Sony 2007 Annual Report Download - page 33

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Digital single-lens reflex camera
DSLR-A100
Despite harsh competition in the market for LCD rear-projection televisions, we maintained
a high market share, particularly in the United States, the leading market for these products.
We will focus our lineup of LCD rear-projection televisions on models mounted with the
Silicon X-tal (“crystal”) Reflective Display (SXRD™) device, which offers superb contrast and
response time in Full HD resolution.
The digital camera market continued to grow in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007,
climbing 22%, to around 79 million units, reflecting robust replacement demand in Europe
and North America. In this environment, Sony recorded brisk sales worldwide thanks to
products that responded to market needs, including the affordably priced Cyber-shot W
series and S series in Europe and North America and the slim-design Cyber-shot T series in
Asia. As a consequence, shipments of Sony digital cameras increased 26%, to approximately
17 million units.
In July 2006, we launched the α100, the first model in our “α (alpha)” line of digital single-
lens reflex (SLR) cameras based on the α mount system. The α100 is the fruit of our efforts
to combine Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc.’s image stabilization technology, as well as
its image quality engineering and optical technologies, with Sony’s imager, battery, LCD and
other device technologies, as well as its high-density mounting and digital signal processing
technologies. Believing that the digital SLR market will continue to expand, we are striving to
offer attractive new products that deliver unlimited photographic fun and further grow this
business.
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007, the global market for video cameras remained
level at about 18 million units, of which Sony accounted for approximately 7.45 million units,
a slight decline from the previous fiscal year. From 8mm video, the industry format for
consumer-use video cameras, to digital video (DV) and high definition video (HDV), which
enables users to record and replay HD video, we have led the industry by striving constantly
to commercialize Handycam® camcorders that deliver improved image quality and
convenience. In the period under review, we launched the first consumer-use video camera
based on the AVCHD HD video recorder format, which enables recording and storing of HD
video on random-access media. Beginning with the introduction of digital terrestrial
broadcasting in Japan, HD broadcasting is expanding globally. This trend is expected to
encourage greater market penetration of HD-compatible televisions, thereby creating an
environment for consumer-use equipment that will facilitate the enjoyment of HD in the home.
We will continue to enhance our lineup of HD camcorders and promote the conversion of
personal video content to HD.
In the period under review, we rolled out Blu-ray Disc players in the U.S. market while in
Japan we launched two Blu-ray Disc recorder models. Capable of recording full-resolution
content from HD broadcasting and HD video cameras, Blu-ray Disc recorders can also play
motion pictures and other content released in Blu-ray Disc format, as well as support digital
slide shows and playback applications, thereby increasing the enjoyment to be gained from
HD technology.
In the portable audio category, we continued to enhance our lineup of Walkman® digital
music players. These players exhibit superb sound clarity, thereby fulfilling the quintessential
objective of any piece of audio equipment—to produce superior sound that enhances the
music listening experience. We also launched a top-of-the-line Walkman® series that delivers
Digital HD camcorder
HDR-SR1
Blu-ray Disc recorder
BDZ-V9