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Sony to develop convergence technologies in India

Fakir Chand in Bangalore

Sony Corporation, the $59-billion global consumer electronics giant, has set its sights firmly on India to develop convergence technologies for building Home Networks, Digital Media Platform, and Internet-enabled Consumer Electronic devices during the current decade.

>Sony India Software Center, the Bangalore-based wholly-owned subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate, will be playing a key role in developing these technologies through its two divisions - the Systems Design Division and the Software Architecture Division - set up with an investment of Rs 78 million.

Disclosing this in Bangalore on Wednesday, Sony Corporation president and COO Kunitake Ando told media persons that the global company's next phase of growth would see the seamless integration of the gateways, content, and communities, which are being developed globally.

"With broadband opening up immense opportunities, interconnectivity and quick communication among all devices have become the key for product planning and development. We are working towards building the Sony Dream Community by integrating networking across our global operations," Ando said.

In keeping with the emerging convergence technologies, Sony will focus on synergising audio-visual entertainment with IT, especially multi-media in the wake of the overwhelming response its PlayStation II received the world over.

Though Sony has been known for its world class consumer electronics over the decades, it has moved just in time during the last couple of years to leverage its expertise in hardware with software for providing integrated solutions to its latest devices.

"Sony's growth strategy for the 21st century is to provide a seamless network with an integrated business model for bundling hardware and software. The Sony Dream Community will be built on the power of hardware, content, and broadband," Ando stated.

According to Sony India Ltd managing director Teruo Ishii, the Indian software development centre will also enlarge its domain of activity from AIBO (the popular entertainment robot) and high-end digital TV development to client-server based AV (audio-visual) products, DSP (Digital Signaling Process), and Network Security in the areas of Home Networks.

"Both the software divisions have contributed immensely to the IT initiatives of Sony operations worldwide. The software architecture division played a key role in the development of AIBO and the digital TV. It also executed several projects related to Sony's real time operating system Aperios. The division is aiming to achieve SEI-CMM Level 4 this year and Level 5 next year," Ishii said.

The systems design division is currently working on system software and applications-related projects. During the last two years since it was set up, the division has also handled several projects for the parent company in the areas of design and development, support and maintenance of mission-critical systems.

Referring to the phenomenal growth of Sony's consumer electronics goods in India, Ishii said the Rs 6.25-billion Indian subsidiary would soon be introducing a suite of products in the domestic market to emerge as one of the top three players in the consumer electronics industry.

"We are lining up to launch a range of products, spawning VAIO series of laptops, PCs, monitors, cellular phones, audio hi-fi systems, portable systems, and digital still cameras. Our recently launched DRC WEGA CTV range has evoked tremendous response from the Indian consumers across the country."

The subsidiary's world class manufacturing facility at Dharuhera in Haryana has an installed capacity of 200,000 units of audio equipment and 300,000 units of CTVs. The facility has an inbuilt scalability to meet the expected demand growth in the near future.

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