you can expect fast load times, next to no buffering, and smooth animations. You’ll also get up to 128GB of internal storage that you’ll be able to use for photos, videos, music, and any other mobile content you can store locally. 

Read more
The Nokia 3210 is the worst phone I’ve used in 2024
A person holding the Nokia 3210, showing the screen.

Where do I even start with the Nokia 3210? Not the original, which was one of the coolest phones to own back in a time when Star Wars: Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace wasn’t even a thing, but the latest 2024 reissue that has come along to save us all from digital overload, the horror of social media, and the endless distraction that is the modern smartphone.

Except behind this facade of marketing-friendly do-goodery hides a weapon of torture, a device so foul that I’d rather sit through multiple showings of Jar Jar Binks and the gang hopelessly trying to bring back the magic of A New Hope than use it.
The Nokia 3210 really is that bad

Read more