Sony Group Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries (Sony) are engaged in the development, design, production, manufacture, offer and sale of various kinds of electronic equipment, instruments, and devices for consumer, professional and industrial markets, such as network services, home gaming consoles and software, televisions, audio and video recorders and players, still and video cameras, smartphones, and image sensors.
Sony’s primary manufacturing facilities are located in Asia, includ...
Sony Group Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries (Sony) are engaged in the development, design, production, manufacture, offer and sale of various kinds of electronic equipment, instruments, and devices for consumer, professional and industrial markets, such as network services, home gaming consoles and software, televisions, audio and video recorders and players, still and video cameras, smartphones, and image sensors.
Sony’s primary manufacturing facilities are located in Asia, including Japan. Sony also utilizes third-party contract manufacturers for certain products. Sony’s products and services are marketed throughout the world by sales subsidiaries and unaffiliated distributors, as well as direct sales and offers via the internet. Sony is engaged in the development, production, manufacture, and distribution of recorded music, artists’ live performance and merchandising, the management and licensing of the words and music of songs, and the production and distribution of animation titles and game applications. Sony is also engaged in the production, acquisition and distribution of motion pictures and television programming; and the operation of television networks and direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming services. Further, Sony is also engaged in various financial services businesses, including life and non-life insurance businesses through its Japanese insurance subsidiaries and banking business through a Japanese internet-based banking subsidiary.
The G&NS segment includes the production and sales of digital software and add-on content, the network services businesses and the manufacture and sales of home gaming products. The Music segment includes the Recorded Music, Music Publishing and Visual Media and Platform businesses. The Pictures segment includes the Motion Pictures, Television Productions and Media Networks businesses. The ET&S segment includes the Televisions business, the Audio and Video business, the Still and Video Cameras business, the smartphone business and the internet-related service business. The I&SS segment includes the image sensors business. The Financial Services segment primarily represents individual life insurance and non-life insurance businesses and the banking business in Japan. All Other consists of various operating activities, including the disc manufacturing and recording media businesses. Sony’s products and services are generally unique to a single operating segment.
Products and Services
Game & Network Services (G&NS)
Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC undertakes product research, development, design, marketing, sales, production, distribution and customer service for PlayStation hardware, software, content and network services.
The G&NS segment includes the Digital Software and Add-on Content, Network Services and Hardware and Others categories. Digital Software and Add-on Content includes the distribution of software titles and add-on content through the network by Sony Interactive Entertainment; Network Services includes network services relating to game, video and music content; and Hardware and Others includes home gaming consoles, packaged software, game software sold bundled with home gaming consoles, peripheral devices and first-party software for third-party platforms.
Music
Recorded Music:
Recorded Music includes the distribution of physical and digital recorded music and revenue derived from artists’ live performances and merchandising. SME, a global entertainment company, excluding Japan, is engaged primarily in the development, production, marketing and distribution of recorded music in all commercial formats and genres. SMEJ is an entertainment company mainly focused on the Japanese market, which includes a Japanese domestic recorded music business that produces recorded music and music videos through contracts with many artists in all music genres.
Music Publishing:
Music Publishing includes the management and licensing of the words and music of songs. SMP is a U.S.-based music publishing business that owns, administers and acquires rights to musical compositions, exploiting and marketing these compositions and receiving royalties or fees for their use.
Visual Media and Platform:
Visual Media and Platform includes the production and distribution of animation titles and game applications, and various service offerings for music and visual products. These businesses are operated primarily by SMEJ.
Pictures
Motion Pictures:
Motion Pictures includes the worldwide production, acquisition and distribution of live-action and animated motion pictures. SPE’s motion picture production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, 3000 Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, Sony Pictures International Productions, and Sony Pictures Classics. SPE also operates Sony Pictures Image works, a visual effects and animation unit, and manages a studio facility, Sony Pictures Studios, which includes post-production facilities.
Television Productions:
Television Productions includes the worldwide production, acquisition and distribution of programming, including scripted series, unscripted reality or light entertainment, daytime serials, game shows, animated series, made for television movies and miniseries and other programming.
Media Networks:
Media Networks includes the operation of television networks and direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming services worldwide. SPE’s television networks around the world include Sony Pictures Networks India, which operates television networks in India, and Game Show Network, LLC, which operates a U.S.-based network delivered on cable, satellite and other distribution platforms. Digital networks include Crunchyroll, a streaming service based in North America primarily focused on anime content, and SonyLIV, a general entertainment streaming service in India.
Entertainment, Technology & Services (ET&S)
TV and Audio & Video:
The company undertakes product research, development, design, marketing, sales, production, distribution and customer services for televisions and video and sound products.
Still and Video Cameras:
The company undertakes product research, development, design, manufacturing, sales, distribution and customer service for interchangeable lens cameras, compact digital cameras, consumer and professional video cameras.
Mobile Communications:
The company undertakes product research, development, design, marketing, sales, production, distribution and customer services for mobile phones, accessories and applications. SNC provides internet broadband network services to subscribers, as well as creates and distributes content through its portal services to various electronics product platforms, such as PCs and mobile phones.
Imaging & Sensing Solutions (I&SS)
SSS and its subsidiary Sony Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation undertake product research, development, design, manufacturing, marketing, sales, production, distribution and customer services primarily for complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors, in addition to display devices, lasers, large-scale integration systems (LSIs) and other semiconductors. These CMOS image sensors are used in a wide variety of applications, primarily smartphones, as well as other products, such as digital cameras and security cameras, factory automation systems and automobiles.
Financial Services
SFGI conducts insurance, banking and other operations primarily through Sony Life, a Japanese life insurance company, Sony Assurance, a Japanese non-life insurance company, and Sony Bank, a Japanese internet-based bank, which are all wholly owned by SFGI.
All Other
All Other consists of various operating activities, including the disc manufacturing business outside of Japan, and the recording media and storage media businesses.
Sales and Distribution
G&NS, ET&S and I&SS
In the G&NS segment, PlayStation hardware and peripheral devices, software and content and network services are marketed and distributed by Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC, Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. and Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe Ltd. Digital software, including add-on content, is primarily sold via the PlayStation Store, while software for third-party platforms is sold via third-party distributors. Hardware and physical software are sold both indirectly via third-party distributors, as well as directly via Sony Interactive Entertainment’s proprietary DTC website. Additionally, Bungie carries out marketing and distribution of its software, content and merchandise under its own brand as an independent studio and publisher, with support from Sony Interactive Entertainment.
Sony’s products and services in the ET&S and I&SS segments are primarily marketed throughout the world under the trademark ‘Sony’.
In most cases, Sony’s products in the ET&S and I&SS segments are sold to sales subsidiaries of Sony located in or responsible for sales in various countries and territories. These subsidiaries then sell those products to unaffiliated local distributors and dealers or through direct sales, such as through the internet. The company brings its mobile products to market through direct and indirect channels, such as third-party cellular network carriers and retailers, as well as through its own website. In some regions, certain products and services are sold directly to local distributors by Sony.
Sales of such products and services are particularly seasonal and vary significantly with the timing of new product introductions and the economic conditions of each country. Sales for the third quarter ending December 31 of each fiscal year are generally higher than other quarters of the same fiscal year mainly in the G&NS and ET&S segments due to demand during the year-end holiday season.
Japan: Sony Marketing Inc. markets consumer electronics products mainly through retailers. It also markets professional electronics products and services. For electronic components, Sony sells products directly to wholesalers and manufacturers.
The United States: Sony markets its electronics products and services in these segments through Sony Electronics Inc. and other wholly owned subsidiaries in the U.S.
Europe: In Europe, Sony’s products and services in these segments are marketed through sales subsidiaries, including Sony Europe B.V., which is headquartered in the United Kingdom and has branches in European countries.
China: Sony markets products and services in these segments through Sony (China) Limited, Sony Corporation of Hong Kong Limited and other wholly-owned subsidiaries in China.
The Asia-Pacific: In the Asia-Pacific, Sony’s products and services in these segments are marketed through sales subsidiaries, including Sony India Private Limited, Sony Electronics of Korea Corporation, Sony Taiwan Limited and Sony Electronics Vietnam.
Other Areas: In overseas areas other than the U.S., Europe, China and the Asia-Pacific, Sony’s products and services in these segments are marketed through sales subsidiaries, including Sony Brasil Ltda., Sony Middle East & Africa FZE in the United Arab Emirates and Sony de Mexico S.A.de C.V.
Music
SME and SMEJ develop, produce, market, and distribute recorded music in various commercial formats. SME and its affiliates conduct business globally under Columbia Records, Epic Records, RCA Records and other labels. SMEJ conducts business in Japan under Sony Music Records, Epic Records Japan, SME Records, Ki/oon Music, Sony Music Associated Records and other labels. In addition, SME produces, markets and distributes products related to its artists mainly through the merchandising company Ceremony of Roses.
Sony owns and acquires rights to musical compositions, exploits and markets these compositions, receives royalties or fees for their use and conducts its music publishing business in countries other than Japan under the Sony Music Publishing name.
SMEJ creates artwork and produces packaged home entertainment products, including music and games. It also organizes various events in Japan through Sony Music Communications Inc. and its affiliates. In addition, SMEJ produces, markets, and distributes animation products and game applications based on animation titles through Aniplex Inc. (Aniplex).
Pictures
SPE generally retains all rights relating to the worldwide distribution of its internally produced motion pictures and television programming, including rights for theatrical exhibition, home entertainment distribution, pay and free television and digital exhibition and other markets. SPE also acquires distribution rights to motion pictures and television programming produced by other companies, and jointly produces and distributes motion pictures and television programming with other studios, television networks and production companies. These rights may be limited to particular geographic regions, specific forms of media or periods of time.
Within the U.S., SPE uses its own distribution service businesses, Sony Pictures Releasing and Sony Pictures Classics, for the U.S. theatrical release of its motion pictures and for the theatrical release of motion pictures acquired from and produced by others.
Outside the U.S., SPE generally distributes and markets motion pictures through one of its Sony Pictures Releasing International subsidiaries or affiliates. In certain countries, however, SPE has joint distribution or sub-distribution arrangements with other studios, or arrangements with independent local distributors or other entities.
The worldwide home entertainment and television distribution of SPE’s motion pictures and television programming (and product acquired or licensed from others) is handled through SPE’s Sony Pictures Home Entertainment/Television Distribution group. For home entertainment, product is distributed in various home media formats, including Digital Distribution. Digital Distribution includes electronic sell-through and video-on-demand distributed on digital platforms, cable networks and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers. For television, SPE’s library of motion pictures and television programming is licensed to distributors, such as broadcast television networks, digital platforms, cable networks and DBS providers. Digital platforms include subscription and advertising supported platforms (including Sony’s PlayStationNetwork (PSN), Netflix and Amazon Prime Video).
SPE’s television networks and streaming services (including Crunchyroll, primarily in North America, Europe and Latin America, and SonyLIV in India) are distributed through digital platforms, cable, DBS providers and telecommunications companies to viewers around the world. These networks and services generate advertising, subscription and other ancillary revenues.
Financial Services
Sony Life conducts its life insurance business in Japan. Sony Life’s core business is providing death protection and other insurance products to individuals, primarily through a consulting-based sales approach utilizing its experienced team of Lifeplanner sales specialists, as well as partner independent sales agents. Sony Life provides tailor-made life insurance products that are optimized for each customer. As of March 31, 2025, Sony Life employed 5,795 Lifeplanner sales specialists. Sony Life maintains an extensive service network which mainly consists of the Lifeplanner channel and the independent agent channel in Japan. The Lifeplanner channel is characterized by recruitment of high-caliber sales professionals from industries outside the life insurance industry, quality improvement through education and training, performance-linked compensation and high productivity. Lifeplanner sales specialists offer custom-made packages. Most of the agents in the independent agent channel are corporate and non-exclusive agents, primarily shop-style agents. Shop-style agents are a sub-channel of the independent agent channel, who offer insurance in local stores and provide customers with opportunities to compare various insurers’ products. To enhance Sony Life’s relationship with independent agents, Sony Life’s agency supporters provide independent agents with various support services, including recruiting, training and sales promotion activities. As part of its plan to expand its sales of individual annuity products, Sony Life established AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. (AEGON Sony Life) in August 2007 and SA Reinsurance (SA Re) in October 2009, both 50-50 joint venture companies with AEGON N.V. AEGON Sony Life and SA Re began operations in Japan in December 2009 and in Bermuda in January 2010, respectively. In January 2020, Sony Life acquired from AEGON International B.V. the remaining 50% stakes of AEGON Sony Life and SA Re, resulting in both AEGON Sony Life and SA Re becoming wholly-owned subsidiaries of Sony Life. AEGON Sony Life changed its trade name to Sony Life With Insurance Co., Ltd. (Sony Life With) on April 1, 2020. On April 1, 2021, Sony Life undertook an absorption-type merger with Sony Life With, with Sony Life as the surviving company. Furthermore, Sony Life completed the liquidation of SA Re in March 2023.
Sony Assurance has conducted a non-life insurance business in Japan since October 1999. Sony Assurance’s core business is providing automobile insurance and fire insurance products, as well as medical insurance and overseas travel insurance products, to individual customers, primarily through direct marketing via the internet and via telephone. The direct marketing business model employed by Sony Assurance enables it to improve operating efficiency and lower the costs of marketing and maintaining its insurance policies, creating savings which it passes on to policyholders in the form of competitively priced premiums.
Sony Bank has conducted banking operations in Japan since June 2001. As an internet bank focusing on the asset management and borrowing needs of individual customers, Sony Bank offers an array of products and services, including yen and foreign currency deposits, investment trusts and mortgages. By using Sony Bank’s transaction channel, the MONEYKit service website, account holders can invest and manage assets over the internet according to their life plans. Additionally, Sony Bank transferred a portion of its shares of Sony Payment Services Inc. (Sony Payment Services), a payment service provider and consolidated subsidiary of Sony Bank, during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024. As a result of the transaction, Sony Payment Services became an affiliate of Sony Bank accounted for using the equity method.
All Other
Sony DADC group offers Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray Disc, DVD and CD media replication services, as well as digital and physical supply chain solutions to business customers. Sony Storage Media Solutions Corporation sells its storage media products through its own sales forces, as well as through Sony’s sales companies mentioned in the above description of Sales and Distribution for the G&NS, ET&S and I&SS segments.
After-Sales Service
Sony provides repair and servicing functions in the areas where its G&NS, ET&S and I&SS products are sold. Sony provides these services through its own online support network, call centers, service centers, factories, authorized independent service centers, authorized servicing dealers and subsidiaries.
In line with industry practices of these businesses, almost all of Sony’s consumer-use products that are sold in Japan carry a warranty, generally for a period of one year from the date of purchase, covering repairs, free of charge, in the case of a malfunction in the course of ordinary use of the product. Warranties outside of Japan generally provide coverage for various periods of time depending on the product and the area in which it is marketed. In the case of broadcast- and professional-use products, Sony maintains support contracts with customers in addition to warranties.
To further help ensure customer satisfaction, Sony maintains customer information centers in its principal markets and web support information for all markets.
Patents and Licenses
Sony has a number of Japanese and foreign patents relating to its products and services. Sony is licensed to use a number of patents owned by others, covering a wide range of products and services. Certain of these licenses are important to Sony’s business. Sony products that employ Blu-ray Disc player functionality, including PlayStation4 and PlayStation5 (PS5) hardware, are substantially dependent upon patents that relate to technologies specified in the Blu-ray Disc specifications and are licensed by Via Licensing Alliance LLC. Sony considers its overall license position beneficial to its operations.
Financial Services
Sony Bank has focused on providing retail asset management and mortgage services for individuals.
Government Regulations
In Japan, Sony’s insurance businesses are subject to the Insurance Business Act and approvals and oversight from the Financial Services Agency (FSA). The primary purpose of the Insurance Business Act and related regulations is to protect policyholders, not shareholders.
Sony Bank is also subject to regulation by the FSA under the Banking Act of Japan, including the requirement that it maintain a minimum capital adequacy ratio in accordance with capital adequacy guidelines adopted by the FSA based on the Basel III agreement. The FSA has broad regulatory powers over insurance and banking businesses in Japan, including the authority to grant or revoke operating licenses and to request information and conduct onsite inspections of books and records. Sony’s subsidiaries in the Financial Services segment are subject to the Insurance Business Act and the Banking Act that require insurance and banking business companies to maintain their financial credibility and to secure protection for policyholders and depositors in view of the public importance of insurance and banking services. As such, lending and borrowing between subsidiaries in the Financial Services segment and the other companies within Sony Group is strictly limited.
In addition, Sony’s telecommunication businesses in Japan are subject to approvals and oversight from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, under the Telecommunications Business Act and other regulations related to the internet businesses and communication methods in Japan.
History
The company was founded in 1946. It was incorporated in 1946. The company was formerly known as Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha and changed its name to Sony Corporation in 1958 and then to Sony Group Corporation in April 2021.
