| |
The
origin of "Sony" |
|
The company name "Sony"
was created by combining two words. One is 'sonus' in Latin, which
is the root of the such words as 'sound' and 'sonic'. The other
is 'sonny' meaning little son. The words were used to show that
" Sony" is a very small group of young people who have
the energy and passion toward unlimited creation. |
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Establishment
|
| 1946
May |
Tokyo
Tsushin Kogyo K.K. (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation),
also known as Totsuko, established in Nihonbashi, Tokyo with start-up
capital of ¥190,000 for the research and manufacture of telecommunications
and measuring equipment. |
| 1947 Feb |
Company head office and factory
relocated to Shinagawa Tokyo. |
|
1950 - |
| 1950 July
|
Japan's first magnetic tape recorder,
the G-Type, launched. |
| 1954 May |
Sendai plant
established in Tagajo, near Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture.
(in April 1992 it was renamed Sendai Technology Center.) |
| 1955 Aug |
Totsuko
listed on the OTC (over-the-counter) market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
(TSE). Japan's first transistor radio, the TR-55, launched |
| 1958 Jan. |
Company name
changed to Sony Corporation. |
| |
1960
- |
| 1960
Feb. |
Sony Corporation
of America established in the United States (presently Sony Electronics
Inc.)
World's first transistor TV, the TV8-301, launched.
Atsugi plant established in Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture (renamed Atsugi
Technology Center in August 1989).
Sony Overseas S.A. established near Zurich, Switzerland. |
| 1961
June |
Sony became
the first Japanese company to offer shares in the United States in
the form of American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) on the OTC market
of the New York Stock Exchange. |
| 1962
Nov |
Sony Corporation
of Hong Kong Ltd. Established in Hong Kong. |
| 1963
July |
World's first
compact transistor VTR, the PV-100, launched |
| 1964
Sept. |
Osaki plant
established in Shinagawa, Tokyo (renamed Osaki West Technology Center
in June 1995). |
| |
1970
- |
| 1970
June |
Sony G.m.b.H.
established in Cologne, Germany
(renamed Sony Deutschland G.m.b.H in June 1980). |
| 1971
Oct. |
3/4-inch u-matic
color video cassette player, the VP-1100, launched |
| 1973
Feb. |
Sony France
S.A. established in Paris, France. |
| |
1980
- |
| 1982
Oct. |
World's first
CD player, the CDP-101, launched |
| 1984
Apr. |
High definition
video system (HDVS) launched. |
| 1985
Jan. |
8mm camcorder,
the CCD-V8, launched. |
| 1986
Nov. |
Sony Europe
G.m.b.H. established in Cologne, Germany. Operations commenced at
Sony France audio and video products assembly and device plant in
Colmar, Alsace, France. |
| 1988
Jan. |
CBS Records
Inc., the records group of CBS, acquired. It was renamed Sony Music
Entertainment Inc. in January 1991. |
| |
1990
- |
| 1992
Nov |
MD system launched. |
| 1993
Nov |
Sony Computer
Entertainment Inc. established. |
| 1994
Apr. |
New company
structure introduced at Sony Corporation |
| 1995
Dec |
Basic specifications
of new industry format for high-density optical disc finalized, including
new format name, DVD. |
| 1996
May |
50th anniversary
of Sony Corporation. |
| 1997
Apr. |
Sony Marketing
Co., Ltd. established. |
| |
2000
- |
| 2000
Mar. |
"Playstation
2" SCPH-10000 launched |
| 2000
June |
Sony Center
am Potsdamer Platz Berlin opened |
| 2001
Apr. |
Sony Bank established
in Japan |
| 2002
Sept. |
Sony Dream
World 2002 held in Yokohama |