1946
The Morita family invested 190,000 yen in Ibuka's new company after Akio Morita asked his father's blessing.
“They get the blessing and 190,000 yen investment in the new startup company.”
Topic
Sony
40 facts from 9 episodes, in date order. These are what speakers said on the shows, each linked to the moment it was said. They aren't independently verified.
1946
Sony Corporation was founded in Japan in 1946.
“So Sony was founded in 1946 in Japan.”
1946
Sony's first product was a wooden rice cooker, according to the hosts.
“Their first product was a wooden rice cooker.”
1946
The hosts say Japan's GDP per capita in 1946 was $17.
“The GDP per capita in Japan in 1946 was $17, not $17,000.”
1955
The company that became Sony released its first transistor radio, the TR55, in August 1955.
“TTC releases their first transistor radio product, the TR55 portable radio.”
1960
Sony established Sony Corporation of America in 1960, and Akio Morita moved to New York to run it.
“They start the Sony Corporation of America in 1960 and Morita actually moves to New York City.”
1967
CBS Sony Records was created as a 50-50 joint venture between CBS and Sony within about a year of 1966.
“Within a year, CBS Sony Records is created. It's a 50-50 JV between the two companies.”
1970
Sony became the first Japanese company listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1970.
“in 1970, they became the first Japanese company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.”
1976
MCA filed a lawsuit against Sony in November 1976 over the Betamax recorder.
“November of 1976, MCA files a lawsuit against Sony for enabling copyright infringement.”
1979
The first Sony Walkman launched in Japan in July 1979 and sold out its 30,000-unit first production run in one month.
“So the first Walkman comes out in Japan in July of 1979. It sells through the 30,000 initial production run in one month.”
1982
Sony brought the first compact disc player to market in 1982, after announcing the CD format with Philips in 1980.
“in 1982, Sony brings the first CD player to market.”
1988
Sony bought CBS Records for about $2 billion after corporate raider Larry Tisch sought to sell it.
“They end up buying it for $2 billion.”
1989
Sony bought Columbia Pictures in 1989 for a $3.2 billion equity price, roughly $6 billion including assumed debt.
“we're talking about Sony buying Columbia pictures in 1989 for $3.2 billion, but that was the equity purchase price.”
1989
According to the hosts, Nintendo named the Game Boy as a jab at Sony, which would have used a name like Game Man after the Walkman.
“They called it the Game Boy to dig at Sony, who, if they made it, would have called it the Game Man.”
1991
Sony announced a Sony-Nintendo PlayStation partnership at CES in 1991, and Nintendo revealed a Philips partnership the next day.
“In 1991 at CES, this is before E3.”
1993
According to the Wikipedia page the host reads aloud, Sony's PlayStation direction became 'instantly clear' after Virtua Fighter's arcade success in 1993, focusing it on 3D polygon graphics.
“After Sony witnessed the success of Sega's Virtua Fighter in 1993 in Japanese arcades, the direction of the PlayStation became, quote, instantly clear.”
1994
Around the PlayStation's 1994 launch, Sony had about $38 billion in revenue while Nintendo had about $4 billion.
“They were doing $38 billion in revenue. And at that point in time, Nintendo was a $4 billion revenue company.”
1994
In September 1994 Sony and Namco announced a partnership to release the arcade game Tekken, running on Namco's System 11 board.
“They're going to partner together to release a quote unquote Virtua Fighter Killer arcade game called Tekken.”
1995
At E3 1995, Sony America's president announced the US PlayStation release date as September 9, 1995.
“He says that the PlayStation will release in the U.S. on September 9th, 1995.”
2000
The PlayStation 2 sold over 150 million units, making it the best-selling console of all time.
“And then the PlayStation 2 becomes the most successful console of all time. Over 150 million units sold worldwide.”
2000
Around 2000 Sony paid Marvel about $10 million for the Spider-Man film rights, with Marvel also receiving about 5% of movie revenue.
“starting around 2000, Sony approaches Marvel and says, we'd like to pay you $10 million for the film rights to Spider-Man.”
2000s
The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling console of all time at about 155 million units, according to the hosts.
“Still, to this day, the PS2 has sold more units than any other console, including the Game Boy, including the Nintendo Switch.”
2006
Sony lost its number one television market share position in 2006, and its TV division lost money for roughly eight years.
“In 2006, they lose the number one market share lead in televisions for the first time.”
2009
After Lalit Modi cancelled the World Sport Group deal, Sony signed a direct 10-year IPL media deal worth $2.4 billion.
“But Sony is now going to directly do a 10-year deal with the IPL for $2.4 billion.”
2018
Sony first set up its AI ethics guidelines in 2018.
“AI became an early focus of ours back in 2018 when we first set up our AI ethics guidelines.”
2022
At the time of recording, Apple was worth about $2.8 trillion, roughly 19 times Sony's market value.
“Apple is now worth $2.8 trillion, or about 19 times what Sony is worth.”
2023
Rao said Leica was already selling a camera that can attach Content Credentials metadata at the moment a picture is taken, and Sony had also announced such cameras.
“Leica is already shipping that camera, it's in the stores. And that means you can take a picture, turn on Content Credentials”
Undated
Michael Ovitz says he was involved in advising on Sony's purchase of CBS Records.
“I got involved in the sale of CBS Records to Sony”
Undated
Michael Ovitz says Akio Morita wanted Sony to own content because Betamax was losing to VHS.
“he was upset that Betamax, which was a superior technology to VHS, was losing to VHS”
Undated
Sony's first tape recorder cost about 160,000 yen per unit.
“I believe the first product cost 160,000 yen per recorder.”
Undated
The Sony TR63 pocket radio sold about 1.5 million units at $25 each.
“the TR63 ends up selling 1.5 million units at $25 each”
Undated
Norio Oga, who later became CEO of Sony, was a classically trained opera singer and conductor.
“Ibuka, Morita, and Oga were really the triumvirate for a long time. Oga was a classically trained musician. He was an opera singer and a conductor.”
Undated
Ken Kutaragi and Sony designed the audio chip for the Super Nintendo, which sold just under 50 million units.
“The Super Nintendo had super great audio, like really good stuff.”
Undated
Sony lost about $5 billion on the PlayStation 3 in its first three years.
“Sony loses $5 billion on the PS3 in the first three years.”
Undated
Sony's Spider-Man deal lets it keep the film rights by releasing a new Spider-Man movie at least every five years and nine months.
“As long as they release one every five years and nine months.”
Undated
Hamilton Helmer said Sony's entry into game consoles was a different and very hard business that only later became a source of profit.
“I mean, if you think of Sony, on the other hand, when they went into game consoles, that was a different business, I'd say, and brutally hard.”
Undated
Sony is a multinational company headquartered in Japan with businesses in creative entertainment and technology.
“Sony is a large multinational company headquartered in Japan, with a diverse array of businesses around creative entertainment and technology.”
Undated
Sony's operating companies focus on music, motion pictures, video games and electronics.
“So we have operating companies focused on music, motion pictures, video games and electronics.”
Undated
Alice Xiang established Sony's AI ethics office and its processes for evaluating AI use in products and services.
“I established our AI ethics office and our processes in terms of how different AI uses and AI integration into products and services is evaluated for responsible AI.”
Undated
Sony tested FHIBE with several business units developing computer vision technologies before its public launch.
“FHIBE is being used as well across Sony, even before the launch. We tested it out with a number of our business units that are developing computer vision technologies.”
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