Sony's software future

CNET News.com writes a lengthy analysis of Sony's troubled software development process. The company is facing "new competition for the living room, largely from networked devices created by Apple and other technology companies" and if it doesn't improve its software then "its failures in the digital audio market could be replicated elsewhere."

The article states that "consumer electronics devices increasingly depend on software for their core features. Some argue that Sony's ability to fend off Apple and other digital-age rivals depends on its ability to get software for its Walkman and other new products right."

The article looks at the internal issues and the not invented here mentality that plague the company,and cited "Sony's near-three-year efforts to create an iTunes rival called Connect highlight the company's weaknesses, and provide a case study in what it must overcome to succeed."

GartnerG2 analyst Mike McGuire said, "It's not like they don't have decent software coders,. They've got good ones. It's about getting them in line, and getting them to focus."

IDC analyst Susan Kevorkian added, "It's not too late for any consumer electronics company to get its software house in order. But it will require investments and a change of focus that can be challenging for a large company in a relatively short time frame."