CES: Sony's Disappointing Press Conference

Sony's CES press conference was less about groundbreaking products, and more about playing defense. It's no secret that the electronics giant has seen better days, and under the leadership of Kaz Hirai and his "one Sony" initiative, it's taking bold steps to recover. But amidst the brandishing of the company's "industry-leading" display technology initiatives, smartphone design, and consumer camera successes, there was a clear sense that Sony wasn't just selling new products, but selling itself.

Like any CES press conference, there were plenty of gorgeous montages set to stirring scores and other theatrics, but the company's executives made repeated references to the competition, not so subtly suggesting that their designs were so innovative, others have sought to rip them off. Each product category segment was rife with commentary about how Sony has been doing it longer, faster, and better than the other guy. The sentiment was so pervasive, in fact, that the company's new announcements seemed like an afterthought. The Xperia Z, Sony's new flagship Android smartphone, was introduced amongst a meandering presentation about how Sony is leading the charge with imaging and NFC development. It wasn't about the phone, it was how the phone represented Sony as a whole.

The same could be said about its pair of new, more affordable 4K OLED TVs. While certainly a triumph and a visual feast, the displays took the backseat to a heavy-handed dialog about how Sony pioneered the consumer OLED market and others are only now catching up.

As disappointing as Sony's tone was from a media or fan perspective, it makes more sense when the target audience is considered. To the public, CES is a grand spectacle of all things tech, but at its core, CES is a gathering point for retailers, investors, and analysts. Manufacturers aren't just generating buzz, they're selling their products to industry professionals — encouraging them to bank on their brand and carry them in their stores.

But Sony doesn't need to sell itself. Despite its organizational bloat and financial woes, it makes some truly exceptional products. Sony doesn't need to tell us it's honing its focus and besting the competition, it needs to show us. It should spend less time explaining why their products are without rival, and more time acting as if it were the truth. It needs to focus on its product's innovative features and unique value offering and demonstrate it without the comparative lens. The public needed Sony to give time and focus to the Xperia Z and demonstrate how it could become a leader in the Android market. It needed to avoid discussing its overarching strategy with 4K and emphasize why it matters.

But instead we got a pitch, and it seemed more dire than ever.

For more from CES, stay tuned to IGN.com/CES.

Scott Lowe is IGN's guru of Tech. He enjoys coffee, burritos, and moonlit walks. You can follow him on MyIGN Scott-IGN and on Twitter @ScottLowe. For more of the latest and greatest in technology, follow @IGNTech.

Source : ign[dot]com