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Sony reorganizes into 'One Sony', prioritizes digital imaging, gaming, and mobile

Sony reorganizes into 'One Sony', prioritizes digital imaging, gaming, and mobile

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Sony is unveiling its new management structure, including several new board appointees, and the addition of UX and medical business groups. The TV division will be placed directly under the supervision of CEO Kazuo Hirai.

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Sony is unveiling a new business structure today, dubbed "One Sony," which it hopes will speed up and streamline its decision making process. Under the new plan, the separate professional and consumer product and service groups will disappear, which is probably what gave rise to the aspirational name. The top-tier reorganization is effective beginning April 1st, and sees the company place digital imaging, gaming, and mobile devices as the three cornerstones of its electronics business.

In order to make sure the company leverages its strengths, the board has appointed two new members to determine which technologies to get behind and improve the user experience across all of Sony's products. Shoji Nemoto will be in overall charge of technology strategies, locating new businesses and R&D to invest in with a "process of stringent selection." Kunimasa Suzuki has been asked to head up the newly-formed UX and Product Strategy group — he'll be the man in charge of Sony's big push to improve user experience and integration among its products and services as well as the company's nascent mobile device strategy. Suzuki has been open about Sony's research into porting the Vita OS to mobile devices, which makes the decision to put him in charge all the more interesting. Additionally, Sony has identified medical technology as one of its strengths and is establishing a new medical business unit to supply doctors with the most stylish equipment on the market.

Finally, Sony's home entertainment businesses, including the struggling TV division, are being put under the direct supervision of CEO Kazuo Hirai. While Sony faces a lot of challenges on the TV front — particularly commoditization spurred on by competition from abroad — it's possible that increased scrutiny, a new asset-light approach to manufacturing, and a look toward increased collaboration can bring the division back to profitability.