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☆ Apple in talks with Disney, others on VR content for new headset - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 23 (Reuters) - Apple Inc (AAPL.O) was in talks with about half a dozen media partners including Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) to develop virtual reality (VR) content for its mixed reality headset, Bloomberg News reported on Monday. Earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that Apple was planning to unveil its first mixed reality (MR) headset this year. An MR headset could allow the wearer to use a real world object to trigger a virtual world reaction. The iPhone maker's MR headset is set to launch in this year's spring event and will cost around $3,000, according to the report. That would be twice as much as Meta Platforms Inc's (META.O) Quest Pro virtual and MR headset, which waslaunched late last year for $1,500.

☆ Davos 2023: CEOs buzz about ChatGPT-style AI at World Economic Forum
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Jeffrey Dastin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Business titans trudging through Alpine snow can't stop talking about a chatbot from San Francisco. Businesses including CarMax Inc (KMX.N) have already used Microsoft and OpenAI's tech, such as to generate thousands of customer review summaries when marketing used vehicles. Such buzz carried through gatherings at Davos, like talk about a slide-generating bot dubbed ChatBCG after the management consulting firm. loadingGenerative AI is "a game-changer that society and industry need to be ready for," stated an article on the World Economic Forum's website. Reporting By Jeffrey Dastin in Davos, Switzerland; Editing by Kenneth Li and Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Sony, Honda roll out prototype of 'Afeela' EV that will use Qualcomm tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 4 (Reuters) - Japan's Sony (6758.T) on Wednesday unveiled a prototype of the new "Afeela" electric vehicles it will build together with Honda (7267.T), using digital chassis from hardware maker Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O). The Afeela, which sported rounded corners and a sleek black roof, will use more than 40 sensors, Yashuhide Mizuno, the chief executive of Sony Honda Mobility, told the trade show. It will also use the "Unreal Engine" 3-D creation tool from Epic Games, the maker of the "Fortnite" series of games. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, who also appeared at the CES presentation, said the car would use Qualcomm's "Snapdragon" digital chassis. The venture between Sony Group Corp and Honda Motor Co Ltd aims to deliver its first electric vehicles by early 2026 in North America.

☆ Qualcomm, Salesforce to build new connected vehicle platform for automakers
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 5 (Reuters) - U.S. chip designer Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O) and cloud-based software firm Salesforce Inc (CRM.N) plan to develop a new connected vehicle platform for automakers, the companies said on Thursday. The platform for cars with internet access would use Qualcomm's Snapdragon digital chassis and Salesforce's cloud services to help automakers personalize user experiences using real-time data, according to the companies. The Snapdragon digital chassis, used by carmakers and their suppliers, can provide assisted and autonomous driving technology, as well as in-car infotainment and cloud connectivity. Earlier on Wednesday, Qualcomm unveiled a processor chip for cars called Snapdragon Ride Flex SoC that handles both assisted driving and cockpit functions, including entertainment. Japan's Sony Group Corp (6758.T) also said on Wednesday its newly unveiled prototype of the "Afeela" electric vehicles will use technology from Qualcomm, including its Snapdragon digital chassis.

☆ Sony's new "Afeela" electric vehicle with Honda to use Qualcomm tech, companies say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Jan 4 (Reuters) - Sony and Honda's electric vehicle joint venture will work closely with U.S. firm Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O) on the new "Afeela" cars, the chief executive of Sony Honda Mobility, Yasuhide Mizuno, told the CES 2023 technology trade show in Las Vegas on Wednesday. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, who also appeared at the CES presentation, said the car would use Qualcomm's "Snapdragon" digital chassis. The venture between Sony Group Corp (6758.T) and Honda Motor Co Ltd (7267.T) aims to deliver its first electric vehicles by early 2026 in North America. Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Writing by David Dolan Editing by Chang-Ran KimOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ No 'substantive' settlement talks between U.S. FTC, Microsoft over Activision -lawyer
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FTC attorney James Weingarten, speaking in a brief telephonic pretrial hearing, said there were no "substantive" settlement discussions between the two sides under way. The case reflects the muscular approach to antitrust enforcement being taken by the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden. Michael Chappell, the FTC administrative law judge, will rule on the deal after hearings set for August 2023. Either side can then appeal to the same FTC commissioners who voted to bring the challenge, and then to a U.S. appeals court. The deal faces scrutiny in the European Union which is to decide by March 23 whether to clear or block the deal.

☆ Japan lawmaker says TSMC is considering second plant in Japan
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, Dec 23 (Reuters) - A senior Japanese lawmaker said on Friday that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (2330.TW), the world's largest contract chip maker, is considering building a second plant in Japan in addition to an $8.6 billion dollar facility now under construction. "I believe TSMC is looking into further investments in Japan. TSMC said in an emailed statement that it did not rule out any possibility for Japan but there were no concrete plans at the moment. The Taiwanese company is building a chip plant in southern Japan, with Sony Group Corp (6758.T) and auto parts maker Denso Corp (6902.T) each taking a minority stake. "Technological innovation is fierce in the semiconductor industry," Seki said.

☆ Video gamers sue Microsoft in US court to stop Activision takeover
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Reuters —Microsoft Corp was hit on Tuesday in US court with a private consumer lawsuit claiming the technology company’s $69 billion bid to purchase “Call of Duty” maker Activision Blizzard Inc will unlawfully squelch competition in the video game industry. The private lawsuit also seeks an order blocking Microsoft from acquiring Activision. It was filed on behalf of 10 video game players in California, New Mexico and New Jersey. The proposed acquisition would give Microsoft “far-outsized market power in the video game industry,” the complaint alleged, “with the ability to foreclose rivals, limit output, reduce consumer choice, raise prices, and further inhibit competition.”A representative for Microsoft did not immediately comment on Tuesday. The FTC previously said it sued to stop “Microsoft from gaining control over a leading independent game studio.” The agency said the merger would harm competition among rival gaming platforms from Nintendo Co Ltd and Sony Group Corp.

☆ Video gamers sue Microsoft in U.S. court to stop Activision takeover
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Mike Scarcella | Industry Insight | Saw Law Firms Move Past The Pandemic Into A More Client-Focused Service Environment | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

It was filed on behalf of 10 video game players in California, New Mexico and New Jersey. A Microsoft representative on Tuesday defended the deal, saying in a statement that it "will expand competition and create more opportunities for gamers and game developers." After the FTC sued, Microsoft President Brad Smith said, "We have complete confidence in our case and welcome the opportunity to present our case in court." Private plaintiffs can pursue antitrust claims in U.S. court, even while a related U.S. agency case is pending. The FTC previously said it sued to stop "Microsoft from gaining control over a leading independent game studio."

☆ Sony plans smartphone sensor factory in Japan - Nikkei
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 15 (Reuters) - Sony Group Corp (6758.T) is considering building a new factory to make smartphone image sensors in the Kumamoto prefecture of Japan, Nikkei reported on Thursday. The company plans to break ground on the plant as soon as 2024, and bring it online in fiscal 2025 at the earliest, the report said, adding the company expects the cost to run into the billions of dollars. Japan, which long ago lost its lead on chip manufacturing, particularly advanced semiconductors, is rushing to take advantage after Washington restricted Beijing's access to the technology and asked its allies to do the same. Sony plans to source chips from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co's (2330.TW) planned chip plant in the area, the report said. ($1 = 137.8500 yen)Reporting by Chavi Mehta in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini GanguliOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Microsoft Needs to Play Activision Out
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Dan Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Phil Spencer, CEO of videogaming at Microsoft, had told The Wall Street Journal, “We have to break that duopoly” of two storefronts controlling the mobile market. One irony of Microsoft Corp.’s battle to acquire Activision Blizzard Inc. is that the deal’s fate may hang on the company’s ability to convince regulators—and now judges—that it has moved beyond the Xbox. Another is that the deal could prove key to reducing the market power of two other tech giants. Consoles were the main way that consumers played videogames then, and their respective makers worked to pile up exclusive content to keep players in their ecosystems. Those exclusive games augmented mega-popular franchises such as “Call of Duty” that were available across platforms.

☆ Microsoft Pledges to Put ‘Call of Duty’ on Nintendo Switch If Activision Deal Is Approved
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Sarah E. Needleman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Microsoft Corp. pledged to give Nintendo Co. access to the popular “Call of Duty” games for a decade if its $75 billion deal to buy the game’s developer, Activision Blizzard Inc., gets approved, the software giant’s latest move to head off possible American regulatory action to block the acquisition. The offer follows a similar pledge that Microsoft made to Sony Group Corp., maker of the PlayStation videogame console. Sony has been the loudest of the critics of the planned Activision deal, arguing that it could hurt competition if Microsoft restricts access to Activision games. Sony has also said Microsoft could hinder competition in the global videogame industry if it were to gain ownership of “Call of Duty.”

☆ Microsoft in 10-year commitment to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O) has entered into a 10-year commitment to bring the gaming title "Call of Duty" to Nintendo (7974.T) platforms, the chief executive officer of Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer, said in a post on Twitter on Wednesday. The agreement will bring the popular first-person shooter series from Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) to Nintendo game consoles for the first time. Nintendo said the Microsoft announcement was true but declined to comment further. The announcement comes after Microsoft's planned $69 billion acquisition of the "Call of Duty" maker raised concern among regulators that the deal could stifle competition. Microsoft competes with Sony Group Corp (6758.T) and Nintendo in the global video game industry, which saw strong growth in recent years with people spending more time at home because of the coronavirus pandemic.

☆ Microsoft to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo, Sony on the spot
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O) has entered into a 10-year commitment to bring the gaming title "Call of Duty" to Nintendo (7974.T) platforms, the chief executive officer of Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer, said in a post on Twitter on Wednesday. The agreement will bring the popular first-person shooter series from Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) to Nintendo game consoles for the first time. "I think this is an attempt by Microsoft to pressure Sony into signing a deal with Activision and to make it easier for Microsoft to finish and close the deal with Activision," said Serkan Toto, founder of the Kantan Games consultancy. Microsoft competes with Sony and Nintendo in the global video game industry, which saw strong growth in recent years with people spending more time at home because of the coronavirus pandemic. Shares in Nintendo closed up 0.3% after the Microsoft announcement, outperforming the Nikkei average's (.N225) 0.7% slide and Sony's 1.3% fall.

TOKYO, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Japanese electronics and entertainment conglomerate Sony Group Corp (6758.T) said on Tuesday it has the technology to make humanoid robots quickly once it has identified how they could be effectively used. "In terms of technology, several companies in the world including this one have enough technology accumulated to make them swiftly once it becomes clear which usage is promising," Sony Chief Technology Officer Hiroaki Kitano told Reuters in an interview. Sony launched a robot dog called Aibo more than two decades ago. Humanoid robots have been in development for decades by Honda Motor Co (7267.T) and Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS) and in September, Tesla (TSLA.O) Chief Executive Elon Musk showed off a prototype of its humanoid robot Optimus. Musk's company is floating plans to deploy thousands of the robots in its factories, expanding eventually to millions around the world.

☆ Sony to expand Chinese game incubator in Microsoft head-to-head
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Japanese tech giant's plans were made public during an event live-streamed from the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu to re-launch the China Hero Project programme, which ground to a halt due to COVID-19. The China Hero Project unveiled its first two batches of games in 2017 and 2019 and has supported 17 titles, of which seven have reached the market. It was part of Sony's years-long approach to China, which ultimately led it to a lucrative exclusivity deal with the Chinese hit game “Genshin Impact” outside of the China Hero Project. Reuters reported last month that Sony's success with “Genshin Impact” has driven Microsoft to aggressively woo Chinese game developers with big licensing deals. Sony sells the PlayStation (PS) consoles in China, where people have traditionally preferred playing mobile-based games.

☆ Toyota, Sony Set Up Advanced Chip Business in Japan
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Yang Jie | River Davis | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Japan, once a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing, has fallen far behind the U.S. and Taiwan, which Tokyo sees as a national security concern. TOKYO— Toyota Motor Corp. and Sony Group Corp., together with six other Japanese companies, are creating a new business to design and make next-generation semiconductors by the late 2020s. The venture, called Rapidus, Latin for “rapid,” comes amid rising competition among major economies for advanced chips to support applications such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing.

TOKYO, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Japan said on Friday it will invest up to 70 billion yen ($500 million) in a new semiconductor company led by tech firms including Sony Group Corp (6758.T) and NEC Corp (6701.T) as it rushes to re-establish itself as a lead maker of advanced chips. The new chip company will be named Rapidus and aims to begin making chips in the second half of the decade, he added. Japan is also concerned that China may attempt to take control of Taiwan, the global hub for advanced chip production. In July Japan also offered a 93 billion yen subsidy to help memory chip makers Kioxia Corp and Western Digital Corp (WDC.O) expand output in Japan. In September it pledged to give U.S. chipmaker Micron Technology (MU.O) $46.5 billion yen so it can add production capacity at its plant in Hiroshima.

☆ NTT, Kioxia to invest in new Japan-backed logic semiconductor firm - TV Tokyo
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] The logo of NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation) is displayed at the company office in Tokyo, Japan September 29, 2020. REUTERS/Issei KatoTOKYO, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Japanese companies, including Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp (9432.T) and Kioxia Holdings Corp, have decided to invest in a new government-backed company that aims to mass-produce next-generation logic semiconductors, TV Tokyo reported on Thursday. Other companies, including Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T), Sony Group (6758.T), SoftBank (9434.T) and Denso Corp (6902.T), also plan to invest about 1 billion yen ($6.84 million) each into the new company, the Nikkei newspaper reported separately. Japan's government will set up a new research centre by the end of 2022 to develop sub 2-nanometer semiconductors, which will be led by a former Tokyo Electron Ltd (8035.T) president, TV Tokyo also said. ($1 = 146.2800 yen)Reporting by Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Jan Harvey and Jane MerrimanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Nintendo shares head for biggest one-day drop in a year after Switch sales projection cut
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Shares in Nintendo Co Ltd (7974.T) fell nearly 7%, putting them on track for their biggest one-day drop in a year on Wednesday after the Japanese videogame giant cut its annual sales projection for its Switch console by nearly 10%. The Kyoto-based company on Tuesday cut its sales forecast for the Switch to 19 million units for this business year from 21 million, as microchip shortages constrained production. Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa told an earnings briefing on Tuesday that chip supply had begun recovering in recent months, helping boost Switch production. Still, Nintendo shares were up 6.9% in Tokyo trade, against a nearly flat broader market. Shares of Nintendo are up 8.3% so far this year.

Differences over JIP's plan to retain Toshiba CEO Taro Shimada and his team were a source of friction between the two bidders, according to two sources familiar with the talks. Despite being selected as preferred bidder, JIP has struggled to secure enough equity commitments from potential partners, sources have said. It now looks set to miss a Monday deadline to deliver a firm proposal that includes letters of commitment from banks, sources have said. In late October, JIC expanded the size of its buyout fund to 900 billion yen ($6.11 billion) from 200 billion yen. Two of the sources said the expansion was not just for a Toshiba buyout but also aimed at other deals.

☆ Sony shares jump 9% after profit forecast hike
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Sam Nussey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Shares in Sony Group Corp (6758.T) leapt 9% on Wednesday morning after the entertainment conglomerate hiked its full-year profit forecast in contrast to lacklustre projections by many peers. Sony reported that it produced more than 6.5 million PlayStation 5 (PS5) units during the second quarter ahead of the year-end shopping season, signalling that supply chain snarls that have hampered the games business are easing. The value of inventory at Sony's games unit surged to 412.5 billion yen ($2.79 billion) in the second quarter, versus 146.2 billion yen three months earlier. Sony aims to sell more than 18 million PS5 units this year, Chief Financial Officer Hiroki Totoki has said. The Japanese conglomerate also hiked the outlook for its movies and image sensor businesses citing the FX boost but noted lower sensor sales.

☆ Sony Q2 gaming profit tumbles 50% on higher costs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Sam Nussey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FILE PHOTO: Sony Corp's logo is seen on its Crystal LED Integrated Structure (CLEDIS) display at its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, February 2, 2017. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-HoonTOKYO (Reuters) -Sony Group Corp’s second-quarter profit at its key gaming unit fell by 50% from a year earlier as the entertainment conglomerate booked higher costs from game development and acquisitions, the company said on Tuesday. The Tokyo-headquartered company’s gaming unit recorded a profit of 42.1 billion yen ($284.63 million) after selling 3.3 million units of its PlayStation 5 (PS5) console in the second quarter, equal to the year ago sales. It trimmed its full-year forecast for the games business by 12% to 225 billion yen citing lower software sales from third-party developers and the impact of dollar-denominated costs. Sony reported overall group operating profit rose 8% to 344 billion yen ($2.32 billion) in the July-September quarter, beating analyst estimates, after units including the music business offset the weakness in gaming.

☆ Samsung boss Jay Y. Lee to build on late father's legacy
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Joyce Lee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Lee, 54, has been vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, the crown jewel of South Korea's biggest business conglomerate, since 2012. That is a major business risk for Samsung, which counts both China and the United States as major markets. But Samsung insiders say his quiet, urbane manner disguises a steely determination Lee will need if he is to grow Samsung. As an only son, Lee was groomed by his father to take over the core business of Samsung Group, which his grandfather founded in 1938. Shares in construction affiliate Samsung C&T (028260.KS), in which Lee owns a 18% stake, rose as much as 7.1%.

☆ Microsoft powers up search for Chinese gaming hits in race against Sony
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterGrowing Western interest in Chinese games reflects a maturing of China's game development industry, analysts said. Chinese games are now on a par with big-budget Western games, said Daniel Ahmad, senior analyst at researcher Niko Partners. "Chinese game developers are trying to standardise their development tools, create advanced production processes, invest in really large-scale teams," Ahmad said. Microsoft has been building a team to scout for Chinese games, two industry sources said. Gaming executives now point to "Genshin Impact" as a global industry milestone, lauding its production value and seamless cross-platform game play.

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