The expected layoffs follow another 1,000 job losses in the same division last year, and will leave its handset business with around 5,000 workers by early next year.
The electronics maker said last October that in light of poor handset sales it planned to cut smartphone investment, directing resources instead to more successful areas such as its PlayStation division and image sensor production.
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While Sony handsets remain relatively popular in the company’s home country of Japan, grabbing the attention of overseas consumers with its range of Xperia smartphones has proved challenging.
With pressure mounting on its mobile business in developing countries, the tech firm said last October it planned to scale back its ambitions in such markets. However, at the other end of the market, the situation is hardly easier, a fact highlighted by the Apple’s latest quarterly report, released Tuesday, which revealed iPhone sales of a whopping 74.5 million for the last three months of 2014.
As part of Sony’s new strategy, the company will launch fewer phones globally this year, a plan similar to that of rival Samsung, whose smartphone business is also being squeezed by competitors.
Sony is yet to confirm the latest job cuts, though it’s expected to announce the news on February 4 when it reports its latest financial results.
[Source: Nikkei]
