logo
Sony Weighs Chip Spinoff That Dan Loeb Called for Years Ago

Sony Weighs Chip Spinoff That Dan Loeb Called for Years Ago

Bloomberg28-04-2025

By and Yuki Furukawa
Save
Sony Group Corp. is considering spinning off its semiconductor unit, according to people familiar with the matter, marking the PlayStation maker's latest effort to streamline its business and focus on entertainment.
The spinoff and listing of Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp. may occur as soon as this year, the people said, asking not to be named discussing a private matter. Sony is considering distributing the bulk of its holding in the chip business to shareholders, and may retain a minority holding after the spinoff, one of the people said.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Top Takeaways From Augmented World Expo 2025
Top Takeaways From Augmented World Expo 2025

Forbes

time5 hours ago

  • Forbes

Top Takeaways From Augmented World Expo 2025

Advancements in AR, VR and XR technologies are driving demand for new devices and software. The premiere show on VR, XR and AR occurred from Jun 10-12, 2025, in Long Beach, CA. Over 5,000 people attended the 16th edition of this conference to get updates on what was new and hot in augmented reality. One major shift for the show is how it has evolved its focus. In the last two years, the term "spatial" was highly promoted to define the show. Spatial was to embody the world of all things augmented. While the term spatial is still essential in the show promotions, the show this year seemed to embrace the term XR as the more accurate way to describe the fact that this show has fully embraced a VR, XR, (extended reality,) MR (mixed reality) and AR (augmented reality) world. Qualcomm, Samsung, Sony, Lenovo, Google, Xreal, Snap and Snap Spectacles, Unity, Pico, and over 200 others representing new XR hardware, software, and dedicated XR service providers had booths at the show. The show featured three days of conference sessions exploring every aspect of XR. More than 450 speakers took the stage, representing leading tech companies, Fortune 500 firms, and innovative startups. There were also over 250 sponsors and exhibitors. Thousands of attendees—including creators, developers, industry executives, founders, entertainers, investors, top media, and more—participated both in person and virtually. Topics ranged from enterprise case studies, the latest developer and creator tools, sales and marketing strategies, branded experiences, AR Cloud, WebXR, 5G, AI, Web3, haptics, privacy, and ethics to entertainment, education, and beyond. One standout observation: the quality of speakers at this event was truly exceptional. I attended one session on case studies for XR Training. The speakers were leaders of XR Training programs at Duke Energy and Volvo. Many sessions had speakers discussing the real-world usage of XR in their businesses today. One significant takeaway from this year's show was the role AI is playing in XR. The underlying theme of this year's event focused on marrying AI+XR into all of the sessions and exhibitions. There is a good reason for this, as AI has become a key factor in XR applications and services. In the past, most XR content was created by developers and special service providers using their code. But this year, these same people highlighted how AI is now empowering them to make more powerful XR solutions and speeding up the process of delivering creative programs and services for their customers. Another surprising part of the show was that many sessions stressed the importance of XR's human impact. Over the years, most of the talk at tech shows has focused on technology with little thought about how it affects people. However, Jason McGuigan of Lenovo said in his main stage presentation that we as an industry have to be more aware of how XR can and will augment the human experience. He pointed out that today, people see, feel, and taste their world with their five senses. But XR will add dimensions to that experience by giving them new information and experiences that augment their current world. He stated that the highly negative concept of a cyborg is really defined as technology enhancing a person's real world. Another major takeaway from this year's show was the strong focus on smart glasses. With the event's pivot to XR, smart glasses have emerged as a central theme and will likely continue to shape the show in the near future. While the XR market was previously dominated by VR, there is now a clear surge in interest in smart glasses. This was evident at AWE, where at least 20 vendors showcased new smart glasses and dozens of sessions were dedicated to smart glass technology. I was privileged to moderate a main stage panel on smart glasses and their future. I was joined by Ralph Jodice, GM of North America, Head of Partnerships & Publicity at Xreal, Kelly Ingham, VP AR Devices at Meta and Jason McGuigan, Head of Commercial VR, at Lenovo. Having these top executives on the panel allowed us to explore where smart glasses are today and where they will be in the next two years. These folks are authorities on this subject and play significant roles in their company's XR strategy and planning. All three agreed that in the next two years, we will see more exploration of new types of smart glasses with new styles and exciting features. These panelists explored the current types of smart glasses that have driven demand today. Meta has led the consumer smart glass revolution with its Ray-ban Meta Wayfarer glasses, which have sold over two million units. These represent AI smart glasses as Meta and others in this space have added AI audio feedback when using these glasses. The panel agreed that AI smart glasses will likely drive the strongest demand for these types of glasses in the next two years. The second category of smart glasses that is developing is one like Xreal's on the market. These use "birdbath lenses" and are optimized to deliver large-screen viewing experiences. Ralph Jodice explained that the newest Xreal Pro 2 now provides a 70-degree field of view experience and, when tethered to a device like a PC, smartphone, or mobile gaming device, allows you to view that content on what appears to be 100-200 inch screen through the glasses. They are optimized for watching movies, playing games, and using them in work environments. These glasses are shipping now. Mr. Jodice also stated that Xreal will support Android XR and release a new version called Project Aura in 2026. Xreal is also adding AI feedback to its new smart glasses. I also got to see Viture's new smart glasses, which are in this same category. Both companies are making great strides in developing even better versions of their products. Another significant player in this space is Snap, which has Snap Spectacles. Although very different from what Xreal and Viture are doing, Snap has created great smart glasses that are powerful for gaming and have all types of applications for consumers and businesses. The third type of glasses we discussed, which has a longer development cycle, are smart glasses with a video screen in the lenses so a person can get visual feedback when using them. There were many great sessions on optical lenses and the challenges of getting them to work well, and from the ones I attended, it is clear that breakthroughs in optical technology are needed to get this right. The panel felt that, by late 2026-2028, we will see more smart glasses come to market in this category. If you are interested in smart glass optical challenges, I suggest you visit Karl Guttag's KGOn Tech Blog for a deeper understanding of this subject. He had the best session on this topic at AWE, and his grasp of this issue is impressive. However, the panel discussed a significant topic: the future of smart glasses and its OS war on the horizon. Currently, Snap and Meta have two dedicated operating systems for their glasses. However, Google recently introduced Android XR, a new OS for smart glasses. With support from Samsung, Xreal, and others, this will become the third OS for smart glasses. We expect Apple to deliver its smart glasses and launch a fourth OS in the near future. In April, I wrote a column on Face Computing that sets the tone for what I see as a coming OS battle. To date, we have two major OS computing platforms: operating systems for PCs and Macs and operating systems for smartphones with iOS and Android. But I see the next big computing market will be around face computing, where our faces will be given the next significant way we deliver and work with information in the future. We are now laying the groundwork for the next personal computing battle, in which an OS and a software ecosystem will develop and drive the concept of wearable computing in the future. If history is our guide, we should see a huge push to get software developers to support one or two of these face computing OS platforms and start to build a significant ecosystem of apps and services for this type of wearable computer. If I am right about face computing being the next big thing in personal computing, AWE could evolve to become the main show for the industry within this category. As my panel of experts believes, we should see some remarkable new types of smart glasses come to market in the next two to three years. Disclosure: Qualcomm, Samsung, Lenovo, Google, Meta and Apple subscribes to Creative Strategies research reports along with many other high tech companies around the world.

I just found the best Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones deal — get a free $30 gift card at Amazon
I just found the best Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones deal — get a free $30 gift card at Amazon

Tom's Guide

time7 hours ago

  • Tom's Guide

I just found the best Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones deal — get a free $30 gift card at Amazon

There's a new contender for the best headphones you can buy — Sony's new WH-1000XM6. We've loved Sony's flagship headphone series for years, and the latest iteration is no exception to that. Hence why I'm super excited to see this awesome Amazon deal. Right now, you can get the Sony WH-1000XM6 for $448 at Amazon with a free $30 Amazon gift card. This gift card can be spent on anything you want over at Amazon, which makes this deal the best way I've found to get your hands on the new XM6 cans. (They're also $1 cheaper than the price listed in Sony's online store — nice.) Sony WH-1000XM6 Headphones: free $30 gc @ AmazonOur Sony WH-1000XM6 review said that while these headphones don't reinvent the wheel, that's no bad thing considering how excellent their predecessors are. Their excellent audio quality and active noise canceling continue to impress, and they now have improved clarity and codec support. You also get up to 30 hours of battery life with active noise canceling enabled, or up to 40 hours without. So, why should you buy the Sony WH-1000XM6? Our Sony WH-1000XM6 review said these are 'sure to be a staple on our list of the best headphones for years to come.' They're incredibly well-rounded and deliver excellent performance in almost all categories, making them a great buy for just about anybody. We enjoyed their clear, detailed sound in our testing, and appreciated that they support a wide variety of audio codecs like LDAC, SBC, AAC and LC3. You also get access to 360 Reality Audio for more 3D sound. We did find that the soundstage wasn't as wide as some other headphones we've tested, like the AirPods Max. But if you love a highly detailed audio experience, you'll love listening to the Sony WH-1000XM6s. We also saw a big upgrade in call quality for the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones. So if you frequently take voice and video calls, your voice will come through clearly even in noisy environments thanks to their 12 on-board microphones. This Amazon deal is the best way I've seen so far to pick up the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones, so get them while you can! For more savings, check out our Amazon promo codes coverage.

Forget Joy-Cons — this $20 accessory brings PS5/Xbox controller support to the Switch 2
Forget Joy-Cons — this $20 accessory brings PS5/Xbox controller support to the Switch 2

Tom's Guide

time8 hours ago

  • Tom's Guide

Forget Joy-Cons — this $20 accessory brings PS5/Xbox controller support to the Switch 2

A few years ago, with the release of Tears of the Kingdom on Nintendo Switch, I made the decision to finally stop using Joy-Cons. Because if I wasn't in handheld mode, Nintendo's half-palm-sized controllers just weren't performing well enough to get stuff done. Rather than buying an official Pro controller, or some other licensed gamepad, I opted for something a little different. 8BitDo's USB Wireless Adapter 2 lets Switch owners use just about any Bluetooth controller they like —including ones built for Xbox or PlayStation consoles. I'm happy to confirm that the adapter also works with the Nintendo Switch 2 — but you will need to do a little bit of tinkering to get it working. Thankfully, it takes less than 5 minutes to sort out. I've made no secret that I struggle with Joy-Cons. They hurt my hands over extended periods of time, and even the Switch 2's larger controllers haven't really fixed that problem. In fact, they seem to have made the whole thing worse. Get your non-Nintendo controllers running on the Switch 2 with 8BitDo's second generation USB Wireless Adapter. Normally costing just $20, but with 5% off if you tick the coupon box, it's the perfect way to get Xbox, PlayStation or other kinds of controllers running on your new console. The 8BitDo adapter meant that I was able to avoid this problem on the first Switch, at least when it was in TV mode. All you needed to do was plug it into the dock, pair it with a new console, and make sure one particular toggle was switched on in the settings. In my case, I had an Xbox controller paired to the adapter and was able to use it to play all my favorite Switch games. All with the comfort of a controller that was designed for actual human hands, and didn't feel like it was built with complete disregard for ergonomics. The only downside was that Nintendo and Microsoft reversed their lettered buttons. So hitting A on the Xbox button is actually telling the Switch you hit B — which can cause issues. I've been primarily playing with Xbox controllers for the better part of 24 years, and believe me that muscle memory is rather hard to override. Oh, and there's no home or capture buttons, because those are unique to Switch controllers. Unless you're using something like the Xbox Elite Controller or Dualsense Edge, there just aren't enough buttons to account for them. Still, I'll take the occasional mis-pressed button over cramping hands any day. So imagine my disappointment when I plugged the adapter into my Switch 2, and found that it didn't work. I wasn't keen on having to buy a new Switch 2-friendly adapter, or a different controller. But thankfully, the solution was much easier on my wallet. While there are plenty of Switch 1 accessories that work with Switch 2, it should be no surprise that not everything does. Fortunately, 8BitDo seems to have anticipated this, and released a new firmware update for the USB Wireless Adapter that upgraded the dongle with Switch 2 support. All it requires is 8BitDo's own upgrade tool (available on Windows and macOS). Download the tool, plug in the adapter and the software should automatically recognize it and check for updates. In my case the Windows tool picked up that my adapter was on version 1.04, and that v1.09 was available. Installing that update took about a minute, at which point the adapter was ready to go. The only thing you need to do on your Switch is head into the Controllers menu in Settings and activate Pro Controller Wired Communication. This means the Switch 2 recognizes the 8BitDo adapter as a wired controller, regardless of the fact it's connecting to a wireless controller. Plug the adapter into one of the Switch 2 dock's USB ports, and if your system is like mine it should recognize the new controller right away. Though checking the Change Grip/Order menu is worth doing to make sure it's set as the primary controller. 8BitDo has a huge list of controllers that are compatible with the 8BitDo USB Wireless Adapter 2. That includes all of 8BitDo's Bluetooth controllers, PlayStations 3 through 5, the Switch Pro Controllers, Wiimotes, the Wii U Pro, Xbox Series X|S and Bluetooth Xbox One controllers. The latter distinction is particularly important, because Xbox didn't add Bluetooth to any controller until the launch of the Xbox One S. So your launch-era Xbox One controller won't work here. The adapter also isn't exclusive to Switch consoles, and you can plug it into other devices as well, including Windows, Mac, the Steam Deck and Raspberry Pi devices. That way you can use whatever controller you like, not just the ones that are officially supported by the platform you're gaming on. So long Joy-Cons! We'll only be back if we need mouse controls or want to play in handheld mode.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store