Sony Sees Software Subscription as Future for Data-Analyzing Image Sensors

Sony Corp's sensor business executive Hideki Somemiya speaks during an interview with Reuters in Tokyo, Japan June 17, 2020.  (Reuters)
Sony Corp's sensor business executive Hideki Somemiya speaks during an interview with Reuters in Tokyo, Japan June 17, 2020. (Reuters)
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Sony Sees Software Subscription as Future for Data-Analyzing Image Sensors

Sony Corp's sensor business executive Hideki Somemiya speaks during an interview with Reuters in Tokyo, Japan June 17, 2020.  (Reuters)
Sony Corp's sensor business executive Hideki Somemiya speaks during an interview with Reuters in Tokyo, Japan June 17, 2020. (Reuters)

Sony Corp’s image sensor business aims to replicate PlayStation’s success to address its reliance on a handful of manufacturers in the fickle smartphone market: It plans to sell software by subscription for data-analyzing sensors in situ.

Transforming the light-converting chips into a platform for software - essentially akin to the PlayStation Plus video games service - amounts to a sea change for the $10 billion business, which built its dominance through hardware breakthroughs.

The effort chimes with Sony’s pursuit of recurring revenue after years of loss in the volatile consumer electronics sector. Success, analysts said, could serve as a rejoinder to activist investor Daniel Loeb’s calls for the business to be spun off.

“We have a solid position in the market for image sensors, which serve as a gateway for imaging data,” said Sony’s Hideki Somemiya, who heads a new team developing sensor applications.

Analysis of such data with artificial intelligence (AI) “would form a market larger than the growth potential of the sensor market itself in terms of value,” Somemiya said in an interview, pointing to the recurring nature of software-dependent data processing versus a hardware-only business.

Sony has developed what it calls the world’s first image sensor with integrated AI processor. The sensor can be installed in security cameras where it can single out factory workers not wearing helmets, for instance, or be mounted in vehicles to monitor driver drowsiness. Importantly, the software can be modified or replaced wirelessly without disturbing the camera.

The Japanese conglomerate hopes customers will subscribe to its sensor software service through monthly fees or licensing, much like how gamers buy a PlayStation console and then pay for software or subscribe to online services.

Sony has not disclosed a start date for the service, but at a news conference last month, Somemiya said there was demand from “retailers, factories - mainly business-to-business”.

South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Chinese-owned OmniVision Technologies are also expanding the software capability of image sensors, but analysts said a 52% market share gives Sony a competitive edge in the emerging area.

Still, said Somemiya, a software-centered approach will require a change of mindset at a division accustomed to abiding by specifications of smartphone makers - just five of whom account for the bulk of its revenue.



SDAIA Launches 'National AI Index' to Measure Saudi Govt Readiness for Adopting AI 

SDAIA Launches 'National AI Index' to Measure Saudi Govt Readiness for Adopting AI 
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SDAIA Launches 'National AI Index' to Measure Saudi Govt Readiness for Adopting AI 

SDAIA Launches 'National AI Index' to Measure Saudi Govt Readiness for Adopting AI 

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) launched the "National AI Index," with over 180 representatives from participating government entities attending the first assessment cycle.

The goal of the index is to evaluate institutional readiness for adopting artificial-intelligence (AI) technologies, regularly monitor progress, and provide recommendations to support development efforts and achieve the desired national impact, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

The index aims to align government efforts and national priorities in the field of AI, while providing the necessary enablers to support government entities in adopting and developing effective and sustainable AI solutions that contribute to achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

The index is built on three main pillars, seven core dimensions, and 23 subcategories to ensure a comprehensive assessment of government entities' readiness in the AI field. It provides results that reflect the maturity level of AI adoption across entities, along with the necessary support to enhance their capabilities in developing innovative solutions that sustain national efforts and maximize their impact in priority sectors.

The index is part of SDAIA's broader efforts as the national reference for data and AI in the Kingdom, overseeing their regulation, development, and application.

It aims to promote the adoption of AI technologies and improve institutional performance, thereby advancing digital transformation across government entities. The initiative aligns with SDAIA's strategic partnerships to support the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to build a knowledge- and innovation-based economy.