By Kim Yoo-chul
LOS ANGELES ― Sony Corp. has been lacking vigor but wants to rejuvenate.
Its push for a new lease of life is Sony Store, with the first of a worldwide chain having just opened as the first in the Westfield Century City shopping mall.
It is similar in concept to the Apple Store, which sells hardware as well as software.
The Tokyo-based TV titan’s strong point is a wealth of content.
Sony's soul-searching efforts ares well reflected as it dropped "Style," its old name.
"This renewed store has similar features of the Apple Store, however, I can say that the opening gives Apple a serious run for its money by providing customers an exciting experience," said one store official, asking not to be identified because he isn't authorized to speak to the media.
"I think the realignment will lift Sony more and cut the delay in reacting to the market and possibly rivals. The store in Westfield, which is the first on the planet, will play a key role towards new paths," added the official.
In a rare media trip for a dozen Korean reporters, Sony officials said the store has included a wider range of its consumer products and given chances to consumers to test and play with devices still in the "prototype stage."
The 4,200-square meters store has live demos of Sony gadgets and content such as three-dimensional (3D) movies, headphones and video games, as well as cameras.
"Consumers are paying attention to the store. The number of onlookers has steadily been growing since the opening. Sony is not just selling hardware products because we are also selling content and we believe there will be more interaction between customers and products," said Jonathan Unger, the store's sales leader, in a background briefing to Korean reporters, last week.
One other clue to Sony’s business realignment was at its 3D Technology Center in downtown Los Angeles.
Located at Sony Pictures, it's running several 3D-related courses to students and even industry professionals with an aim to better understand 3D technology, officials said.
"All courses are free of charge. The key focuses on classes and programs are not only about technology things. It’s about examples of 3D content, storytelling in 3D," said Buzz Hays, a senior vice president at the center, in an interview with The Korea Times.
The executive said some 1,300 personnel have been completed a three-day intensive 3D learning courses, here, since the February opening this year and added Sony is keen to expand programs as part of its software-initiatives.
The technology veteran said so-called ``bad 3D’’ is creating some side-effects such as eye fatigue and other health-related issues but expects they will be resolved because there’s a universal consensus to make good content.
The market leader Samsung says its shutter-glass 3D technology providers more vivid 3D viewing images, though LG said its recently-developed film-type patterned retarder (FPR) technology has eliminated cross-talk and flickering (image overlap), in addition to offering cheaper 3D-only glasses than those by Samsung.
``Technically speaking, FPR technology is less quality and the active system offers full high-definition (HD) images, though glasses are quite expensive. But it’s a matter of time because glasses technology is continuing to evolve and it will get better and better,’’ said the executive.