Sony

In 1946, Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K. (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation, The predecessor of Sony Group Corporation) started as a small company with capital of just... Read More

In 1946, Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K. (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation, The predecessor of Sony Group Corporation) started as a small company with capital of just 190,000 yen and approximately 20 employees.

Founder Masaru Ibuka said the purpose of setting up the company was to "establish an ideal factory that stresses a spirit of freedom and open mindedness that will, through technology, contribute to Japanese culture. Symbolising Sony's spirit of challenge to "do what has never been done before, the company has continued to release countless "Japan's first" and "world's first" products.

Sony has released many ground-breaking and significant products throughout its history which include Japan’s first transistor radio in 1955 followed 2 years later by the first pocket-sized portable transistor radio. The Cassette Walkman in 1979, the world’s first direct-view portable transistor TV in 1960, followed by the first Trinitron TV in 1968. The first Beta VCR in 1975, Japan’s first audio reel-to-reel tape recorder in 1950 and Sony’s first cassette tape recorder in 1966. World’s first compact disc player in 1982, the first Super Audio CD (SACD) player in 1999. First stereo headphones in 1964, the first in-ear headphones in 1982 and the world’s first digital noise cancelling headphones in 2008. Sony’s original PlayStation launched in Japan in 1994 and the latest PlayStation 5 was released worldwide in late 2020.

This very short list merely scratches the surface of what Sony has achieved over the last 75 years. This multi-national corporation continues to innovate and produce cutting edge products in almost every audio visual category for you to enjoy in your home.