Sony released their earnings for the third quarter, and they’re showing some promise. In Q3 2013, sony sold more phones than the previous quarter, or this time last year. While profits down, though, the growth is not as impressive as you’d like to think.
Sony eked out about 10 million mobile devices last quarter, which is an incremental increase over the 9.6 million the sold the previous quarter. Sony sold 8.8 million in Q3 2012, so the year-over-year growth is promising, but not impressive yet. On the back of powerhouse devices like the Xperia Z1 and Xperia Z Ultra, we thought there would be better news.
Sony reported an upward trend in sales and operating revenue, with $18 billion in Q3. That’s a 10.6% hike compared to last year, though Sony notes that number is due to a favorable exchange rate adjustment and sales of mobile devices. On a constant currency basis (not appreciating for exchange rates), Sony’s sales are down 9% year-over-year.
Their operating income is down to $151 million, which Sony notes has to do with a sharp decline in sales everywhere but mobile. We can only hope that Sony appreciates the trends they’re seeing toward mobile devices, and acts accordingly. They have some of the best devices around, but can be hard to get hold of. They have a unique opportunity to be a powerhouse player for the premium handset sector, and we hope they take that mantle.
