LAS VEGAS, CES 2012 – Want to see at a glance everything that’s wrong with Sony? Look at that monstrosity above. It’s Sony’s new TV remote, and while the Japanese electronics maker prattled on about its wireless capabilities, backlit keyboard and VoIP microphone, the rest of the industry at CES is showing off voice- and gesture- controlled Smart TVs in anticipation of Apple’s entry into the market.
Totally clueless. Sony’s press event on Monday evening was like watching a company that had never even heard of Apple, let alone seen it in the last five years topple Sony’s lead in multiple industries.
By any measure, Sony’s event seemed to be at least a year behind the curve. Sony spent their entire press event talking about year old technology. They were even headlining 3DTVs and Google TVs. Madness.
The Sony presser was the very definition of a company burying its head in the sand. They talked about their Bloggie MP4 Pocket Camera, when everyone else is shooting video on their iPhone 4S. They talked about 3DTV, saying the $6 billion in theater revenue “spoke for itself” when the truth is no one’s buying 3D in the living room. They’re launching a new handheld game console when smartphones have almost completely cannibalized portable gaming system sales. They talked about Google TV, even though it’s been DOA. And they talked about living room keyboards when, by many accounts, Apple is just months away from destroying remotes in the living room once and for all.
Absolute lunacy. When Apple comes to the living room, expect Sony to be the first company to topple. Samsung will probably put up an excellent fight, but Sony’s engineers are just plugging away in their workshops like subterranean moles, completely unaware of the rumbling of the coming earthquake around them.
John Brownlee is a writer for Fast Company, and a contributing writer here at CoM. He has also written for Wired, Playboy, Boing Boing, Popular Mechanics, VentureBeat, and Gizmodo. He lives in Boston with his wife and two parakeets. You can follow him here on Twitter.
38 responses to “Sony’s In Serious Denial About The iTV. That’s Why They’re Screwed. [CES 2012]”
Sony’s been on a steady downfall for a long time, but more noticeably since the PSN catastrophe. I will say though that their new handheld might actually do well. As great as the mobile phone gaming market is, a lot of gamers (myself included) prefer to have a separate, gaming-dedicated system. Look at sales of the 3DS, and all of it’s previous generations. While the last Sony handheld was a flop, this one looks somewhat promising.
Although I agree Sony will fail, it won’t be because of a keyboard remote.
It’s one thing that makes google tv easy and fast to search for content. Searching for anything on apple tv is a test in patience.
I want to say “too bad,” but I’d much rather have Apple on my wall than Sony, and I guess they can always go back to making parts for Apple?
It looks like a real stab in the dark to me. I don’t know a single person that is sticking with a keyboard-hooked-to-the-tv lifestyle. It sucks, and it’s bulky and ugly, and if I want to watch YouTube, I’ll pull it up on the computer. I’m trusting Apple will have a more elegant solution.
I also agree that Samsung has a fighting chance to stay relevant in the face of the tsunami that’s about to hit, but I doubt they can out innovate Apple.
so…. i watched sony’s press event at CES last night. it was horrible… they tried to give an Apple-like presentation, with nothing innovative (or even good) to announce.
they were talking about how wireless is going to be big, and i’m like blahblah-AirPlay-is-here-already-blahblah…
then they’re like “At Sony, we think you need to be able to access your media on any device” and I’m like “Oh really? Then a) why do you DRM-it out the ass? and b) this is the only time you will ever say YOUR media, because you don’t want us to own it, you just want us to license it”
then they said “At Sony we think it’s important to manage the entire end-to-end process, from hardware to software to media” and i’m like “Uhhhhh, Apple has been saying that for like 20 years ago. You’re just catching on?”
Plus, everyone doing the announcement was >50 years old, which is fine, but they didn’t seem to “get it”, which is NOT fine. One guy was demoing their new xperia smartphone and said “Here, let me see if i can turn this thing on”.
All they had was more (of the same) TVs, more (of the same) phones, more (of the same) cameras, and a Walkman that runs android and has wifi.
Basically, they took an hour to say “All the stuff we announced over the past 6 months, you can finally see it in person here today. Nothing new, though.” Huuuge “meh”. The whole event made me long for a proper Stevenote.
Mate i am truly sorry for you.
I am using Apple products and other brands as well.
What makes you think that Sony has to copy gestures control like others do from Apple ?
It sounds so silly.
Why this remote seems to be something bad ?
Like someone said here try to search something on AppleTV!
I think that this remote is fine.
I am not there to judge other things.
Let people see the full picture and not just remote that you personally did not like.
If you are there try not to compare everything to Apple.
Apple not there so give others chance.
I am not Sony fan
But as far as i am aware they are one of not many companies who is not trying to be copy cats.
And do their own stuff instead of trying to copy apple.
And i did read reviews of many other writers on the web they were liked what sony did.
So yes TVs,Phones,Cameras,Walkmans.
It is consumer electronics exhibit. Not copy apple contest!
I find this post a bit over the top, but I can understand where youre coming from. My Sony TV (2011) has a gorgeous LED display and quite frankly i dont want to be talking to it, with or without Apple’s capabilities. Using the smartphone or Tablet seems a much better solution, but each to thier own.
Sony engineers aren’t stupid. If nothing else they could license technology from Nuance, so let’s see. Right now we dont even know there is iTV in 2012. It’s all about the content so until those deals are in place nothing will roll. Between now and then Sony may have more up thier sleave.
Lol, as usual, I agree with your opinion although, *seriously* dude, WHY must you write so gruffly?
Sony is trying to build its own complete hardware/media ecosystem to match Apple’s. it’s trying to tie together all its various products – game players, TV’s, A/V gear, and mobile devices into an integrated ecosystem combined with its media store/services. but its inability to clearly communicate this simple goal at CES is a prime example of its core problem – Sony always makes things too complicated. yes that keyboard remote is awful. Sony plans an app remote too that will replace it. that should have been the remote they featured instead. but they just scare everyone away.
the other huge weakness for Sony’s ecosystem is their dependence on MS (computers) and Google (mobile) for its vital applications’ OS. which automatically makes them just one OEM out of many selling very similar Windows/Android-based products, and therefore forcing them join the profit killing price race to the bottom. Sony should have bought Palm to get Web OS. or design its own like Samsung and others.
i don’t see any hope here. Sony has great engineers but horrible leadership.
Why is it so bad? I use the Remote App and the keyboard pops right up. I never use the remote that came with the atv.
again with that Biased opinion. :/
While it sounds like sony wont be the big cheese this year, has it ever occured to you that they are not trying to sell to the same market? If they are the only people still pushing 3D, thats good for them. If they are the only ones making things that wont cost consumers $2000 bucks, they will still do well. Very well. I know i probably wont buy an Apple tv if there is cheaper tv out there, because i dont have that kind of money to spend on extra crap. Ive know how to connect my computer to my tv for over a decade, so why would i spend thousands to make my tv more like a computer? thats just more stuff to break on my tv.
It sounds like Sony knows they cant compete with the big boys and their insane revenue. But it also sounds like they are being smart about it and appealing to the market everyone else is trying to ignore.
Believe it or not, there are still people who dont have smart phones, be them older people who dont need their phones to do a million things, or kids whos parents dont want them to have those kinds of toys. a new handheld and camera would be targeted at them. And i would like to point out that Apple cannot possibly destroy remotes on other companies tv’s, so invalid again. there will always be a section of people who will want a physical keyboard (people who are married and cant talk to their tv while their spouse/kids are sleeping. People who cant talk. ect.)
once again, your going to have to glance at what actual journalism is. You cant seem to notice that there is a world outside of your own apple-driven existence, but there is. There are hundreds of different socioeconomic backgrounds out there, and not all of them will be jumping on the Apple TV bandwagon.
Wait, Sony is on it’s way to being the next Blackberry right?
Apple WILL fail as bad as Sony on their TV if not worse.
The only company who knows what they are doing is Microsoft. The future of the TV is NOT a $6000 machine that can massage your feet, but a $200/$400 box that goes underneath your TV. Simply put, nobody is going to replace a $6000 TV every 2 to 5 years. But a $200/$400 box? That will be replaced far more frequently.
Ask your wife/husband/partner/mom/dad/etc… if they will get you a $2000 Apple TV. They probably will laugh in your face. But a $200 xBox? Most likely they will heavily consider it.
I know more and more people who are plugging their xBoxes into Computer displays/computers. All you need is the correct all-in-one computer and you can directly plug your xBox into it. And for college students, that’s the perfect set up.
All what a TV is: is a big freaking display. That’s a TV. A big display. TV’s are like monitors. They only time they really get replaced is when they freaking break. (or they get so old, they are older than your children in college) That’s the ONLY time they get replaced!
The future of the TV is NOT a $6000 machine that can do everything you ask it to do. The future of the TV is a $200/$400 box that can go underneath the TV. That is the future of the TV, not these multiple thousand dollars “all-in-one” TV”s.
John, could you please turn off your, “well it ain’t Apple so its shit” glasses please.
While I agree with you that Sony’s attempt to integrate Google TV is.. well just stupid. 3DTV a joke? Umm every TV manufacturer out there is selling it.
Sony TVs are still gorgeous TVs, this is CES, not what I’m doing that Apple isn’t. Sony isn’t going anywhere any time soon.
While yes, please write an article about why you feel that Sony’s attempt at Google TV will not do as well (with reasons, it helps you not sound like an idiot) I’m really starting to get tired of these entire everything else is crap compared to Apple rants you go on.
Report, don’t Rant!
On the contrary, the whole user experience on Apple TV is much superior than at Google TV.
Are you speaking from experience? Or, are you talking out of your ass? You cannot do much with the apple tv right now. The google tv is far superior and not only functionality but features and it also has application as well. The apple tv has neither
Yes but that requires an additional device. The TV needs to stand on its own.
Yes I did. It seems you haven’t used the current Apple TV yet. Although GTV has more functions, features, and applications, they are not as polish and friendly as ATV. I am speaking from the point of view of an average dude who using both of them at the moment.
God, that remote is a monster. At least it would make it easier to find it when you lose it.
Where are you getting this insider pricing information on Apple’s TV? Also, you don’t know anything about it, other than its possible future existence.
I’m really not sure why I even fed this troll.
Old Man Sony has Alzheimer’s and you should be easy on him.
I’m expecting well written articles about Apple, not rants stating that everything else is shit because it’s not Apple. I’m a huge Apple fan myself but I can also look at other companies with an unbiased view.
I hope your joking about Apple TV being more capable than xbox. I own a Apple TV2 and I like it but not impressed with it. Microsoft does innovate a lot of products. Look at the Kinect. The kinect set the bar high and now people have to play catch up with it. The xbox is more than a video game system and more of a Entertainment center with everything in it. A jailbroken Apple TV can’t be compared to a 360 in way, shape or form. Microsoft absolutely does know what it’s doing with the xbox. It’s still a very popular consumer product. I have tons of friends that owns one and doesn’t even use them to play games really. Without going on a rant, Again Microsoft did it right when it came to the xbox.
I hope your joking about Apple TV being more capable than xbox. I own a Apple TV2 and I like it but not impressed with it. Microsoft does innovate a lot of products. Look at the Kinect. The kinect set the bar high and now people have to play catch up with it. The xbox is more than a video game system and more of a Entertainment center with everything in it. A jailbroken Apple TV can’t be compared to a 360 in way, shape or form. Microsoft absolutely does know what it’s doing with the xbox. It’s still a very popular consumer product. I have tons of friends that owns one and doesn’t even use them to play games really. Without going on a rant, Again Microsoft did it right when it came to the xbox.
Hey John Brownlee, umad?
Stand on it’s own? Then why the remote? Meanwhile it’s super easy to download a free app.
Anyway, Sony will still appeal to the non-savvy consumer who still lives in the 20th Century with Sony.
Have you actually used and compared ATV and GTV? Or are you talking out of ….. ?
While I’m a long-time Apple fanboy …. and proud of it …. I must admit Samsung is producing some great TV products. Also, Apple and Samsung should keep an eye on their rearview mirror because LG is also coming on strong. And Panny? Panny??
Meanwhile, Apple is very quietly working away in secret and will blow us all away soon.
Given that Sony ruled the TV market for decades … and given that they now sell very little in comparison …. I’d say some people at Sony are indeed stupid and asleep at the wheel.
They may have lost market share, but not to Apple… Apple so far has produced no TV, so the whole thing is theoretical.
You’re the only one ranting here. If you want to be taken seriously then calm down and expand your vocabulary.
While it’s fine to speculate, why state as fact what you don’t know?
Actually I’m guessing Apple will not produce a TV per se, and instead will do a major reinvention of the Apple TV box. And I’ll venture another guess that said “box” will actually be a thumb drive similar to the just-announced Roku Streaming Stick which plugs into a HD-TV’s HDMI port.
Ed how about you read my posts and please explain to me where I say that something is shit?
I own and use both daily.
One of your best assessments John.
It was well written.
I don’t understand how xbox can’t do what apple tv does? Yes, there airplay it can’t do, but I have airplay set up and it is far from smooth or really usable. That is probably my problem though with my network. Xbox does have rental service, netflix, gaming, radio stations for music, coming soon xfininty on demand, etc… You can’t over look those things and say that the xbox is just a gaming machine. But a question about airplay though. How does your work, any good? I have a wireless dual n and its very choppy. how is yours set up and do you have the same hiccups like mines does?
Yeah, I guess I will have to try some sort of wifi repeater of airport express. I was having problems streaming movies from my itunes on my macbook. It was taking forever and when it loaded it was making the audio sound echoed. I also tried mirroring my 4S but I couldn’t get to be usable. I get jealous because I see commercials of it playing real racing 2 and it looks awesome. Thanks for the info though.