Sony spun off its PC division in 2014, creating a new company called VAIO which sells computers exclusively in Japan.
Now VAIO is getting ready to launch its first smartphones, which is kind of funny, since Sony is considering spinning off its own PC business.
VAIO and wireless carrier Japan Communications plan to introduce the first VAIO smartphones on March 12th.
Details are pretty scarce at the moment, but a report from the Japan Times a few months ago suggested the phones would be mid-range handsets running Android software. Of course, that report could be wrong: it also said the phones might launch in January.
But mid-range Android phones seem like a safe bet for a company that’s just entering the smartphone space. It also makes sense for phones that will be offered through Japan Communications, which is a low-cost MVNO (mobile virtual network operator).
It’s unclear whether VAIO has any plans to expand its PC or phone business outside of Japan anytime soon. But at a time when Sony is considering getting out of the phone business it’s interesting to see that the folks who used to make Sony’s PCs are eyeing the mobile space as a way to grow their company.
via Blog of Mobile