The company was established on April 3, 2006 as a joint venture between Sony and Nouman Corporation, each had share of 55% and 45% respectively. On September 11, 2008, it was announced that Sony would take over NEC’s 45% share, making Optiarc wholly owned subsidiary of Sony. This took effect on December 5, 2008. This subsidiary specializes in CD and DVD drives for desktop and PC markets.
Sony, which has posted severe losses in 2011 is in the process of eliminating loss making businesses and this move is one of them. Sony Chief Executive Officer Kazuo Hirai had detailed his action plan to get Sony on track back in Feb 2012, and getting rid of Optiarc is surely one way of transforming Sony’s business portfolio.
Currently, Sony Optiarc has 10-15% share in the global market for optical disk drives, but it reported Operating losses. It is quoted that, fierce price competition with rival companies also prompted Sony to take the tough move. An estimated 400 employees will be let go, through an early retirement program.
Bridging intelligence and engineering maturity for a digital-first world Today’s engineering teams face mounting pressure…
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics redefine the battlefield, how should we feel about it?…
The Tech Panda takes a look at recent funding events in the tech ecosystem, seeking…
Walk near the glass facade of any modern building in India today, and it would…
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer the exclusive domain of tech experts or computer scientists.…
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been making moves to get into the classrooms. Will it make…