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Sony India to launch new products in India

Sony India Limited's sales from consumer electronics division have exceeded the expectations and turnover in 1998-99 is likely to cross Rs 5 billion.

''We plan to launch new products in 25 categories later this year,'' said company's managing director Hiromi Matsumoto in New Delhi early this week. ''By year 2000-1, the sales turnover is expected to double.''

A new Sony Digital World Showroom in New Delhi will market digital cameras and editing equipment. Six to seven similar digital outlets will be opened across the country in the next two years, he said.

''Opening of this Delhi outlet is the first step in projecting company's diverse strategy to effect convergence of audio-visual media with information technology. This will give consumers an opportunity in choosing the technologies which will interface with consumer durables.''

Matsumoto said the company's digital outlets will also sell Mavica cameras which store pictures on a 3.5-inch floppy disk. The images can be edited on a computer and mailed electronically anywhere in the world through Internet.

Besides, the showrooms will display the entire range of Sony's digital products like Mavica printer, mega flat-screen televisions and Handycams.

Matsumoto said the boundaries separating the audio-visual, communication and computer industries are quickly fading as digital technology is leading to a networked society.

Digital Mavica is one such product which is capable of a whole range of multimedia, commercial and entertainment applications, he said.

Elaborating on company's future plans, Matsumoto said Sony India will strive to achieve 30 per cent indigenisation of components for colour televisions and audio products by this year-end.

He said the company sources its components from 75 suppliers and is interested in partnering with more local component suppliers.

At present, Sony India claims 10 per cent share in the colour television market and 30 per cent in hi-fi audio market. Matsumoto said the Indian consumer electronics market of white goods and brown goods is growing rapidly in spite of the general economic recession.

Sony India, a 100 per cent owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of Japan, set up manufacturing operations at Dharuhera in Haryana during May 1995. It exports 40,000 colour televisions annually.

UNI

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