Sony Corporation is a Japanese multinational company. We trust Sony's products with closed eyes, and the Sony sound system is the best example of that.
Sony is the fifth-largest television manufacturer in the world. Sony ranked 105th in the Fortune Global 500. Sony Corporation is divided into Sony Mobile, Sony Pictures, Sony Finance Service, and many more divisions.
Sony At a Glance
| Company Name | Sony Corporation |
| Founded | 1946 |
| Founders | Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita |
| Original Name | Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo (Tokyo Telecommunication Engineering Corporation) |
| Headquarters | Tokyo, Japan |
| Famous Products | Walkman, PlayStation, Trinitron TV, CD Player |
| Revenue | $85–90 billion (recent estimate) |
| Fortune Global 500 Rank | 105 |
How Did Sony Start?
The start of Sony Corporation came after World War II. At that time, Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita started the company. After completing his graduation, Masaru Ibuka ran a radio repair shop in Tokyo. At that time, he met Akio Morita, who was 13 years younger than him. Both decided to start a business together.
Do you know? In 1946, they took a loan of ¥190,000 (roughly $500 at the time) from a bank and started Tokyo Telecommunication Engineering Corporation. The Japanese name of their company was Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo.
One of the first products of this company was an electric rice cooker, which was not very successful. The company sold $6,500 worth of products, including rice cookers, but could only make a $300 profit. After the failure of their first product, they decided to create something new. They then made a tape recorder.
The Turning Point for Sony
The company launched this tape recorder in 1950. This product also seemed to fail at first because it was new to Japanese people, and they did not understand its use. Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita gave some free tape recorders to people and explained the use and benefits of the device.
After that, the company received many orders from corporate houses and media houses. The company shifted to a new place due to expansion. Now the company had become popular, but in other countries, people could not pronounce the company name properly. The company changed its name to Sony.
Do you know? The name Sony comes from two words: "Sonus" (Latin for sound) and "Sonny" (a common American slang term used in the 1950s–60s to call a young boy).
A Life-Changing Moment for Sony
After changing the company name, the first major product of Sony was the transistor radio (TR-55), launched in 1955. This was the smallest and most compact radio at that time. People loved this radio, and due to this product, Sony's sales increased 1,000 times.
After that, Sony developed products based on people's needs. In 1960, Sony launched the first transistor TV. In 1968, the company launched the Trinitron color TV and developed several other products. In 1979, the company launched the Walkman, which became a top-rated product. In the 1980s, due to a global recession, Sony also faced losses, but the company never lost hope.
In 1982, Sony launched its first CD player (CDP-101) and also developed the first consumer video camera. Today, Sony develops smartphones, cameras, PlayStation, laptops, LED TVs, video recorders, sound systems, and many other products. After massive success, Masaru Ibuka passed away in 1997, and Akio Morita passed away in 1999.
Today, Sony's revenue is more than $85–90 billion. In the end, the lesson is simple: by keeping people's needs in mind, you too can rule the market.
Key Facts About Sony
| Founded | 1946 |
| Founders | Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita |
| Original Name | Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo |
| First Major Product | Transistor Radio TR-55 (1955) |
| Walkman Launch | 1979 |
| CD Player Launch | 1982 |
| PlayStation Launch | 1994 |
| Revenue | $85–90 billion |
Some Lesser Known Facts About Sony
- Sony was founded in 1946 by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita.
- The original company name was Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo.
- Sony's first product was an electric rice cooker.
- The company's first big success was the transistor radio TR-55 in 1955.
- The name "Sony" comes from "Sonus" (sound) and "Sonny" (young boy).
- Sony launched the Walkman in 1979.
- Sony co-developed the CD and launched its first CD player in 1982.
- Sony launched the PlayStation in 1994.
- Sony is the fifth-largest TV manufacturer in the world.
- Masaru Ibuka passed away in 1997.
- Akio Morita passed away in 1999.
- Sony's revenue is over $85 billion.
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