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23
Sony Corporation Annual Report 1997
Telecommunications Equipment
Sony makes a full line of digital cellular
phones conforming to all major telecommu-
nications standards worldwide.
A joint venture between Sony and U.S.-
based Qualcomm Inc. produces and sells
CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) hand-
sets that were jointly developed by the two
companies. During the year, this venture re-
ceived large orders from leading U.S. telecom-
munications firms.
In Japan, Sony’s PDC (Personal Digital Cel-
lular) handsets with jog dial control continued
to perform well. In Europe, Sony introduced an
ultra-compact GSM (Global System for Mobile
Communications) handset with jog dial.
A DVD-ROM drive (above) and
optical pickup for DVD-ROM drives
PlayStation Game Console
The PlayStation game console posted another
year of robust sales growth worldwide. New
affordable pricing and a string of hit software
introductions underpinned this accomplishment.
Among the hit titles in Japan were
Final
Fantasy VII
from Square Co., Ltd., and
Popolocrois Story, Arc The Lad II
, and
PARAPPA THE RAPPER
from Sony Computer
Entertainment Inc. (SCEI). Popular new games
available overseas included
TEKKEN
from
Namco Limited and
Crash Bandicoot
from SCEI.
Scheduled to hit the U.S. market
in the second half of 1997, this
CDMA handset boasts superb
sound quality and low power
consumption.
Sony’s InfoLITHIUM lithium-ion batteries developed for home-
use camcorders have an internal microcomputer which calcu-
lates key data such as remaining capacity and cycle life.
Lithium-Ion Batteries
Lithium-ion batteries are widely used to
power such portable electronic devices as
PCs, cellular phones, and audiovisual
equipment. All indications point to continued
growth in demand for these large capacity
rechargeable batteries, which are both com-
pact and lightweight. Sony has consistently
raised production capacity in line with market
expansion. The company produced its 100
millionth cell in December 1996.