Sony sells VAIO PC business for nearly 500 million dollars to consider withdrawing from foreign markets

Sina Science and technology news Beijing time of February 5, Reuters quoted sources as saying that Sony is negotiating with investment fund Japan Industrial to discuss the sale of the Vaio PC division, which is currently in the red. According to the source, Japan Industrial will set up a new company to take over the operation of the Vaio brand under the plan under discussion. Financial details and the ownership structure of the new company are still under discussion. The source also said Sony is currently considering withdrawing from the PC market outside Japan. With the development of smartphones and tablets, sales of traditional PCs are falling. Gartner, a market-research firm, expects 2014 global PC shipments to be 278 million, down 7% from 2013. Mobile phones will be in the forefront of all equipment shipments, 2014 mobile phone shipments are expected to be 1.9 billion, compared to 2013 growth of 5%. Japanese media reported that the Vaio PC sector could eventually be sold at a price of 50 billion yen (about 493 million U.S. dollars), while Sony will hold a small stake in the new company. In the fiscal year ended March 31, the loss of the PC business will lead to the first net loss in the past two years. Selling the PC business will help Sony reduce losses. Sony will release its quarterly earnings in Thursday. Japan's NHK reported in Saturday that Lenovo was discussing the formation of a joint venture to take over Sony's loss-making overseas PC business. (D-Gold)