TOKYO — Sony, a Japanese electronics and entertainment company, says it will focus on innovation in movies, animation, and video games rather than traditional gadgetry.

Its CEO, Kenichiro Yoshida, described the company’s plan Thursday, saying Sony was assisting creative workers in delivering what he called “kando,” a moving experience.

Yoshida would not comment on claims that Tokyo-based Sony and Apollo Global Management are interested in acquiring Paramount Global.

Sony | Pixa Bay Image

Sony Says Focus Is On Creativity, With Games, Movies, Music, Sensors, IP, And Not Gadgets

Yoshida stated that the business now focuses on the creative process rather than valuing prior items such as the Walkman portable music player and Trinitron color televisions. He stated that “synergies” are no longer defined by entertainment and electronics but by intellectual property encompassing animation, music, gaming, and films.

In an online briefing, he stated, “We will continue to support people’s creativity through our technology.”

Sony is adapting to harsher circumstances, as competitors produce cheaper but competitive gadgets. According to critics, pursuing careers in film, music, and other forms of entertainment can be financially difficult.

Beginning with the acquisition of EMI Music Publishing in 2018, Sony has invested over 1.5 trillion yen ($10 billion) in the last six years to boost its content creation.

Sony | Pixa Bay Image

Sony Says Focus Is On Creativity, With Games, Movies, Music, Sensors, IP, And Not Gadgets

In 2021, it bought Crunchyroll, which has over 13 million paid customers and distributes Japanese cartoons worldwide. Another was Yoasobi, a Japanese music duet that uses Vocaloid technology, or singing voice synthesizer software, and has gained a global following.

Sony’s real-time computer technology, which records “this moment,” as Yoshida called it, is employed in sports cameras because it can catch fast-moving subjects without distortion

According to Yoshida, it is also utilized for news coverage and editing, 3D video and computer graphics, including successful movies like “Godzilla Minus One” and games based on human athlete movements

Sony | AP News Image

Sony Says Focus Is On Creativity, With Games, Movies, Music, Sensors, IP, And Not Gadgets

Sony recently recorded a quarterly profit of 189 billion yen ($1.2 billion), up from 141 billion yen the year before. The PlayStation gaming machine manufacturer’s quarterly revenue increased 14% to 3.48 trillion yen ($22 billion).

However, for the fiscal year ending March 31, Sony’s profit fell 3% to 970 billion yen ($6.2 billion) due to poor performance in its financial services sector, which will be largely split off next year.

SOURCE – (AP)

DETROIT — The US government’s highway safety department is looking into Amazon’s self-driving robotaxi company after two vehicles braked unexpectedly and were rear-ended by motorcyclists.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Monday that it will assess Zoox’s automated driving system.

Both accidents occurred during the sunlight, and the riders sustained minor injuries. In all cases, the agency established that the Amazon vehicles operated in autonomous mode before the crashes.

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Amazon’s Self-Driving Robotaxi Unit Zoox Under Investigation By US After 2 Rear-End Crashes

According to the government, the investigation will focus on the performance of the company’s automated driving system during the crashes and how it operates in crosswalks near pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.

A message was left early Monday requesting a response from the company.

Zoox reported the crashes by a requirement granted to automated vehicle firms in 2021.

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Amazon’s Self-Driving Robotaxi Unit Zoox Under Investigation By US After 2 Rear-End Crashes

According to estimates, Amazon paid more than $1 billion for Zoox in June 2020. In 2023, the Foster City, California-based business announced that one of its unique-looking four-person shuttles would automatically transport personnel on public highways along a mile-long (1.6-kilometer) route between two facilities.

The corporation then planned to develop an exclusive shuttle service for its employees. Analysts believe Amazon will deploy the system for autonomous deliveries.

The cars feature no steering wheel or pedals. The interior is carriage-style, with two benches facing each other. It is a little under 12 feet (3.7 meters) long, about a foot (a third of a meter) shorter than a conventional Mini Cooper, and can reach 35 mph (56 km/h).

Zoox – VOR News Image

Amazon’s Self-Driving Robotaxi Unit Zoox Under Investigation By US After 2 Rear-End Crashes

The company was already under investigation by the NHTSA. In March 2022, the government began investigating the company’s certification that its car fulfilled federal safety standards for motor vehicles.

The agency stated at the time that it would investigate if Zoox used its testing techniques to establish that certain federal criteria did not apply due to the robotaxi’s unique configuration.

SOURCE – (AP)

TOKYO  — Nintendo, a Japanese video game company, announced on Tuesday that it will provide details regarding a Switch home console replacement before March 2025.

Nintendo did not provide any information regarding the announcement when releasing its financial results, including if it will only announce its plans for the replacement product or debut it during this fiscal year.

“Within this fiscal year, we plan to reveal details on the Nintendo Switch successor. Nintendo Switch was first unveiled in March 2015. Thus, it will have been more than nine years since then, according to a statement from Shuntaro Furukawa, president of the business.

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Nintendo To Announce Switch Successor In This Fiscal Year As Profits Rise

The fiscal year that concluded in March saw a 13% increase in earnings for Kyoto-based Nintendo Co. This was due to strong demand for Switch titles such as “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.”

Nintendo increased its net profit from 432.7 billion yen to 490.6 billion yen ($3 billion) during the fiscal year that ended in March 2024. Sales increased 4% annually to 1.67 trillion yen ($11 billion), with almost 80% coming from outside of Japan.

Nintendo reports that in addition to “The Legend of Zelda,” which sold 20.6 million units worldwide during the fiscal year, “Super Mario Bros. Wonder” sold 13.4 million units, and “Pikmin 4” sold about 3.5 million units.

AP – VOR News Image

Nintendo To Announce Switch Successor In This Fiscal Year As Profits Rise

The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s release a year ago also helped sales.

Additionally beneficial was the yen’s depreciation versus the dollar, which increases the value of Japanese exporters’ foreign earnings in yen, such as Nintendo. Over the last fiscal year, the U.S. dollar has averaged roughly 151 Japanese yen, up from 133 yen the year before.

Nintendo was less enthusiastic about its financial results for the fiscal year through March 2025, predicting net profit to drop to 300 billion yen ($1.9 billion). Nintendo did not provide quarterly data.

Nintendo has sold over 141 million Switch units, with 15.7 million of those sales occurring in the recently ended fiscal year.

Providing a consistent flow of entertaining games is essential because these sales tend to decrease steadily over time.

AP – VOR News Image

Nintendo To Announce Switch Successor In This Fiscal Year As Profits Rise

This month, “Endless Ocean Luminous,” a virtual scuba diving experience that included whales, vibrant fish, and other aquatic species, went on sale. Next month, the plumber Mario’s sibling will appear in “Luigi’s Mansion 2,” which will go on sale.

Nintendo is also preparing a new movie for a global release in April 2026. It hopes to attract more fans to its property with the later this year debuts of Donkey Kong Country at Universal Studios Japan and a Nintendo museum in Kyoto.

SOURCE – (AP)